Women’s weepies were a nickelodeon staple in the early years of movies. In these one-reel dramas, women trapped in no-win situations confronted heart-wrenching decisions: Should a young woman wed her penniless sweetheart or accept a rich but loveless match? Should a mother give up her infant so that the child can eat? Should a loose woman risk a glimpse at her son who has been raised by others and is unaware of his birth mother’s shameful past?

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