Wealth and Corruption

Elmer Ford's immense wealth corrupts his family, turning his son Ogden into a spoiled, cynical child and attracting a host of unscrupulous characters who view the boy as a commodity.

Mrs. Ford's wealth enables the kidnapping scheme and the payment of Cynthia's debts, while Ogden's spoiled nature reflects the corrupting influence of money.

Cynthia's mercenary approach to marriage and the use of bribery highlight the corrupting influence of wealth.

Peter pays a premium to offset the financial harm of kidnapping Ogden, illustrating how money is used to assuage moral qualms.

Ogden's wealth and indulgent upbringing have made him unruly and corrupt; his father is described as a 'typical American merchant prince.'