Visionary Picks In Alignment with the style of A Yankee from the West: Cult Guide

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

Young Lois Brandon is about to have her home foreclosed if she doesn't come up with some money. She enters her horse, Atta Boy, in a big-money race, hoping the win will enable her to pay off the mortgage and save her home.

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Desiring the best for his little daughter Marion, impoverished farmer George Leyden agrees to allow her to become the ward of Mrs. John Marshall, a wealthy woman who has taken an interest in the child. Exposed to all the privileges in life, Marion grows into a well educated, beautiful woman and a loyal companion to Mrs. Marshall, who is now an invalid. Marion falls in love with Jimmy Harwood, a wealthy young man, but when Mrs. Marshall's death leaves her husband bereft of companionship, Marion agrees to marry her benefactor. Heartbroken, Jimmy goes abroad where, joined by the formerly brilliant criminal lawyer George Straight, he enters a life of dissipation. Meanwhile, Marshall dies suddenly and his scheming relatives accuse Marion of murder. Pregnant, she goes away to another city where her baby is born. At the time of its birth, another baby is born in an adjoining hospital room, only to die of suffocation. Fearing that the birth of the child may rob them of Marshall's fortune, the relatives maintain that it was Marion's boy who died and that she had gained possession of the other child to assure her fortune. Learning of the situation, Jimmy returns, accompanied by Straight, and after many tribulations, Marion's integrity is established and she is granted her baby and her fortune.

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

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Phillip Smith, an impoverished young novelist, loses his sight in an explosion. Fearing that he will never see again, Phillip determines to end his life until Mary Cunningham, the young nurse in his doctor's office who has fallen in love with him, wins his consent to marry her by telling him that she will inherit a large fortune if she marries immediately. Phillip agrees to the ceremony in return for the funds that will pay for his operation, and Mary agrees to grant him a divorce whenever he desires. They separate after the wedding; Phillip has his sight restored and becomes a famous writer. He has no idea of what his wife looks like, nor does he ever care to find out. Mrs. Smith has different ideas and, disguising herself as Molly, an Italian girl, obtains a position as cook and housemaid for her husband. After successfully winning Phillip's love, Molly finally reveals that she is his wife.

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

As he lies dying, Don Salvador, the leader of a political outlaw band in the mountains near Seville, tells his daughter Carmelita to marry the best man in the band. After Pedro and Leonardo duel, Carmelita agrees to marry Pedro, the winner, at the Fiesta of Roses, and saves Leonardo. American artist Kent Staunton, painting in the mountains, poses Carmelita, who is dressed as a boy to compete with a friend. After she spends the night in Kent's cabin to avoid a storm, Pedro, misunderstanding, fights Kent and gets arrested. Although attracted to Kent, Carmelita vows revenge when Pedro says that Kent is a spy who killed her father. In Seville, she poses for Kent, but an impulse stops her from stabbing him. After learning that Pedro was lying, Carmelita refuses to marry him when he escapes from jail. Pedro slashes her portrait and, threatening to kill Kent, forces a marriage ceremony. Leonardo, however, learns of this and shoots Pedro. Kent and Carmelita then marry.

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When the popular Broadway star Jack Rollins tells his wife, dancer Yvonne Leclaire, that he is tired of her, their backstage quarrel ends when she shoots him dead. Because Billy Jordan, a dissolute "chorus man," sees Yvonne hide the gun, she desperately agrees to marry him if he will keep quiet. Billy's sister Alma, a "sob sister" reporter who loves her editor "Mac," has resisted Mac's proposals because she promised her dying mother she would look after Billy. Without telling Alma, Billy relates his story to the newspaper because Yvonne is encouraging a wealthy new suitor. Because the newspaper owner threatens to fire the entire staff unless they get a major scoop, Mac sends Alma to investigate the story. Although Alma extracts a confession from Yvonne, who goes mad, she experiences a dilemma when she learns of Billy's involvement. She resolves the situation by giving the story to Mac and leaving the paper to marry him, as they together vow to help Billy.

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

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Inspired by his wife Lorna, shiftless William Gordon discovers a welding process worth millions and becomes president of a large corporation. Henry Blake, a friend of Gordon's from his indolent days, is forced to marry when his girl friend Mamie gives birth to a daughter, who is sent to live in a convent. Becoming infatuated with actress Marie Gibson, Gordon leaves Lorna and his son William, Jr. and promises to install Marie in society. After the dance hall that he is running is raided, Blake blackmails Gordon with the threat of exposing his illicit affair. With the extortion money, Blake deserts Mamie and opens up his own dance hall where he employs his daughter to entertain the idle rich. Meanwhile, both Mamie and Lorna have obtained divorces in Reno and are living together when they learn that Blake intends to force his daughter to marry a wealthy man. Together the women rescue the girl and justice is served when society refuses to sanction Gordon's remarriage to Marie and the pair are driven by ostracism to Europe.

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Catherine Montour (Adda Gleason), a striking half-breed Indian princess, and mistress of King George III (Jack Cosgrove) aspires to become the first Queen of America when the revolution breaks out.

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Sallie is a beautiful Kentucky girl who belongs to a family of Union sympathizers. Her brother is a lieutenant in the Union army, and on a visit home brings Major Rushton, his superior officer, who falls in love with Sallie, "the little Yank." Lieutenant James Castleton encourages his sister to make hospital supplies for the wounded soldiers. While the two Union officers are at the Castleton home, the house is surrounded by Confederates, but Sallie utilizes a clover ruse in helping her brother and the Major to escape. She herself starts through the Confederate lines to carry her supplies to the wounded Unionists. She is assisted by Captain Johnny, a handsome young Confederate. Lieutenant Castleton is captured by the Confederates after a battle in which he has been injured, and Sallie goes to the enemy's camp to nurse him. While there she falls in love with Captain Johnny. Meanwhile Major Rushton has become a spy, following the Confederates as a sutler. He learns of the attraction between Sallie and Captain Johnny, and decides to break it up. He returns to the Union lines and sends Captain Johnny a note, presumably from Sallie, asking him to meet her at a trysting place. Johnny is captured, evidence is "planted" on him, and he is condemned to death. Sallie learns of the perilous situation, and. going to Rushton's headquarters, flirts with him, so that attention is diverted from her Confederate lover, and he is enabled to escape. Shortly after hostilities cease and a long lifetime of happiness dawns for Sallie and Captain Johnny.