Lady of the Night (1925)

Two baby girls, born near in proximity, but worlds apart in life: Molly Helmer, a thief's daughter; and Florence Banning, daughter of the judge who would send Molly's father to prison. The girls' lives converge when they are young women of 18 as Florence leaves the security of the exclusive Girls' Select School and Molly, now orphaned, begins her life free from reform school. Norma Shearer plays both young women, but the apparent differences in their worldliness makes them most unfamiliar in appearance. Molly's new world consists of nights at Kelly's Dance Hall and her ever-present worshiper, Chunky Dunn. On one of her nightly dance-hall outings Molly meets up-and-coming inventor David Page, and quickly falls in love with him. She persuades him to seek an honest buyer for his new safe-cracking device against Chunky's advice, as his shadier side sees this as an opportunity for himself and to corrupt David. Following Molly's advice, David meets with a group of investors, including the now-retired Judge Banning, Florence's father. While at the judge's home, David meets Florence and is instantly attracted by her charm and her innocence, a characteristic not so present in Molly. Both women are in love with David but both are willing to give him up; Florence thinks Molly has a stronger claim on her, and Molly believes that she isn't good enough for him. Through strong direction and subtle acting intermixed with false bravado, Molly matures into one who sacrifices all for the sake of others and becomes the person she so often imitated. Very sentimental; excellent movie for the person who believes there is no good silent film.