The Definitive Watchlist Seeking the Same Brilliance as A Doll's House: Cult Guide

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

Nenette Bisson, who dances in her father's French restaurant in New York, takes a joy ride with "Kink" Colby in a stolen car, and is shot in the shoulder by a pursuing policeman. The driver leaves her at the hospital of David Kendall, with whom she falls in love, but he, believing French women to be frivolous, does not return her affections. Nenette's parents turn her out when they learn of her trouble with the police, after which she becomes a success on the stage. David serves overseas for two years during World War I and there learns to appreciate the valiance of French women. On his return, he proclaims his love for Nenette and helps her achieve a reconciliation with her parents.

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Hell Morgan's Girl perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Oliver Curwell disowned his son Roger because he declined to abandon art and go into business, Roger gradually drifted from bad to worse until he was a derelict on the streets of San Francisco. In his art-student days a girl of the name of Olga had shown interest in him, believing he would inherit his father's millions, but when he was cast off the girl abandoned her pretense of affection. One evening Roger wanders into "Sailor's Rest," a saloon and dance hall run by "Hell" Morgan. A work of art hanging behind the bar Roger denounced as a "daub." Morgan resented this remark and was beating Roger when Lola saved his life by her interference. Morgan's daughter continued to befriend Roger and finally prevailed upon her father to give Roger the job of playing the piano in the dance hall. Roger painted Lola's portrait and they fell in love with each other. Sleter, a tough politician, objected, for the reason that he coveted Morgan's daughter. Olga leads a party of friends to "Sailor's Rest" on a slumming tour. She sees Roger at the piano and sends for him, as she reads in the newspapers of the death of Oliver Curwell, who willed his millions to his son. Roger joins Olga's party, and the old days are recalled. He forgets his love for Lola, and makes advances which Olga reciprocates. Lola goes to the party of slummers, and takes physical toll of both Roger and Olga. As a result Roger leaves "Sailor's Rest" and Lola resigns herself to Sleter. But when he attempts to collect his reward, Lola rebels and resists his advances. The tumult in Lola's room attracts "Hell" Morgan. He dashes upstairs, and in an encounter with Sleter is shot and mortally wounded. Lola drives Sleter from her room and escapes, dragging her father down a fire escape. Hardly have they reached the ground when San Francisco's earthquake and fire break loose. "Sailor's Rest" tumbles in a burning heap. Helping her father, Lola reaches the Presidio, where refugees are assembling. Her father is near death and she seeks a doctor in the crowd. Roger has been drawn back to "Sailor's Rest" by his love for Lola, and when he finds the place in ruins he likewise wends his way to the Presidio. Fate brings them together as "Hell" Morgan dies.

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

Mary and Fannie Graham are forced to live with their criminal father when their mother dies. Mary flees, but Fannie remains with her father and is reared as a thief, becoming known as "Flash" Fan.

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Girl in the Checkered Coat perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A young author is so overjoyed at selling her first book that she unknowingly signs over all her rights to the greedy publisher. Later, after the book becomes a best-seller, the publisher's nephew (who has fallen in love with her) tries to help her get her rights back.

