The Awakening of Bianca (1912)

• 77%
• 1912
• Drama
• Romance
• Charles Kent
• Zena Keefe
• Leo Delaney
• Charles Edwards

Nicola pays court to Bianca, the daughter of Angelio, who runs a fruit store and for whom Nicola works. Guiseppe, who is somewhat of a dandy, wins the girl's affections. Nicola leaves Angelio's employ and by hard work saves enough money to buy a fruit stand of his own. Angelio is stricken with a serious illness. Bianca is obliged to care for him and their fruit stand is closed, their income stops and they come to need. Bianca determines to sell her beautiful head of hair to secure means. Guiseppe, still declaring his love, sees an opportunity of making a commission on the sale of his sweetheart's hair and takes her to the hair merchant with a greedy desire to profit by its sale. As Bianca and Guiseppe are entering the merchant's shop, Nicola, on his way to close the transaction for his fruit stand, sees them enter. He watches through the window and just as the merchant takes the shears in his hand to remove the long raven tresses of Bianca, he rushes into the place and stops the merchant and denounces Guiseppe. He takes his savings from his pocket and places them in the band of Bianca, telling her to take the money to her father to relieve their necessity. Hurriedly he leaves the shop, followed by Bianca, who overtakes him and insists that he should take back the money, that she is not deserving of his kindness or love, that she now realizes the difference between Nicola's true heart and the false pretensions of Guiseppe. Nicola declares his love and asks her to become his wife. She is only too happy to place her future in the care and protection of the man willing to make such unselfish sacrifices in her behalf.