The Reckoning

D.W. Griffith
1908-12-11

4
8 min

An impoverished factory worker happily endures hard labor out of love for his wife, but she detests their meager lifestyle. Craving excitement, she invites a grocer's clerk into their home for an intimate lunch immediately after her husband leaves for work. However, the husband returns early because the factory unexpectedly closed. Finding the windows and shades shut, his suspicions are aroused. He peeks inside and catches them, prompting the terrified lovers to hide behind a hanging sheet. Discovering the betrayal, the husband calmly grabs a pistol, sits down, lights his pipe, and waits...