The Essential Watchlist that Capture the Essence of A Ridin' Romeo:...

Dir: Robert Thornby

Mary Willard takes over her father's railroad after his death. Her major competitor is a ruthless crook named Harvey Judson. She arranges for Judson to be kidnapped and taken to an isolated spot deep in the forest and turned loose to fend for himself. She accompanies the kidnappers to the wild and Judson, not knowing who she is, begins to fall in love with her. Complications ensue.

Dir: Harris Gordon

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

A man named Chandler, claiming to be a novelist in search of local color, arrives at a town near the Mexican border, where he makes advances toward Jo, a girl living a solitary life on a desert ranch. Manning, a cowboy, suspects Chandler's motives, and his suspicions are strengthened when Chandler is caught cheating at cards. Following a gang of Mexicans to their mountain retreat, Manning learns that Chandler and the Mexicans are smuggling opium across the border. Two gang members are killed in the ensuing fight, but Chandler, wounded by Manning after a chase on the cliffs, escapes to Jo's home, where he denounces Manning as a smuggler. Manning arrives and dispels Jo's misgivings about him by revealing that he is a Texas Ranger, sworn to secrecy. Chandler is allowed to escape, and Manning and Joe are united.

Dir: Maurice Campbell

Carver Endicott, a young sophisticate, is rejected by his fiancée for being too foppish and dull. When she feigns an interest in his father, Carver attempts to disgrace his family name by working as a farmhand and later as a busboy in a hotel. However, the newspapers only praise him for his self-sacrificing principles; and finding that he cannot bring shame to the family through menial labor, he takes up with a notorious actress. But when this maneuver also fails, he returns to his former fiancée, who has no further complaint about his being an inexperienced dullard.

Dir: Reggie Morris

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

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Richard Smith

Two female candidates for Chief of Police live across the hall from each other, and their political rivalry follows them home, leading to plenty of hi-jinks.

Dir: Unknown Director

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

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Hal Roach

An American book salesman (Lloyd) is persuaded to go to the kingdom of Thermosa to impersonate the Prince. He is greeted by a peasants' revolt before the real prince shows up to claim his throne and princess. The revolution succeeds, and the American is elected president of the new republic.

Dir: Victor Heerman

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

In the gold fields of the Canadian Northwest, a man is falsely accused of a crime and determines that a lookalike is responsible.

Dir: George Marshall

Ruth Robin is the daughter of a millionaire, and is attending a seminary for girls at the time the story opens. Her father, Daniel Robin, is a recluse and lives in perpetual fear of death at the hands of a criminal band known as the "Terrible Thirteen." He has been forced Into membership of this band against his will. Daniel Robin is shot from behind by LaFarge, the leader of the "Terrible Thirteen," who is known as the Hound. While on his death bed Mr. Robin has his daughter summoned. He tells her in the presence of his trusted butler, Wayman, that she must recover a Peacock Fan stolen by the band, as it contains a secret affecting her. She must also accept thirteen separate keys as they are handed to her by an unknown hand, and follow the Instructions in each instance. Ruth agrees to these terms, and after her father's death starts out on the first mission. It takes her to the home of the Countess Zitka, where she finds the Peacock Fan. Later, she is forced to invade the headquarters of the "Terrible Thirteen," and still later another key takes her into the heart of Chinatown.

Dir: Malcolm St. Clair

A dancing instructor gets involved with a newly rich family.