Masterpiece Selection that Capture the Essence of A Man Four-Square...

Dir: Roy William Neill

Allaine Grandet lives with her father in the barren land of the north, where women are nothing more than mere chattels. She is sold by her father to Jules Latour, a brutal and primitive trapper, who subsequently gambles her away to James Dermot, the keeper of a den in the gold settlement. She is here befriended by a besotted pianist, who has seen better days, but whose manhood revives in Allaine's environment. The gambling hall proprietor seeks to bend her to his will, but she resists him, nameless fear tugging at her heartstrings. When he seeks to enforce his will upon her, she shoots and wounds him, and with this act her fear vanishes and she becomes mistress of herself. She goes with the pianist into the snows, and in a drift their dog unearths the body of Latour. So she finds happiness in the love of her protector, whose manhood has restored her faith in him.

Dir: Edward LeSaint

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of A Sister to Salome perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

When famous opera singer Elinore Duane undergoes an operation on her throat, she has a series of ether-induced visions. In one, she is transported to ancient Rome where she appears as a much-admired woman in love with Paul, a young heretic, and at odds with Lutor, the high priest. To save her love, she poisons Lutor with her ring. After several other visions which involve variations on this love triangle, Elinore awakens to discover that Lutor is actually her doctor, Sascha Jaccard, and that Paul is the son of a friend who has come to visit the recovering prima donna.

Dir: Roy William Neill

Trixie Darling, a leading chorus girl in the musical comedy number "Chicken, Chicken, You're Some Pickin'," refuses Broadway Benham's seductive wine parties and luxuries. Instead, she marries John Collins, an awkward Westerner, who, she is surprised to learn, is a multi-millionaire with a huge orange grove in California. John, overhearing jealous dancers say Trixie married for money, decides to test her. He takes her in a rickety Ford to their "home," a shack, where he throws things, raves, and makes her fix his breakfast at five. When Benham brings the troupe to town, he easily convinces the disillusioned Trixie to appear, but John carries her off the stage. Gertie Brown, John's jealous former sweetheart, starts the Committee on Public Morals to get rid of Trixie. When Trixie interrupts their meeting and has a hair-pulling fight with Gertie, a dislodged kerosene lamp starts a fire. After nearly losing her life saving Gertie, Trixie awakens from unconsciousness to find herself in John's mansion, now accepted by all.

Dir: Roy William Neill

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

After being dishonored by noted artist Fielding Powell, struggling model Paula Lee resigns herself to living as his mistress until a misunderstanding causes their separation. Paula meets and falls in love with Powell's old friend Dr. Melfi, and they marry and are happy until Powell pays a visit to Dr. Melfi and is astonished when Paula is introduced to him as Melfi's wife. His old desires aroused, he forces a promise from her to visit him that night. In his home, he demands that their old relationship be continued as the price of his silence. Paula tries to escape and is struggling with him when Melfi's servant, desiring to avenge his sister's honor, which had been destroyed by Powell, plunges a knife into the artist's heart. Dr. Melfi is summoned and arrives in time to hear Powell confess that he was responsible for Paula's predicament.

Dir: Roy William Neill

Glory Wharton is the granddaughter of Civil War veteran Jed Wharton, who entertains everyone with his war stories, but has a serious drinking problem, which Glory is determined to help him overcome.

Dir: Roy William Neill

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

Eileen Rodney believes herself in love with Raymond Moreland, who poses as the leader of an oriental cult, but discovers his duplicity in time to avoid the serious consequences of an elopement. She marries her guardian, John Harland, and is happy until Moreland returns and seeks to reopen the affair under threat of exposure. Moreland is killed, and her husband, as District Attorney, takes charge of the case. Her efforts to recover the love letters she wrote Moreland are nearly her undoing, precipitating an unusually thrilling chain of action.

Dir: Roy William Neill

In a Western mining town, millionaire Gordon Appleby meets Maida Madison, a civil engineer, and proposes. The two marry and return to Philadelphia, where they are coldly received by Gordon's snobbish family. Gordon's elder brother Mortimer's highbrow sensibilities are particularly offended by Maida's breezy manner, and he determines to break up the marriage. Meanwhile, Maida learns that Gordon's sister Eunice, whose husband is a lieutenant overseas, has formed an attachment to playboy Rupert Fenton. Maida decides to save Eunice when, at a party, she overhears her planning to elope with Rupert to Egypt. Late that evening, Maida follows Eunice to Rupert's apartment, where she is seen by Mortimer, who almost succeeds in convincing Gordon of her unfaithfulness. Maida refuses to explain her presence at Rupert's in order to shield Eunice, who, ashamed, confesses her guilt. Filled with gratitude, the Applebys accept their Western daughter-in-law into the family.

Dir: Edgar Jones

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

A mail-order bride arrives at a Maine lumber camp but doesn't like her prospective husband.

Dir: Roy William Neill

A poor girl determines to right the wrong done to her father, and will let no one stand in her way.

Dir: Roy William Neill

Catherine Bush, a lowly office worker, uses her attractive personality and her perseverance to lift herself to a high place in society, eventually becoming Lady Catherine.