The story
“Her Beloved Enemy is a light story of romance and a substantial story of mystery. To add to its interest is the novelty of offering Doris Grey and Wayne Arey as stars for the first time. Miss Grey will be remembered as the most beautiful young woman in New England, who won a place because of this distinction in the Thanhouser studios, and developed into such competency that after a year of bits she was considered able enough for starring in features. Mr. Arey has been a leading man in Thanhouser productions for a long time.
“The story opens with the introduction of Miss Grey as a pretty boarding school heiress whose mother is dead and father has been ‘away on important business’ from her childhood. She occasionally receives loving letters from him, dispatched from different parts of the world. Finally, after her finishing, her father appears and conducts her to her mansion home. One day while out motoring her father observes a man in another car and recognizes him as his bitter enemy who he would like to kill. The father dies a short time later without disclosing the reason for his hatred. The little girl had not a good look at this enemy but discovers that a man she met at a girlfriend’s house—and who she had grown to worship with all the fervor of her impressionable heart—is her father’s mysterious foe. The remainder of the drama is exceedingly moving as the girl follows the man through a tensely exciting episode wherein she learns his real identity. It is a sadder and wiser girl who tries to have her lover arrested—and a radiant one who finally accepts him.”
Summary from The Moving Picture World · 17 February 1917
Another synopsis, from The Moving Picture World · 10 March 19172 min
“Sylvia Leigh’s only recollection of her father was a dim memory of a distinguished looking man who brought her to boarding school when she was a youngster. From that time he never came to see her, but letters came from him with foreign postmarks stating that ‘important business’ kept him away. After her graduation an old family servant took her to the home she had never known. Within a few months her father appeared. Not the parent she had pictured, but a broken old man whose mind seemed haunted by some shadow from the past. One day while they were motoring in the park he suddenly drew a revolver and, aiming it at a passing auto, exclaimed, ‘That man wrecked my life!’ But before he could pull the trigger, he fell exhausted from the effort and the other car passed before Sylvia saw his face. Her father became seriously ill from the excitement. On his deathbed he made her promise to run to earth the man who ruined his life. With no clues or an inkling of what the secret was, she attempted to locate him by an ad in the papers, only to fall into a trap. A roughly clad young man came to her rescue. Some weeks later she was surprised to find the same young man as a guest at a dance given by a girl friend. But this time he was clad in evening dress and perfectly at home among society.
“Then came the blow. An incident revealed him to her as the man she had vowed to bring to atonement. She shadowed him, caught him in a compromising position, kept him captive and phoned the police. Then the fact she still loved him rushed over her. She realized also that her father’s secret was still a mystery. What will she do? Keep a death-bed promise and turn him over to the law or obey her heart? Love wins out. As a knock comes to the door she tells him she still loves him and to escape. But he only smiles, opens the door to the officers, who greet him familiarly, and then he makes some remarkable disclosures to Sylvia, which bring happiness to her troubled heart.”
