Liar (1918)

Synopsis
The Liar begins as Houston (Alexander Frank), the short-tempered owner of a Puerto Rican plantation, accidentally cripples Sam (Albert Roccardi), one of his black field hands. Suddenly contrite, Houston promises to take care of Sam for the rest of the man's life. Curious as to why a mere "colored man" is collecting a pension, Houston's unscrupulous secretary Franklin (Victor Sutherland) decides to find out why. Meanwhile, Houston's daughter Sybil (Virginia Pearson) returns to Puerto Rico after a long absence. Franklin wastes no time making lecherous advances towards Sybil, but she successfully fends him off. After Houston's death, Franklin learns the truth about Sam's injury, but he fabricates a lie, informing Sybil that Sam's pension was "hush money," paid by Houston to keep secret the fact that Sybil's mother was black. Horrified by this news, Sybil begins having nightmares, imagining that her own children will be black as well (nobody said that this film was politically correct!) Eventually she learns the whole truth, whereupon she craftily turns the tables on Franklin, forcing him to experience a few nightmares. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide