Broken Ways

Rev. Warren Addington, the pastor of an eastern evangelical church, is left a will wherein is given the location of a valuable mine in Montana, unknown to any other living person. He takes only one man into his confidence, Jack Beardsley, a westerner and a seemingly trustworthy man, who is familiar with the country.

Harvey Barton, a young cowboy, is happily in love with Kate Bowers, a pretty western girl. One day he calls at her home, shows her a handbill advertising a barn dance to be held at one of the nearby ranches, and asks her to go with him. On his way back to the ranch he comes upon a beautiful young woman, whose horse has met with an accident and Harvey dismounts and bashfully asks her if he can be of any assistance. She accepts his help and invites him to accompany her home. She is inclined to flirt and easily turns the foolish young cowpuncher's head, and the meeting ends with him inviting her to accompany him to the dance.

George Maxwell, a young cowboy, rescues a fever-stricken Mexican prospector and carrying him to an inn in the vicinity like a good Samaritan, pays the innkeeper a sum of money to care for the stricken man until he recovers.

A Wild West gang of runaway women find themselves destitute after a chain of unsuccessful heists. Benevolent leader Cassidy Hart must leverage her authority when one of her rebel followers rallies the group around a very dangerous scheme.

Gambler "On-the Level" Leigh (William S. Hart) is forced to leave his high rolling lifestyle to move his ailing sister Alice (Mildred Harris) to the healing climate the mountains. Financial strain compels him to resume his favored vocation. Unfortunately for Level, the dance hall girl Coralie (Alma Rubens) doesn't take rejection well and convinces the dealer to clean him out with a "cold deck". A desperate robbery ensues, leading to Level wanted for murder!

A sheep farmer brings his new wife to his father's ranch and the old man takes an instant dislike to her.

Fleeing the violence of Pancho Villa's revolution, a widow finds refuge with a unit of female freedom fighters known as soldaderas - only to discover her estranged sister among them.

Dinner time in a remote home of a prairie family turns nightmarish when a band of blood spattered outlaws break through the front door in search of food, horses, and women. Nothing is as it seems in this constantly twisting genre bender.

Bill, squatter, while playing it the side of the hill, accidentally discovers silver.

The setting is the Old West town of Paradise, Nevada, where a young woman, Mercedes Murphy (played by Louise Glaum), co-owns and operates a combination saloon and dance hall called the Red Hen with her business partner, Slick Barney (played by Jack Richardson). Her little half-sister, Olive "Live" Sumner (played by Mildred Harris), who is crippled, lives with her and she makes every effort to protect the child. A tough, but good-hearted businesswoman, Mercedes shows a tender side at home with Live. Her partner, Slick, and a cowboy called the Heller (played by John Gilbert), who has a heart of gold, are both interested in Live.

After the train station clerk is assaulted and left bound and gagged, then the departing train and its passengers robbed, a posse goes in hot pursuit of the fleeing bandits.