Dante's Inferno (1935)

Jim Carter, a stoker on a ship, is fired. He wanders around and arrives at a carnival midway where he meets Me Wade and his niece, Betty, who run a concession featuring re-created scenes from Dante's Inferno for the moral education of customers. Carter revolutionizes the sales methods and makes the "Inferno" profitable, but in doing so, he causes the suicide of someone who stood in his way. He becomes obsessed with gaining more power and money, despite his affection for Betty, whom he has now married and their son. The amusement pier is deemed unsafe by an inspector, but Carter bribes him to overlook the issue. The pier collapses, and the inspector kills himself. Pop McWade is also injured in the accident and from his sickbed recounts several of the moral tales from Dante's poem. On trial, Carter denies the bribe, and his wife's testimony saves him. However, due to his actions, their happiness is ruined, and she leaves him, taking their son with her. Carter then invests all his money in a floating gambling palace and to avoid a delay caused by a strike, he hires an inexperienced crew. Carter's son is brought to visit him on the boat. A fire breaks out, the crew deserts, but Carter is able to beach the boat and save the lives of those on board. He loses his fortune but learns his lesson. He reconciles with Betty and they look forward to a new future.