Refusing to yield to her love for Harris Doreyn, a married man with an uncaring, frivolous wife, Hilda Wilson departs for Paris where she becomes a successful businesswoman. During a vacation, she meets some American show people, and when one of the women falls ill, Hilda cares for her baby, becoming strongly attached to the infant. While taking care of the child, Hilda is effected by the kindness and devotion of Blink Moran, an American pugilist on the brink of a fight with the French champion. In response to his proposal, Hilda promises to give him an answer after the fight. While watching the bout, Hilda is so overcome by the brutality of Blink's professsion that she flees to London after receiving a telegram from Doreyn. He begs Hilda not to compromise her name, but her dilemma is ended when a cable arrives announcing the death of Doreyn's wife and freeing the lovers to wed. -AFI “The subtle mental and emotional metamorphosis of a woman who yields her cramping conventions for a more human elbowing with humanity,” - Samuel Hutchinson quoted in The Moving Picture World, 7 Feb. 1920, p.904.
The fight scene at the end of the film was shot in a large glass studio and featured over 3,000 extras. The scene was shot in was the 25,000 sq ft. stage built in Santa Barbara.
"The Honey Bee" was adapted from Samuel Merwin’s 1915 novel of the same name and featured a prologue from Maurice Maeterlinck’s book “The Life of the Bee” A twenty-four page press book was distributed to exhibitors during the film’s showing period. This book featured photographs of the main cast and suggestions to promote the motion picture. - “American Press Book Ready.” Motion Picture News, 3 Apr. 1920, pp.3106. A review from Wid’s Daily criticized the error in certain film edits in which an untitled flash separates scenes and clearly not filmed with fluidity (different clothes midway through scene). - Wid’s Daily: "Story Material Handled Badly and Poor Production Generally.” Wid’s Films and Film Folks, Inc., 23 May 1920, p.12.