Rare Cinematic Gems Sharing the Atmosphere of A Slave of Vanity: Cu...

Dir: Henry Otto

Dick Warrington, a successful New York dramatist, receives a visit in his apartments from Katherine Challoner, an actress whom he has "made." She shows him her engagement ring and tells him that she is soon to be married, as the stage never really fascinated her, but she refuses to tell the name of the man she is to marry. As Kate is about to leave the butler announces another caller and Dick requests her to remain in order to meet John Bennington, as he and John are great chums. Kate protests that her presence in his room so late at night might cause embarrassment and leaves to enter the butler's pantry. John finds a pair of white gloves which Kate has left behind her. He put them in his pocket surreptitiously. The two men sit down to smoke and chat, and John tells Dick that he is going to be married, and wishes him to act as his best man, but must withhold the name of his fiancée for the present. After John's departure Kate comes out of the pantry and Dick helps her to look for her gloves. Kate tells him that John Bennington is the man she is to marry, and that he bought the gloves for her that very morning. Failing to find her gloves, and realizing that Bennington had probably taken them away with him, Kate falls in a faint. The next morning Dick escorts Kate out of the apartment. The janitor sees them enter a cab and drive off, fully aware that the actress has spent the night in Warrington's flat. Some days after Dick returns to his native town, Herculaneum. John Bennington's marriage to the actress, Kat Challoner, has caused considerable gossip in Herculaneum. One of the scandal mongers says, "That actress and Richard Warrington have been very intimate, and you know Warrington's reputation." The honeymooners return a day sooner than expected. Shortly after their arrival Dick meets Senator Henderson, the boss of the Republican party, who tells him that he wants him to run for mayor of the town at the fall election. McQuade, the boss of the local Democrats, is determined that Mayor Donnelly must have another term. At the Republican convention Warrington is nominated for mayor. After Dick's nomination McQuade sends Bolles, one of his henchmen, to New York to dig up some "dope" on Warrington's metropolitan career. A month later Bolles returns from New York and informs McQuade that he got what he went after, as the janitor he interviewed there had told him about Kate passing the night with Richard Warrington in his apartment. McQuade keeps this information as a trump card until the night before election. Then he goes to the editor of the local Democratic paper, which he controls, and forces him to publish this bit of scandal in the election day issue. Pattie Bennington's sister reads the scandal and rushes to the conservatory to find her mother and Kate. When Kate reads the article she becomes excited. Dick, who has meanwhile read the attack on him, comes over and meets Kate in the parlor. Dick tells her that John must be made acquainted with the truth. Kate protests, fearing that it will cause her to lose her husband's love, but Dick throws open the parlor doors and, as John enters, shows him the article. After reading the scandalous attack carefully, John, who is a large-minded man, emphatically declares that he does not believe it. Then, pulling out Kate's white gloves from his pocket, he turns to her and adds: "Even with this evidence I never doubted you." Dick rushes to McQuade's office and insists on knowing who is responsible for the scandal. Bolles comes forward and says that he unearthed it in New York. Dick promptly knocks him down and says defiantly: "Miss Challoner did remain in my apartment one night, but there was a nurse and doctor in attendance until I escorted her home next morning." After Dick has returned to his library he learns that Donnelly, his opponent, has the plurality vote in nine districts. Later Pattie phones to the editor of the Republican paper and is told that Warrington has the plurality of over 700 in fifteen districts heard from so far, which assures his election. Pattie then calls up Dick and informs him that he is elected. Dick embraces Pattie and they walk, hand in hand, down the path as the scene fades out.

Dir: Alexander Butler

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

In Alberta, Canada, a Cornish emigrant unmasks a rustler posing as the girl's "blind" father.

Dir: Henry Otto

The story begins in the realm of Queen Unda, mistress of the under-seas, surrounded by her nymphs, sylphs and mermaids, who disport themselves on the sands and in the waters of the deep. Berthelda, daughter of a fisherman and his devoted wife, has been stolen by the mermaids one day when the child is playing on the sands. Queen Unda rules that little Berthelda shall be left to roam in the Enchanted Forest, because her parents have taken fishes from the ocean, greatly to the annoyance of Unda and Neptune. Undine's mother has committed sin with a mortal and to atone for this her little baby, Undine, is taken to the shore near the fisherman's cottage, to be discovered by the fisherman and his wife. It is Undine's mission on earth to marry a mortal, and thus atone for the sins committed by her mother in loving a handsome young huntsman, whose untimely death likewise robs Undine's mother of her own life. Undine is welcomed by the fisherman and his wife, who consider she has been sent by the gods to take the place of their little Berthelda. Fifteen years pass. Berthelda has been adopted by the Duke and Duchess and among those who pay her court at the Castle is Huldbrand, the bravest of knights. To test his love, Berthelda sends Huldbrand into the Enchanted Forest and bids him return with proof that he had explored its wonders. Coming to the fisherman's cottage, Huldbrand meets Undine, immediately falls in love with her and they are married by a shipwrecked priest, whom Undine has rescued from the sea. Going with his bride to the Castle, there is great rejoicing. At the celebration in honor of Huldbrand's marriage there appears a messenger from Queen Unda who tells Undine her earthly mission is fulfilled and she returns to the waters under the sea. Huldbrand is reconciled to Lady Berthelda and the story ends.