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

Lemuel Morewood is a wealthy businessman to whom riches bring no pleasure because he has entirely lost the sympathy of his sons, for whom he lives. Billy is society-mad and completely enthralled by Mrs. Bruce Guilford, a leader of the smart set. Tom thinks of nothing but sports; he is an amateur athlete of national prominence. Lemuel longs to see the boys interested in the business. He especially wants Tom to marry Frances Berkeley and Billy to marry Emily Donelson. But the boys will have none of them. Bessie Brayton is a Western orphan who has come to New York and taken up society entertaining for a living. Her only property is a half-interest in the Bluebird mine, which she supposes is worthless. One evening, the Morewoods employ Bessie to entertain at an exclusive dinner they are giving, and here she meets Major Bellamy Didsworth, who offers to sell her half-interest for her. Lemuel has run away from this dinner. But, goaded by Bessie's taunts that he is old-fashioned, he gets into his evening clothes and enters into the gambling that follows. Bessie encourages him and he cleans up on Didsworth, as the others look on, staggered by his plunging. Leaving them dazed, Lemuel makes a spectacular exit with Bessie to "blow his winnings." Lemuel keeps up the pace he has set. He goes to the races and there his conduct is so riotous, and his followers, Bessie and a sporting man, so conspicuous, that Mrs. Bruce Guildford is scandalized. She criticizes Lemuel to his son. Billy defends his father, and the quarrel results in a complete break. Bessie has a telegram from Didsworth saying he can get $1,000 for her stock. Lemuel suspects that Didsworth is planning to rob her and takes the matter into his own hands. He and Bessie go out to Nevada together. Lemuel's sons think he has run away to get married to Bessie, and they follow, with Emily, Frances, and Ford, the family lawyer. Out in Nevada, Lemuel and Bessie find that her half of the Bluebird is worth at least $75,000, and they discover that the other half is owned by Carl Higbee, Bessie's old sweetheart who disappeared in Alaska. On the way to Nevada, Tom becomes engaged to Emily and Billy to Frances, which is exactly contrary to what Lemuel planned. They arrive in time to stop the wedding, as they think, and are mortified to learn that they are all wrong, and that Bessie is to be married to Higbee. Lemuel is delighted that his sons are bringing the girls into the family, although they have shifted partners. Lemuel agrees to go back and help the boys run the business.

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Grasp of Greed perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A woman gives up her illegitimate child, and then marries without telling her new husband about the child. A copy exists in the Archives du Film du CNC according to the American Silent Feature Film Survival Database.

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

Montgomery Seaton, one of the idle rich, makes a hobby of befriending everybody upon whom he can intrude his good offices. Thus occupied, he neglects his wife considerably, and she in turn gives her entire attention to household duties. Vera Lane is a rich widow with whom Ernest Courtney is in love but too bashful to pursue. Mrs. Hammond comes to Seaton in distress with the story that some years earlier, she left home with a married man and lived with him for several months. Upon discovering that she had been deceived, she returned home and later wed John Hammond. Some weeks after her marriage, her husband was called away on a business trip; while he was gone Mrs. Hammond became the mother of a child, the result of her conduct previous to her becoming Mrs. Hammond. She concludes with the statement that the nurse who has always secretly cared for her child has just died and that the child must be provided with a home. Seaton goes to Hammond and relates a story which in substance makes Seaton the child's parents, and induces Hammond to adopt the child; thus Mrs. Hammond receives into her own home the child of her illicit adventure. Later Mrs. Hammond writes to Seaton, telling that the child safely arrived in her home, and further makes clear the unfortunate condition under which the baby was born. By mistake Seaton gives the note to Hammond; upon reading it, Hammond concludes that Seaton played a trick on him and induced him to adopt the issue of an affair between Mrs. Hammond and Seaton. That very night, while attending a reception, Hammond discovers Seaton and Mrs. Hammond in confidential conversation. Hammond shoots, but the bullet strikes Mrs. Hammond, who has thrown herself in front of Seaton to protect him. Coincident with these details, Seaton undertakes to present Ernest Courtney's love affair to Vera Lane, the widow, in convincing fashion. While progressing with this purpose. Mrs. Seaton becomes suspicious of her husband and is doubly mystified when she sees him carrying the child to Mrs. Hammond's home. Since she witnessed Mrs. Hammond's shooting and is a friend of all the concerned parties, the widow attempts to straighten the various entanglements, and succeeds so well that the Seatons reconcile, as do the Hammonds, after Mrs. Hammond has told her husband of her past.

