Scaramouche by Rex Ingram ( September 30, 1923)

André-Louis Moreau harbors deep affection for Aline de Kercadiou, the niece of his godfather, Quintin de Kercadiou, and his feelings are reciprocated. However, Quintin intends for Aline to marry the Marquis de la Tour d'Azyr, a nobleman of considerable status and wealth, rather than André, whose parentage remains unknown. The situation takes a tragic turn when the Marquis, a skilled swordsman, provokes and subsequently kills André's close friend Philippe de Vilmorin in a duel. Seeking justice, André approaches the king's lieutenant, but upon learning the identity of the accused, the official instead orders André's arrest. Forced to flee for his safety, André finds himself amidst a nation on the cusp of revolution. When a proponent of liberty and equality is fatally shot during a public gathering, André boldly steps forward to continue the orator's message, undeterred even when injured by a bullet. As tensions escalate and dragoons are deployed to disperse the crowd, André is aided in his escape by an admirer named Chapelier, marking the beginning of his involvement in the turbulent struggle for justice and reform in France.