Editor's Top Picks Following the Footsteps of A Man of Nerve: Cult ...

Dir: Maurice Elvey

A lady marries a horse trainer but withholds herself until her crippled brother is cured.

Dir: Harley Knoles

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

Jim McDonald, the foreman of a shipbuilding plant and head of the labor union, strives to combat the anarchistic propaganda being put forth by Klimoff, the leader of a Bolshevik gang whose goal is to disrupt the country with strikes and anarchy. Despite McDonald's efforts, a strike is called, resulting in chaos. McDonald's child is knocked down by runaway horses abandoned by their striking driver, and dies. Mob scenes take place in America, as well as in Russia. Eventually, the unrest is quelled with an armistice called between Capital and Labor for a year, during which time wages are to be increased to reflect the cost of living, and leaders are to work out a common plan for their mutual advantage. The strikers now realize that they have been pawns of the Bolsheviks and call off the strike, agreeing to the plan.

Dir: Louis Chaudet

Billy simply has no use for mothers-in-law, and when his bride informs him that "mother" is coming for a visit, he digs up an excuse concerning a business trip to 'Frisco. It is only camouflage on Billy's part, for his real reason is to meet a couple of lady buyers who are sportively inclined. And that's where the complications begin. Wifey must see him off on the boat which gets his "goat," since he knows he is in for a healthy bath in swimming back to town. The bride, in the meantime, is entertained at a shady roadhouse by friendly neighbors, and Billy takes his buyers there to drink at the shrine of Bacchus. The upshot of it all is, the place is raided, and Billy finds out that his story of the sinking boat is a figment of his imagination. But mother-in-law arrives in time to restore amicable relations. And Billy finds that his prejudice hasn't a leg to stand on for she proves to be his fair companion - the buxom buyer.

Dir: Louis Chaudet

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

When brilliant lawyer Harry Sevier, an alcoholic, cannot cope with the prosecution's tactics, his innocent client Paddy the Brick goes to prison. After Harry's sweetheart Echo Allen, the daughter of Judge Beverly Allen, breaks their engagement, Harry leaves to combat his problem. Meanwhile, Cameron Craig, whose interest in a distilling corporation is threatened when a suit is brought before Judge Allen, steals incriminating love letters written by the Judge years earlier. Echo boards a train to offer to marry Craig for returning the letters. Harry, on the same train, and now beardless, follows Echo to Craig's home, where a burglary occurs. After Harry, not recognized by Echo, gives her the letters, Craig is shot, and Harry, along with Paddy--now a burglar--is sent to prison. Harry escapes and finds himself nominated to run for governor on the "dry" ticket. After Echo confirms that he was innocent of shooting Craig, Harry wins the election and her love.

Dir: Edgar Jones

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

Dir: Louis Chaudet

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Long Lane's Turning perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Orphan Hilda Swanson's prayers are answered when a Swedish-American colonization company agrees to send her to America. Aboard the steamer, she meets Olaf, a young Swede, and Donna, an enemy courier who is posing as a passenger. Learning that the secret service is on her trail, Donna sews secret documents into the hem of Hilda's skirt. She then sends a wire to her comrade Felix Martinez, notifying him to intercept the Swedish girl. Hilda and Olaf innocently evade Martinez and are sent West by representatives of the colonization company. Missing their train at a stopover in cattle country, they are taken in by Larry O'Keefe, a big-hearted rancher. Martinez finally tracks them down and arranges to have Hilda kidnapped by some Mexican cattle thieves who take the girl to their hut, only to discover that she no longer possesses the papers but has given them to O'Keefe. Hilda escapes and meets Larry who has been searching for her. Meanwhile, Donna, unaware that she is being trailed by secret service agents, arrives at the O'Keefe ranch. The agents arrest both Martinez and Donna, and as Hilda hands over the papers, the agents assure the Swedish girl that she has done a great service for her new country. Larry then offers to marry Hilda, thus making her an official American citizen.

Dir: Edward LeSaint

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: William Parke

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

Bruce Wendell, the son of West Virginia coal mine owner James Wendell, graduates from West Point and prepares to lead a fighting unit to the front during World War I. As his father lies dying, however, he convinces Bruce to remain at home and guard the mine. Bruce's fiancée Ann Blair assumes that he is a coward and breaks off their engagement, but her brother Bobbie remains Bruce's loyal friend. Meyer, a German agent, persuades railroad president Parrish to refuse to transport Wendell's coal, but when Bruce adamantly refuses to close the mine, the spy's men decide to blow it up. While Ann is being abducted by Meyer, Bobbie is buried in an explosion at the mine. Bruce rescues Bobbie and then sends a plea to Lieutenant Parrish to rescue Ann. Meyer and his gang are captured and Ann renews her vow of love to Bruce.

Dir: Louis Chaudet

Kid Allen, the daughter of Mate Allen, a drunken ex-sailor, waits every night to take Mate home from a saloon. After Mate beats up saloon owner O'Keefe for trying to kiss Kid, O'Keefe kills Mate. Kid shoots and kills O'Keefe, and then leaves on a pony to get "a education," which her father wanted her to have. When she falls and sprains an ankle, Joe Emory, a sheep herder, nurses her and they fall in love, but she continues her journey. At a university town, cow puncher Nick Horton escorts her to the school, where he fights the president and some students, after being told that Kid is not ready to enter. The president stops Kid and Nick from being arrested, and puts Kid in a boarding school, but after she learns that school will last for seven years, she returns to Joe. As they kiss, they fade into a statue of Cupid embracing Psyche.

Dir: Louis Chaudet

Judge Grant sentences Paul Rogers to jail on circumstantial evidence, Paul's sister Lena swears revenge. A few years later, Judge Grant becomes a corporation attorney for a large firm. In collusion with the owners, Grant embezzles the firm's profits, thus forcing the value of the stock down and creating favorable conditions for a takeover. Lena, on the pretext of making an investment, meets the judge, who falls in love with her. Lena uses his infatuation to discover that the judge himself stole the money. Meanwhile, Lena has fallen in love with Tison Grant, a newspaper reporter and the judge's brother, and after they are married, she informs Tison of his brother's treachery. Tison threatens to give the story to the papers, but before he can, Paul is released from jail, kills the judge, and is wounded in the scuffle. Lena takes the blame for the killing but is freed from suspicion when Paul confesses before he dies.