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Jim Carter, a stoker, is fired. He wanders about, arriving on a carnival midway where he meets Pop McWade and his niece, Betty, who run a concession in which are re-created scenes from Dante's "Inferno" for the moral edification of the customers. Carter revolutionizes the barking methods and puts "Inferno" on a paying basis, but in doing so, he causes the suicide of a man who stood in his way. His attentions are given to gaining more power and money, although he doesnt lose his affection for Betty, whom he is now married, and their son. The amusement pier is called unsafe by an inspector, but Carter bribes him to overlook the matter. The place crashes and the inspector kills himself. Pop McWade is also injured in the accident, and from his sickbed recounts several of the moral tales from Dante's poem. On trial, Carter denies the bribe and his wife's testimony saves him. But considering their happiness ruined by his conduct, she leaves him, taking their son with her. Carter then puts all his money into a floating gambling palace, and to avoid a delay caused by a strike, he hires an inexperienced crew. Carters son is brought to visit him on the boat. A drunken passenger accidentally sets fire to the salon, chaos breaks out, the crew deserts, and all the hearty -drunken passengers start panicking................ |
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