Dir: Henry Otto

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

When oil magnate Thomas Waring receives a letter from his old friend, Mrs. Juliet Smith, suggesting that his beloved daughter Maida spend her vacation at Mrs. Smith's island home, Waring encourages Maida to accept as he has to go East on business. After Mrs. Smith supposedly gets Maida, Waring receives a call from the real Mrs. Smith, who says that Maida has left with an impostor. On the island, Maida lives luxuriously, unaware that her hosts are sending her father ransom notes. She meets Gilbert Spear, camping out, and they fall in love. After receiving no response from Waring, the kidnappers reveal their scheme to Maida and demand that she write to her father. They lock her in when she refuses, but she escapes and leaves the island with Gilbert. Although they are overtaken by the criminals, Waring and the police pull up and the gang is taken into custody, leaving Gilbert and Maida free to pursue their romance.

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: Henry Otto

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

After a two years' stay in western mining camps James Herron returns to his Virginia home. Antonio Gaudio, a foreigner, has won the affections of Betty, Herron's sister. While Jim is playing cards Betty writes a letter addressed to her brother, in which she promises to write in a few days to explain her sudden departure. Arriving in the city, Jim tracks the eloping couple to a fashionable boarding house, where Gaudio has engaged two separate rooms, one for Betty and another for himself across the hall. Jim enters and listens at the door and overhears Gaudio trying to convince Betty that she need have no fear of scandal, as he intends to marry her the next day, while Betty insists on leaving the house, as they have not been pronounced man and wife. As Gaudio tries to prevent her Jim breaks into the room. Gaudio rushes toward the window and fires just as Betty runs into her brother's arms. The bullet hits Betty and she falls on the floor. Gaudio makes his escape, and Jim is placed under arrest. Jim is brought up for trial and on the testimony of the maid, who works in the Herron home, that she heard the brother threaten to kill his sister if she did anything wrong in eloping, the prisoner is promptly convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. Three years later the Governor makes an inspection of the prison where Jim is serving his life sentence. The prisoners take advantage of the occasion and try to make their escape. Several of them make an attack on the Governor and Jim, seeing this, comes to the Governor's rescue and saves his life. As a reward for his bravery Jim is made a trusty. Ruth, the Governor's daughter, hears of his heroic action and, as a token of her regard for his bravery, she sends him a carrier pigeon to lighten the gloom of his imprisonment. While Jim is brooding in prison over a face he cannot forget, the man who murdered his sister decides to return to America, having spent the intervening three years abroad. He mingles with the smart set under the false title of Count Lorenz. The Count, as Gaudio is now known, is a notorious card sharp, and at one of the fashionable clubs he meets Larry, the Governor's "sporty" son, and cheats him out of all his ready cash at the card table. After that he gets him into his power by accepting promissory notes. Larry learns that the Count is a cheat and decides to consult the prison warden, who is a friend of his. On returning to the warden's office Jim finds Larry in conversation with the warden. Presently the warden turns to Jim and says, "At our last prison show you pulled some clever card stunts for the prisoners' entertainment." Jim replied: "It has been years since I sat in a real game, but I am sure I can catch any sharper at his own trick." Jim learns that Larry is the brother of Ruth, who sent him the pigeon. Jim immediately manifests interest in him and turning to the warden suggests a plan of coming to Larry's rescue. Accordingly, under the pretext that he requires Jim to finish an important report he tells the guard that the prisoner is not to be returned to his cell, as he will remain in his apartment for the night. The warden dresses Jim up like a gentleman of leisure, and Larry takes Jim to his house. As he is introducing him to his sister, he hesitates in regard to his name, when Jim breaks in and says, "Just call me Barrs, the man from nowhere." Jim, Ruth and Larry drive in an automobile to the club, where a ball is in progress. During the ten minutes' ride Ruth decides that Mr. Barrs is quite the man after her ideal. While looking over the assemblage Jim sees the Count dancing in the crowd and immediately recognizes him as the man who shot his sister. At the card table that night Jim catches the Count manipulating the cards and exposes him. The Count grabs a sword from the wall and makes a lunge at Jim. Jim knocks the sword of his hand and, taking two swords of equal length from the wall, throws one to the Count with a warning to defend himself, denouncing him as the murderer of his sister. Although the Count is an expert fencer, Jim proves his master and the Count falls to the ground mortally wounded. He calls for a piece of note paper and signs a dying confession, in which he admits having killed Betty accidentally while trying to kill her brother, thus establishing Jim's innocence. The Governor receives the confession and pardons Jim. Ruth learns of Jim's real name, and as the picture dissolves out there is a sympathetic understanding between Jim and Ruth that promises a bright future.

