| The Foundling | |
| Producer: | Mary Pickford |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | Silent film English intertitles |
| Runtime: | Five reels |
The Foundling is a 1915 silent film directed by Alan Dwan. The film premiered in 1915, was lost in a fire accident shortly afterwards, and is now a lost film. It was remade as The Foundling in 1916 with the same principal cast, but with a different director, John B. O'Brien, at the helm.[1] [2]
Molly O (Mary Pickford) is a poor little girl whose mother died in childbirth and whose father David King (Edward Martindel) rejects her. When David departs to Italy to paint his late wife as the Madonna, Molly O is left behind in a cruel orphanage. She is beloved by the other pupils, but becomes enemies with the matron's niece Jennie (Mildred Morris). As a result, she is shipped off to live with a boardinghouse proprietress (Maggie Weston). She is treated more like a slave than as an adopted daughter and decides to run away.
Meanwhile, King returned from Italy and is now a wealthy and successful painter. He regrets having left behind his daughter and now longs for her presence. Jennie pretends to be Molly O to make profit of his wealth and is adopted by him. However, Molly O returns as well. Afraid to tell the truth, she serves as his maid.