Hidden Genre Gems In Alignment with the style of A Man of Stone: Cu...

Dir: George Archainbaud

A man discovers that he has two personalities--and one of them is a notorious strangler.

Dir: George Archainbaud

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

Once a wealthy man, John Pollard now resides in reduced circumstances in Washington, D.C. with his pretty daughter Polly. Despite the poor conditions, Polly manages to move in good social circles and meets multimillionaire George Singleton and Lieutenant Richard Travers, at the home of Mrs. Madison Derwent. Also at the Derwent mansion is Baron Wootchi, a Japanese diplomat trying to obtain valuable plans that are in Travers' possession. Old Pollard owes Singleton money and tries to persuade his daughter to marry the millionaire. Polly refuses and accepts Travers' proposal instead, until her father informs her that Singleton can seize their house unless Polly pays off the debt by becoming his wife. Meanwhile the Baron offers Pollard $50,000 to produce the documents in Travers' keeping. Pollard steals the papers and goes to a roadhouse to turn them over to the Baron. Discovering the theft, Polly follows and confronts the Baron at gunpoint. Finally, Travers learns the truth of the affair, pays Pollard's debt to Singleton and wins Polly.

Dir: Wilfred Lucas

Brian O'Farrell (Snowy Baker), is an English 'new chum' who takes a job at an Australian cattle station. He is teased by station hands because of his appearance (including spats and a monocle) but he soon impresses them with his skills at riding and boxing. The station manager, John MacDonald (Wilfred Lucas), takes O'Farrell to Sydney to meet his daughter Edith (Kathleen Key) who is working in the slums. Edith is kidnapped by criminals after witnessing a crime but O'Farrell rescues her. It is later revealed he is the owner of the station.

Dir: George Archainbaud

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

Henry, a struggling Greenwhich Villiage artist, accidentally finds an invitation to Louise Gordon's coming out party. He goes to the party, falls in love with the pretty socialite, but soon decides to leave as he realizes his financial situation is not up to standards. An old friend recognizes him and encourages Henry into lying that he is a successful businessman. Engagement plans soon proceed, but Henry's guilty conscience catches up and he sends Louise a letter confessing his deceit. Later, they meet and Henry confesses his love for Louise, who greatly impressed by his honesty, breaks her engagement to another, to marry Henry.

Dir: George Archainbaud

Adoree, a young Belgian girl, half-mad by the war horrors that she has experienced,is found by the Hudsons, a wealthy American couple who take the amnesia-stricken girl back to the United States with them. Soon after, Roger Hudson is called away to business in South America, and when his wife Claire discovers that Adoree is pregnant, she convinces the girl to allow the Hudsons to claim the child as theirs. The child is born and Dr. Thorn cables Hudson to come home because his wife has given birth. Meanwhile, Adoree, longing for her baby, steals the infant and disappears. Finding the girl's coat near a lake, Hudson assumes that she has drowned and dynamites the lake in order to locate her body. The explosions restore Adoree's memory, and she recalls her marriage to the Vicomte Jean de Michelet, who happens to be in town raising money for Belgian relief. The vicomte is brought to his wife and the family is happily reunited.

Dir: Harley Knoles

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Love Cheat 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: George Archainbaud

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Edward LeSaint

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of A Maid of Belgium 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: Robert N. Bradbury

A simple country girl, brutally mistreated by her stepfather, awakens first the sympathy, then the love, of The Boy. The Spider, who lusts after The Girl, makes a bargain with the stepfather and takes her to the city where, kept prisoner, she is soon broken in health and spirit. Cast out and near death, she is taken in by The Boy. Following the demise of The Spider, The Boy takes her to church, where he prays, and after many hours she is restored to health.

Dir: George Archainbaud

Cardinal Mercier protects the altar of his church from desecration when German forces invade the Belgian city of Louvain during World War I. Although the soldiers commit widespread atrocities, the cardinal does his best to protect the townspeople. Cardinal Mercier's young ward, Liane de Merode, is betrothed to Belgian officer Maurice Lambeaux, but the German governor general tries to gain possession of her against the cardinal's will. Despite the plotting of the governor general, Maurice breaks through the German lines in a disguise. Secretly the cardinal marries the young couple and smuggles them across the border to France.