Dir: Henry Otto

Glory Moore, a mischievous girl who is the despair of her mother but the "angel child" of her father, is sent away to boarding school, where she continues her devilish pranks. Soon after her departure, her father discovers that he is missing an important letter containing evidence that will send a business rival to jail. Glory, who has wrapped candy in the letter, throws it on the floor, and it is picked up by the daughter of the accused man. Glory learns of her mistake, and with the help of Richard Grant, a young lawyer whom she met at school, she retrieves the letter from the businessman's home. When Richard proposes to Glory, she decides to forego the dubious pleasures of finishing school to become his wife.

Dir: Henry Otto

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

Jack and Blanny Wheeler live in the apartment above Laura and Billy Bartlett. Jack likes to stay out late and play poker, but covers by telling his wife that he attends meetings of the Mystic Shrine society. Laura is carrying on a dalliance with Philip Evans. One night Jack goes to play poker and leaves Blanny with the Bartletts. Laura goes out with Philip. Blanny and Billy commiserate about their loneliness, and concoct a scheme to arouse their spouses' jealousies. They taste various liquors, become intoxicated, and fall asleep. Jack, Laura, and Philip return. Jack and Laura both threaten divorce until the explanations are made, and the couples are reunited.

Dir: Bruno Ziener

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Henry Otto

In the sordid shirt factory in which she works, Sadie Hicks dreams of the great outdoors. Surrounded by men of puny minds and flabby bodies, her fancy goes out to great manhood that is strong of mind and muscle. Translated in the language of the shirt factory life she knows best, she finds that she admires a man with a 44 chest. She sees a shipment of 44s all ready to be sent to Arizona, and she writes a little note and tucks it into one of the shirts. On account of a rush order, the box is sent to Canada and the shirt with Sadie's note reaches John Stoddard, a wealthy civil engineer, who prefers the life of the woods to the polite society enjoyed by his family and friends. Good-naturedly, he answers Sadie's note, telling her to let him know if he can help her at any time. Sadie receives the letter on the same day she is discharged from the factory for repulsing the advances of Ferguson, the foreman. She at once telegraphs Stoddard that she is on the way, and takes the next train for his Canadian Camp. He receives the message too late to wire her not to come. Stoddard goes to the station to meet her, intending to put her on a southbound train immediately, but he misses her, as she has left the train at a station nearer his camp than the post-office station. Stoddard finds her, and they start in a canoe for an island hotel where he expects to place her until he can send her away again. But a storm comes up, the canoe is swamped and Stoddard and Sadie are obliged to swim to the nearest stretch of shore. It is a small deserted island, and the two have to spend a day and a night there. The noblest qualities of both are shown, and they fall in love with each other. They construct a raft on which they embark, but it has been flimsily put together on account of lack of materials, and Sadie and Stoddard are capsized again. This time they are rescued by Stoddard's Indian guide, Eagle Eye, who takes them to the camp. They find Larry Livingston at the camp. He is the brother of Estelle Livingston, the society girl whom Mrs. Stoddard wishes her son to marry. He tells them that Mrs. Stoddard and Estelle, who are stopping at the hotel, will be at the camp presently. Sadie feels diffident about meeting these fashionable women, and hides in the woods. Here Larry Livingston finds her. He tells her that if she really loves John Stoddard, it is her duty to give him up to a woman of his own station in life, that it would be only degradation for him to marry beneath him. Sadie persuades Eagle Eye to show her the way to the railroad station. Leaving a note of farewell for Stoddard, she goes to the city and finds work in a restaurant, studying hard in her leisure hours to make herself worthy of the man she loves, and capable of meeting his mother. Stoddard is tireless in his search for her, and at last discovers her. He convinces her that Larry was mistaken, and the two clasp hands in mutual understanding.