Shoes (1916)

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Pioneer woman filmmaker Lois Weber weaves a beautifully simple story of one shop girl s struggles into a heartbreaking cinematic masterpiece. Filmed on the streets of Los Angeles including a remarkable scene in Pershing Square and another in front of Woolworth s on Broadway Weber follows the daily travails of Eva Meyer, whose meager wages from her job at a five-and-dime store are the sole financial support for three younger sisters, a struggling mother, and a father who prefers beer and penny dreadfuls to work. When there is barely enough to cover the grocer s bill, Eva is forced to patch the holes in the soles of her shoes with cardboard. But with each rainy day and every splinter, her plight becomes more painful, and finally intolerable. With no solution in sight, Eva is forced to consider other options.