- An amnesiac World War I veteran falls in love with a music hall star, only to suffer an accident which restores his original memories but erases his post-war life.
- A veteran of World War I marries and settles happily into a tidy, humble life until an accident brings back memories of a former life of wealth and privilege while blocking all recollection of his existence since the war. Thus one man disappears, and another man long missing turns up and claims his vast inheritance. What does his devoted wife, whom he no longer recognizes, do?—Paul Emmons <pemmons@wcupa.edu>
- Charles Rainier is a World War I veteran, an amnesiac who remembers nothing of his past. He flees the asylum and meets the beautiful Paula who takes an immediate liking to him. Charles is shy, owing mostly to the fact that he has only just recovered his speech, but he hopes to make his life as a writer. He and Paula are soon married and later have a child. Thing are looking up when he's invited to an interview with a major newspaper. On his way there however, he is struck by a car crossing the street. He awakens having recovered the memory he lost, but now has no memory of the life he's led with Paula including that he has a child. He's actually quite wealthy and returns to the family home in Sussex. He involves himself in the family business and is quite successful. Unknown to him, Paula is nearby and through a twist of fate they have a future together.—garykmcd
- As the First World War ends a soldier wanders out of a Midlands asylum. Smithy was found in the trenches having lost his memory and all contact with the past. Amidst the noise of the armistice celebrations he meets a music hall actress. They fall in love, marry, move to a country cottage, and have a son. On a trip alone to Liverpool Smithy is involved in an accident. His original memory returns, but he now remembers nothing at all about his new life.—Jeremy Perkins {J-26}
- World War I has just ended. An amnesiac war veteran, known as John Smith, has just escaped from the Melbridge County Asylum, only there in the first place because of his amnesia and having nowhere else to go. Outside, he is quickly befriended by Paula, a traveling music hall performer who nicknames him Smithy and who wants to nurture his ability to regain his memory. To hide him from the authorities who are after him, she quits her job and takes him out to the countryside. They soon fall in love and despite not knowing his true identity or his past, they get married and start a family. An accidental bump to the head makes Smithy remember his past life as Charles Rainier but he forgets about what happened in his life the previous three years, including his marriage to Paula. Charles returns to his life as a wealthy Rainier and begins his career as head of the Rainier family business. He also plans to marry a longtime family friend, Kitty. But Charles' new secretary, Margaret Hansen, wants Charles to remember the life he left behind with Paula as Margaret is a person who knew Smithy. Margaret's task is made even more complicated when Charles makes her an interesting proposition. Things start to look familiar once Charles makes a business trip to Melbridge.—Huggo
- A World War I veteran is languishing in an English asylum. Suffering from shell shock and amnesia, he can't even remember his name and is given the name 'John Smith'. During a lapse in security, while the staff celebrates the Armistice, 'Smith' simply walks out of the asylum and finds himself in the nearby town. 'Smith' is befriended by a local actress named Paula who begins calling him 'Smithy'. 'Smithy' responds to her kindness and his health improves but his amnesia remains. Paula and 'Smithy' fall in love; they're married, and begin a quiet peaceful life together. Soon after their first child is born 'Smithy' heads on an overnight trip to Liverpool for a job interview. While in Liverpool he is knocked unconscious when hit by a taxi and comes to in a local shop. When he wakes up he is confused because the memory of his time with Paula is now gone and his last memory is when he was in the war. Recalling his real name he begins his life again as Charles Rainier and soon becomes a rich industrialist. However, Charles is continually haunted by the fact that he has no memory of the 3 year period from the war until he woke up in Liverpool. Unbeknownst to Charles, his secretary for the past two years, Margaret Hanson, is actually Paula. Paula is instructed by a psychiatrist not to revel herself to Charles or to let him know their son died soon after he left, but let his memories come back naturally. Paula is distraught when Charles nearly marries a much younger woman, but the memory lapse of his time with Paula prevents him from going through with the marriage. Charles, now a famous businessman, enters politics and is elected on his first try. Sensing he needs a wife to help his political career he approaches Paula and offers her a marriage of convenience with no strings attached. Paula agrees and Charles rises politically while Paula anguishes over the love she has for him but can't show or receive back from Charles. After three years of a loveless marriage Paula is at her breaking point and informs Charles she wants to take a trip abroad without him. Paula stops for a few days in the former town where she and Charles lived in while married and by coincidence Charles is at the town where they first met to resolve a strike at one of his businesses. Memories begin flooding back to Charles and he retraces his steps. Starting at the asylum his memories eventually lead him to the cottage he and Paula shared when he was 'Smithy'.
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