“Hula” Calhoun, the daughter of a Hawaiian planter, sidesteps the dissolute influence of her father through the guidance of her Uncle Edwin, who prefers a more natural existence to the society life of the family. Although Hula is adored by Harry Dehan, a boisterous rounder, she becomes infatuated with Anthony Haldane, a young English engineer who comes to supervise the construction of a dam on the estate. Haldane remains distant, however; and when saving her from a runaway horse, he informs her that he is married. At her birthday party, the broken-hearted girl turns to Dehan, and in a drunken frenzy she provokes Haldane by her dancing; he then promises to obtain a divorce, but Mrs. Haldane appears. Hula jealously bribes the foreman to dynamite a spot near the dam, convincing the wife that her husband is ruined. Haldane’s wife agrees to the divorce, and he is free to marry Hula.
(AFI Catalog)
This 4K restoration is based on a black and white 35mm nitrate print conserved at the Library of Congress National Audio-Visual Conservation Center. Digital intervention was limited to mitigating damage and accumulated wear suffered by the original film material. This restoration was completed in December 2025 by the San Francisco Film Preserve in collaboration with the Library of Congress National Audio-Visual Conservation Center. This restoration was made possible through the generous support of David Stenn.
