A mother of seven bets everything on education—and her daughter's sacrifice might cost her everything else.
Belle Bennett plays as the widowed mother of seven children living in Sioux City, Iowa. She moves with them to Cambridge, Massachusetts in order to educate her children with culture and give them every advantage. Bennett, who is unversed in financial matters, soon faces poverty for herself and her children. She takes out a loan from an unscrupulous lender (played by Richard Tucker), who is so impressed by the charm and valiant spirit of Bennett than he neglects to ask her for collateral. Bennett, however, is only able to partially pay her creditors. Marion Nixon, Bennett's eldest daughter, is shocked by her mother's actions and attempts to sacrifice herself to Tucker in order to clear her mother's obligations, even though she is engaged to marry a well to do Harvard undergraduate, played by Rex Bell. This film is believed lost.
Acting
Belle Bennett's final performance before her death—raw maternal desperation.
Direction
Archie Mayo's early work showing the craft that would define his career.
Director
Archie Mayo
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Belle Bennett was literally dying of cancer during filming; she passed away weeks after release, making her final scenes almost unbearably authentic.
This 'lost' status isn't unique—roughly 75% of all silent films are gone, but 'Courage' stings because it was a major studio release with a star's swan song.
US
