Die Liebe ist der Frauen Macht (1924)

The wealthy British Lord Mackenzie has fallen in love with Fern, the circus director’s daughter. He showers her with flowers and invitations to dinner and, moreover, sits in the box at every circus performance so that he can see her every day. But Fern, a horse specialist, always gives her persistent admirer the cold shoulder, because she is interested only in Ralph, the trick rider. Since the determined Englishman is getting nowhere, he resorts to highly improper means and buys up all the bills of exchange belonging to the heavily indebted director, Albany. He intends to use this leverage to make Fern finally give him a hearing. When her father, faced with his desperate situation, announces that he is going to kill himself, Fern reluctantly agrees to a date with the lord. The Briton becomes importunate, so Fern feels compelled to flee into the next room and lock herself in. A little later, Mackenzie is found shot dead. Suspicion that he murdered his rival then falls on Ralph, the trick rider, who had followed Fern and entered Mackenzie’s private room. Fern has to believe that her beloved committed the murder, and so, for his sake, she sacrifices herself and confesses that she shot the lecherous boor who had made advances to her. After some time, however, the true facts are uncovered: Orlando, the sharpshooter, who had also taken a liking to the eloquent Fern, is the real culprit. To get rid of two rivals at once, he had lain in wait with his rifle in a room opposite and, at the opportune moment, sent the lord to meet his ancestors. At the same time, he made sure that Ralph learned of his beloved’s tryst with the deceased. The sharpshooter is brought to justice, and Fern and Ralph can finally fall into each other’s arms.