The Hairy Ape

Mildred, a spoiled socialite with no knowledge of the working class, commits a hurtful faux pas when she insults a stoker (Bendix as Hank) on a steamship. Hank is a proud man who does his job admirably and has the respect of his peers working aboard ship. His pride is damaged to the point that he stalks the woman once they dock with the intention of getting revenge. At the same time, one of the ship's officers is smitten by the comely Mildred but she rebukes him. Hank is taken to jail by police after attempting to force his way into Mildred's fancy apartment building. He behaves like a wild man until cops hose him down. His ship's buddies arrange to get him released and he immediately finds Mildred in her unlocked apartment. He takes in the lush surroundings of "privilege" and intends to choke the woman but she faints and he simply carries her to a couch. As she awakens, she tries to use her charms to get away from him and he finally realizes she isn't worth the trouble of getting even. He considers the source of the slur made aboard ship and decides he is too happy in his own skin to seek revenge on someone as boorish as Mildred. He leaves her presence with a new sense of worth, stops by a bar and discovers the drunken ship's officer passed out after yet another rebuke from Mildred. He carries the officer back to the ship and resumes his work stoking coal with his buddies, smiling with his new self-confidence and satisfaction.