Opera singer Julia Montfort (Irene Rich) returns to the stage when her husband, Verdugo Montford (Josef Swickard) loses his job...and then gives him work secretly paid for by herself. When a temperamental artist Babette Hermann (Pauline Garon) reveals the secret, Verdugo becomes disillusioned. Later, though, his faith in his wife is restored.

The story of twin sisters, one raised in Russia, the other in America, and how their lives diverge and re-entangle.

World War I veteran Jack Dunbar who, like a lot of veterans then and now, is finding it hard to land a job. When he fixes the broken down auto of the newly rich Nicholas Small, he finally runs into some luck. The blustery Small explains that the way to get ahead is to blow your own horn, and then he takes Dunbar to an estate, where he is introduced as a millionaire.

Grace Merrill works as a shill in a gambling hall. Her five roommates are even less honestly employed. One of them, Elsie Brown commits suicide because her main squeeze, Frank Norwood has left her. Elsie's small town mother comes to the city and meets Elsie's roommates. But Mother Brown's faith and purity are so compelling that the ladies of the night reform. Grace, in fact, gives up her affair with a married man -- even though she really loves him -- to go live with Mrs. Brown in the country.

As an infant, Ruth Drake was stolen from her father by her vengeful mother, and then abandoned. She was adopted and raised by a pawnbroker, and as a young woman joins the Salvation Army in order to help the kinds of people she has seen--and was--growing up. When war breaks out in Europe, she volunteers to go to France

A beautiful chorine marries a handsome rich socialite, but her idyllic life ends when she visits a dying old beau and is charged when he commits suicide.

Northerner Captain Ford, U.S.A., is sent down south to trail a gang of moonshiners. Jefferson Gwynne, hot-headed young southerner, believes Ford is an abolitionist and takes an instant dislike to him. Jeff’s sister Georgia is attracted to Ford, especially after her saves her in a runaway accident, much to the chagrin of her cousin Paul Fitzhugh who is in love with her. Jefferson accuses Ford of fomenting political unrest among the blacks and attacks him with Ford’s sword. Ford fends him off but when Jeff is wounded the captain goes for help rabble rouser Sampson steals up and murders Jeff observed by Paul, who remains silent. Ford is jailed for the murder but after many travails is finally cleared and reunited with Georgia.

Aerial dancer La Syrena, whose jealous husband kills her while she performs in midair. Her daughter, Jennie Raeburn, soon orphaned, grows up unaware of her mother's occupation, but nonetheless feels the urge to dance.

Fight promoter Nick Donati grooms a bellhop as a future champ, but has second thoughts when the 'kid' falls for his sister.

Virginia Redding inherits a fortune and goes to New York, leaving behind her suitor Dave, a rancher. Good fortune strikes Dave when radium deposits are discovered on his ranch, and he and his partner sell out, go to New York, and become society sensations.