The Cruise of the Make-Believes

The Cruise of the Make-Believes
Still with Lee and Aitken
Directed by	George Melford
Produced by	Adolph Zukor Jesse Lasky
Written by	Edith Kennedy (scenario)
Based on	The Cruise of the Make-Believes by Tom Gallon
Starring	Lila Lee Harrison Ford
Cinematography	Paul Perry
Production company	Famous Players-Lasky Corporation
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date	September 1, 1918
Running time	5 reels
Country	United States
Language	Silent (English intertitles)

The Cruise of the Make-Believes is a lost 1918 American silent dramatic feature film starring Lila Lee in her first motion picture. It was directed by George Melford and is based on a 1907 novel by Tom Gallon. Famous Players-Lasky produced and Paramount Pictures released.

The film was released at the height of the 1918 flu pandemic.

As described in a film magazine, Bessie Meggison (Lee) lives in the slums with her drunken father Daniel Meggison (Hacket) and presides over a boarding house. Gilbert Byfield, a wealthy youth who is writing a book, lives nearby in a cheap room. He becomes acquainted with Bessie and together they sail on many imaginary voyages on an improvised yacht in her back yard. Gilbert gives her father permission to take Bessie to his estate in the country for a month's vacation. Daniel Meggison invites his slum friends and drinks to his heart's content while Bessie entertains dozens of urchins. Gilbert returns and learns that Meggison has told Bessie that the estate belongs to him. Gilbert is also confronted by his fiance, and Bessie realizes that all of her family wealth is a sham. Heartbroken, she returns to her slum home. Gilbert finds her on the make believe ship and promises her that her dream of riches will come true.