Bright Leaf

Brant Royle returns to his hometown in North Carolina to settle his late uncle's estate. The visit pulls him back into the town's power dynamics and rekindles old resentments tied to his family and Major Singleton. His return sets the stage for a clash between ambition and loyalty.

Years earlier, Singleton drove Brant and his father from town by foreclosing on their tobacco operation. Brant's love for Singleton's daughter Margaret Jane intensified the feud and fueled his appetite for revenge. The past colors every present decision.

Brant intervenes to stop a runaway carriage driven by Margaret. She gives him a frosty reception, but his determination to win her over remains unshaken. This sparks a tense, thorny relationship between them.

Margaret subtly provokes her father to confront Brant at the hotel, a moment that underscores the family feud. John Barton, an inventor nearby, witnesses the scene and notes Brant's potential as a financier for his machine.

John Barton, impressed by Brant's presence and influence, steps forward to seek financing for his revolutionary cigarette-rolling machine. The encounter marks the start of Barton’s collaboration with Brant.

Brant convinces Sonia Kovac, who runs a high-class bordello, to invest in Barton’s machine and join as a partner. The partnership aligns Brant's business ambitions with Sonia's resources.

Brant brings medicine show huckster Chris Malley on board as his second in command, adding a flamboyant edge to the venture and helping to spur rapid expansion.

Barton's machine dramatically lowers cigarette costs, allowing Brant's company to grow quickly and threaten Singleton's position. The industry landscape begins to shift in Brant's favor.

Brant returns home hours late to Sonia's birthday party and shares his plans for the future. Moved by circumstances, Sonia travels to Europe, widening the distance between their personal and professional lives.

Brant systematically takes command of rival tobacco businesses until only Singleton's remains. This consolidation marks a turning point as Brant wields growing power and invites greater risk.

Brant reveals that he has acquired Major Singleton's shares and debts and offers to return them as a wedding present. The gesture underscores his rising influence and his complex relationship with Margaret.

Margaret agrees to marry Brant to protect the family interests, but Singleton challenges Brant to a duel. Brant refuses to duel, and Singleton shoots him before taking his own life, sealing the tragic arc of the patriarch.

With Brant rising in power, Barton sells his share to Brant and departs for Detroit to pursue the fledgling automobile industry, signaling a shift in the venture's focus toward new technologies.

Sonia returns from Europe to find Malley in charge and learns of a wedding announcement between Brant and Margaret. The revelations set the stage for shifting loyalties as the couple's union becomes a foundation for Brant's next moves.