The Oubliette (1914)

• 49%
• 1914
• Drama
• History
• Charles Giblyn
• Murdock MacQuarrie
• Pauline Bush
• Lon Chaney

Francois Villon, vagabond, poet and philosopher, and his friend Colin, leave the vagabond camp and start for Paris. En route to that city, Villon's heart is touched at sight of the eviction of an elderly couple from their poor home. Whereupon he empties his own and Colin's purse, pays the Beadle, and then resume their journey. Overcome with the pangs of hunger, they "lift " the purses of a couple of corpulent monks. For this breach of law both Villon and Colin are arrested and thrown into prison. They succeed in overpowering the turnkey and, assisted by Colin, who insists that his friend don the clothes of the turnkey, Villon makes his escape. Colin is tried, convicted and hanged. At the foot of the gibbet, Villon's farewell to the swinging Colin is interrupted by the entrance of the Chevalier do Soissons. Villon resents the knight's tirade against the corpse of Colin. Fight ensues and the crafty vagabond slays the knight, using as a weapon a great stone. The rich purse, armor, etc., of de Soissons proves too strong a snare for the impoverished Villon, who quickly changes habiliments with the dead knight, props the body against the gallows and then continues on his way to Paris. Philippa de Annonnay, the fair ward of the Chevalier Bertrand de Pogne, is held prisoner in an inn. Villon chooses this inn wherein to satisfy the cravings of hunger. Here he meets de Pogne. From her window she sees the entrance of Villon and determines to appeal to the strange knight. An animated discussion between Villon and de Pogne is interrupted by a scream from Philips. Villon starts to climb the stairs to the gallery of the inn. De Pogne bars the way and a terrific battle with swords ensues. The fight continues up the stairs and toward Philippa's window, through which the girl reaches as the fight continues on the balcony and stabs de Pogne, who falls to the floor below, dead. Villon conducts Philippa safely to her castle, then resumes his journey to Paris. Having dissipated the proceeds of the de Soissons adventure, Villon hies himself to a garret, where he spends his time in courting the muses. Louis XI, the "Prowler," determines to test the loyalty of Villon. To this end, the king hies himself to a dungeon in the Bastille, causes the arrest of Villon, then offers that worthy his freedom if he will help overthrow the king. Villon indignantly refuses to purchase his freedom at such a price. Whereupon Louis reveals himself to the poet and presents Villon with a bound copy of his (Villon's) manuscript, which was the first book to be printed in France. Then Louis knights him, bestowing upon Villon the title Chevalier des Loges.