Rare Cinematic Gems Exploring the Legacy of A Mother's Secret: Cult...

Dir: Douglas Gerrard

Robert "Bob" Wesley horrifies his father, Admiral John Wesley of the Naval Advisory Board, by failing his examination at the Annapolis naval academy. Bob seizes the chance to redeem himself, however, when he overhears Hanson, the butler, plotting with German agent Count Von Ornstorff to deliver his father's plans for the Atlantic coastal defenses to German Baroness Von Hulda. In Baltimore, Bob meets the baroness' ship and, with the aid of an old college professor, makes her his prisoner. Having impersonated a woman in the college play, Bob disguises himself as the baroness, rendezvous with the spies, and obtains the plans. Baroness Von Hulda escapes, but Bob recaptures her and then turns all of the spies over to the authorities. Admiral Wesley expresses his pride in his son, and Bob wins Phyllis Covington, the girl of his heart.

Dir: Douglas Gerrard

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

Traveling from the Latin Quarter of Paris to Brittany to seek inspiration for his painting, artist Paul Dachette finds it in the person of Mignon, an orphan who consents to pose for him. They fall in love, and when he leaves with his portrait completed, Paul gives her a ring and promises that he will always be true to her. Back in the Latin Quarter, Paul forgets Mignon and becomes enmeshed in the wild life that he had left behind. One day, Mignon reads a report of Paul's injury in an accident and, lacking the necessary funds to travel, walks all the way to Paris, collapsing on the doorstep of M. Blanc, the baker, who gives her shelter. Seeking Paul at his studio, Mignon finds him in the arm of models Mimi and Fifi. About to cast herself in the river in despair, Mignon is saved by François Gautier, the famous painter, who takes her home and treats her as a daughter. Upon Gautier's death, Mignon becomes a wealthy heiress and Paul, learning of her good fortune, goes to the Gautier mansion begging to see her. Mignon renounces their love and Paul despondently wanders through a blinding rainstorm. The next morning Paul is found near death. Paul's friends send for Mignon and at his bedside, she forgives him and agrees to marry him.

Dir: Douglas Gerrard

Marjorie North, a department store clerk, falls in love and has an affair with the store owner's son, Gordon Trenwith, but realizes when her baby is born without a name that he meant only to use her as a plaything. Having turned down John Hayward, a struggling young lawyer, in the hope that Gordon would marry her, Marjorie finds herself alone until Claire Morgan and her new husband, Jerry Thompson, take her in. After several years, during which Marjorie's child is killed, John, now a successful attorney, discovers her whereabouts and, imagining that she originally rejected him because he was poor, again asks for her hand. Ashamed of her past, she refuses him with no explanation, but when she learns that Gordon plans to marry John's sister, she finally confesses everything in order to save the girl. In the subsequent fight between Gordon and John, the villain is killed, but at the trial Gordon's secretary confesses that he killed his employer to settle a score of his own concerning his wife's honor. John forgives Mary and they finally marry.

Dir: Douglas Gerrard

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

Henry Egbert Xerxes' big chance as a cub reporter comes when he is assigned to track down a gang of counterfeiters which gathers regularly at the Red Dog Inn. As he leaves the office, Henry witnesses a girl being dragged into a cab -- the same girl he had seen that morning passing counterfeit money. Henry follows, but on overtaking the cab, he finds it empty. At the Red Dog Inn, he discovers that the girl is being held captive. After a series of rough and tumble adventures with the resident thugs, he and the girl escape, after which he rushes home to write up the story. When it fails to appear in print, Henry storms into the city room only to discover that the entire business was a hoax, intended to test his reporter's instincts.

Dir: Douglas Gerrard

In an Eastern Kentucky mountain town, illiterate Asa Whipple, the village blacksmith, marries beautiful Nance Haws over the objections of her father. A former aristocrat who was financially ruined, Jethro Haws wanted Nance to marry lawyer Rufus Couch. After Sandy Orr, an escaped convict employed by the kind-hearted Asa, kills Luke Andrews for implying that Nance's expected child is Couch's, Asa takes the blame. He is convicted by Couch, now district attorney, who destroyed the confession Orr left before running away. In prison Asa meets Orr again and they prove Asa's innocence, but when he returns, Asa finds that Nance has divorced him and is about to marry the now wealthy Couch for the sake of her child's education. Asa decides to leave, but Couch engages him in a duel and shoots him in the back before his own death after his horse throws him down a cliff. Asa and Nance now start their marriage anew.

Dir: Douglas Gerrard

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

Ann Reid moves to the city to study opera but is discouraged by her teachers and so becomes a cabaret singer instead. At Balvini's cabaret, Ann's friend Dolly introduces her to Ted Vane, who asks Ann to be his wife. She accepts, but Ted's mother is opposed to the match and convinces Ann that Ted will be ruined by the marriage. To drive Ted away, Ann assumes the role of a worldly woman, attaining notoriety by her outrageous behavior at a party. Ted learns of his mother's scheme and arrives at Ann's just as Balvini is attacking her. Ted rescues her and the two are married.

Dir: Douglas Gerrard

On a beach in southern Italy, Gianna Russelli practices her dancing with her devoted brother Russino, looking forward to the day when she will begin formal dance studies. One day the beautiful Countess Michetti comes to the village and engages in a flirtation with Russino, but when her former lover, Prince Viscomte, arrives with his closest friend, Count Paul Trovelli, the countess resumes her affair with the prince. Finding them together, Russino attacks the prince, who stabs the boy and flees, just as the count enters the room. Gianna sees Trovelli standing over her brother's body and makes a vow to ruin and then kill the count. As a famous dancer in Milan, she later charms the count into falling in love with her, spends all of his money, and is about to kill him when she realizes that she loves him. Gianna's agony turns to joy, however, when, with news of the prince's death, the count finally reveals that his friend committed the crime.

Dir: Douglas Gerrard

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of His Divorced Wife perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Professional forger Bill Butters realizes one day that the police care closing in on him, and convinces his daughter Peggy to flee. He is soon arrested, tried and convicted, and sentenced by prison by Judge Farrell. Meanwhile, Peggy gets a job at a beach resort and meets wealthy Dick Van Courtland, who is actually the ward of Judge Farrell. She marries Van Courtland, but a jealous rival determines to break up the marriage, and Bill gets wind of it in prison. Complications ensue.

Dir: Douglas Gerrard

Peter James Slaney, just released from prison, is the only boarder who is kind to Lena, the maid at the cheap Paris Hotel. So that Lena can leave her abusive landlady, Slaney accepts $2,500 from a stranger, who threatens to send Slaney back to prison unless he undertakes a job. Slaney is sent to the home of political boss John Biggs with a sealed envelope which he is to open after entering. When a grieving child in the house complains of being mistreated by Biggs, Slaney takes her to Lena and throws the envelope away. When Slaney is later arrested, Lena and the child hide out. After Slaney's release, thugs beat him and he winds up in the county hospital. In the midst of a heated political campaign, Biggs submits to Lena's blackmailing, and Slaney learns that the brother of Bigg's divorced wife originally hired him to kidnap the child. After the child is returned to her mother, Slaney and Lena head for the country to start a new life.

Dir: Douglas Gerrard

A wealthy old man is murdered after deciding to write his nephew out of his will. Fearing that he will be accused of the murder, his nephew takes flight, but with the help of a young woman whose life he saves, he sets out to try to track down the actual murderer.