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Father and the Boys perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

"Coyote" Crosby, owner of the "Big Star" ranch is in a feud with "Horned Toad" Smith, an Arizona bad-man, who claims Crosby's house is on his land, "Horned Toad" draws first and kills "Coyote" The first news of the killing reaches Dorothy Stewart, "Coyote's" niece and Teddy Crosby's cousin, and she sends for Teddy to inform him that "Coyote's" will specifies that they must marry to inherit the ranch. This pleases Teddy, who now receives word from two lawyers, Teck and Kikal, executors of his uncle's will, to meet them at a hotel, These men are crooks and try to frighten Teddy so that he will sell the ranch cheap. They tell him a wild and weird take about "Horned Toad" and Teddy, all his life aching for such an experience, refuses to sell and declares he is leaving on the first train for the West. Paprika, a black-eyed, young woman, who has a claim against Teddy's uncle, comes to New York to force Teddy to settle with her. She just misses him at his apartment and goes to Dorothy*n home, where Herbert Wendling a fortune hunter and suitor for Dorothy's hand, learns enough from Paprika to allow him to intimate to Dorothy and her mother that Paprika has been mixed up in Teddy's life, Dorothy refuses to believe the story, but her mother is skeptical. When they hear from Herbert that Paprika went West on the same train with Teddy, they immediately start for the ranch to protect Dorothy's interests. Arriving in the feet, Teddy starts looking around the town, in his evening clothes, in which he was dressed when put on the train by his intoxicated friends, and wine a full outfit of Western togs from a cowboy who in turn dons the formal costume. Teck and Nikal have informed "Horned Toad" that Teddy is wearing evening clothes, "Horned Toad" finds the cowboy with the said outfit and is about to shoot, but the cowboy is too quick and Teddy barely saves "Horned Toad's" life. Neither knowing the other, Teddy and "Horned Toad" become bosom friends. Upon finding Paprika comfortably settled at the ranch, Dorothy, her mother and Herbert are about to leave for the East, when "Horned Toad's" gang raids the place. Herbert is frightened and in attempting to hide, becomes involved in a ludicrous situation with Paprika. Teddy seeing this and learning of the suspicion against himself, turns the tables on Herbert. It is the Fourth of July and Teddy insists on going to town for fireworks, ignoring the warning from "Horned Toad" that the ranch must be surrendered in twelve hours. Teck and Nikal plot to get Dorothy to sign over her interest in the ranch, and to have "Horned Toad" kill Teddy. They send a gang of Mexicans to capture Dorothy; they storm the house and, discovering the wine cellar get very drunk. Pedro, the leader steals Dorothy, while Herbert flees and goes to tell Teddy of the trouble. Teddy rescues her in a spectacular manner, but they are captured by "Horned Toad's" men, Teddy is tied to a tree and "Horned Road" heats a branding iron to brand him. Dorothy is allowed to return to the ranch where she tells the cowboys of the incident and they swoop down on "Horned Toad's" men, but are held at bay. The Mexicans go to Teck and Nikal for their money and, upon being refused because of not delivering the girl, they mob the lawyers, who take refuge in jail. At daybreak the cowboys defeat "Horned Toad's" gang and, to their surprise, find "Horned Toad" wrapped in a blanket playing poker with Teddy. Teddy has won all "Horned Toad's" clothes and his claim to the Big Star ranch. Teddy likes "Horned Toad" and gives him the job as foreman of the ranch. Teddy and Dorothy marry and also do "Horned Toad" and Paprika, who formerly were sweethearts. Herbert speeds Eastward, very glad to be out of the terrible West.

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

Young ballet dancer Bobbie Brent has lost her parents and must care for herself and her younger brother and sister. To keep the children, she pretends that they are her own children and not her siblings. Jack Stinson, her boyfriend, is aghast at this deception and breaks up with her. However, Jack's old girlfriend Velma is still jealous of Bobbie and comes up with a scheme to get rid of her once and for all so she can have Jack all to herself.

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

Dick Temple is serving a five-year prison sentence because he took the blame for a robbery his father committed. His father promises to go straight, but the old man dies two years later, before he can reveal Dick was Innocent.