Only during the silent film era would you find this kind of plot: Prior to the outbreak of World War 1, a nobleman, disguised as a necktie salesman falls in love with the daughter of a circus puppeteer, even though he's already married to the daughter of his countrys war minister. There's even a lovelorn hunchback! The legendary Erich Von Stroheim was hired to direct this strange romantic epic, but after shooting a few scenes was fired and replaced by Rupert Julian, who would later direct Universals classic, The Phantom of the Opera.