A Head for Business

Phyllis Moore is a pragmatic sister who refuses to wait for help to arrive. When her brother faces a tight window to secure a crucial plot of land, she steps in with a plan that relies on her own resourcefulness. The film follows her as she negotiates with sellers, weighs options, and uses careful timing to make a purchase that could stabilize the family’s fortunes. Set against a bustling small town backdrop, the story emphasizes the practical side of survival in an era when land and capital can determine a family’s future. The emphasis stays on character grit and the quiet courage of a woman who acts. Her choices ripple through the town and hint at bigger social shifts today.

Directed by Harry Solter and released in 1911, A Head for Business is a silent era drama starring Florence Lawrence as Phyllis Moore and Arthur V Johnson as Harold Watson. The project appears to be based on an original scenario.

Box office data for this 1911 release is not readily documented, reflecting the era's record keeping. What is known is that such short features circulated in early theaters widely with limited nationwide grosses. A few early itinerant screenings were common.

No major awards are on record for this title, which predates the cinematic awards landscape. While some silent performers later earned recognition, the existing archives do not show nominations or wins for A Head for Business, suggesting it was an industry release, aimed at general audiences rather than prestige circuits.

Reception among early audiences is not extensively documented, but the film likely played to crowds that valued practicality and clear moral stakes. Thematically it spotlights female agency within a family crisis and the practical power of self made financial independence, portraying a world where land equals security and dignity today.