Cinematic Discoveries Resonating with the Themes of After the War: ...

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

"Coyote" Crosby, owner of the "Big Star" ranch is in a feud with "Horned Toad" Smith, an Arizona bad-man, who claims Crosby's house is on his land, "Horned Toad" draws first and kills "Coyote" The first news of the killing reaches Dorothy Stewart, "Coyote's" niece and Teddy Crosby's cousin, and she sends for Teddy to inform him that "Coyote's" will specifies that they must marry to inherit the ranch. This pleases Teddy, who now receives word from two lawyers, Teck and Kikal, executors of his uncle's will, to meet them at a hotel, These men are crooks and try to frighten Teddy so that he will sell the ranch cheap. They tell him a wild and weird take about "Horned Toad" and Teddy, all his life aching for such an experience, refuses to sell and declares he is leaving on the first train for the West. Paprika, a black-eyed, young woman, who has a claim against Teddy's uncle, comes to New York to force Teddy to settle with her. She just misses him at his apartment and goes to Dorothy*n home, where Herbert Wendling a fortune hunter and suitor for Dorothy's hand, learns enough from Paprika to allow him to intimate to Dorothy and her mother that Paprika has been mixed up in Teddy's life, Dorothy refuses to believe the story, but her mother is skeptical. When they hear from Herbert that Paprika went West on the same train with Teddy, they immediately start for the ranch to protect Dorothy's interests. Arriving in the feet, Teddy starts looking around the town, in his evening clothes, in which he was dressed when put on the train by his intoxicated friends, and wine a full outfit of Western togs from a cowboy who in turn dons the formal costume. Teck and Nikal have informed "Horned Toad" that Teddy is wearing evening clothes, "Horned Toad" finds the cowboy with the said outfit and is about to shoot, but the cowboy is too quick and Teddy barely saves "Horned Toad's" life. Neither knowing the other, Teddy and "Horned Toad" become bosom friends. Upon finding Paprika comfortably settled at the ranch, Dorothy, her mother and Herbert are about to leave for the East, when "Horned Toad's" gang raids the place. Herbert is frightened and in attempting to hide, becomes involved in a ludicrous situation with Paprika. Teddy seeing this and learning of the suspicion against himself, turns the tables on Herbert. It is the Fourth of July and Teddy insists on going to town for fireworks, ignoring the warning from "Horned Toad" that the ranch must be surrendered in twelve hours. Teck and Nikal plot to get Dorothy to sign over her interest in the ranch, and to have "Horned Toad" kill Teddy. They send a gang of Mexicans to capture Dorothy; they storm the house and, discovering the wine cellar get very drunk. Pedro, the leader steals Dorothy, while Herbert flees and goes to tell Teddy of the trouble. Teddy rescues her in a spectacular manner, but they are captured by "Horned Toad's" men, Teddy is tied to a tree and "Horned Road" heats a branding iron to brand him. Dorothy is allowed to return to the ranch where she tells the cowboys of the incident and they swoop down on "Horned Toad's" men, but are held at bay. The Mexicans go to Teck and Nikal for their money and, upon being refused because of not delivering the girl, they mob the lawyers, who take refuge in jail. At daybreak the cowboys defeat "Horned Toad's" gang and, to their surprise, find "Horned Toad" wrapped in a blanket playing poker with Teddy. Teddy has won all "Horned Toad's" clothes and his claim to the Big Star ranch. Teddy likes "Horned Toad" and gives him the job as foreman of the ranch. Teddy and Dorothy marry and also do "Horned Toad" and Paprika, who formerly were sweethearts. Herbert speeds Eastward, very glad to be out of the terrible West.

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

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

Young ballet dancer Bobbie Brent has lost her parents and must care for herself and her younger brother and sister. To keep the children, she pretends that they are her own children and not her siblings. Jack Stinson, her boyfriend, is aghast at this deception and breaks up with her. However, Jack's old girlfriend Velma is still jealous of Bobbie and comes up with a scheme to get rid of her once and for all so she can have Jack all to herself.

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

Dick Temple is serving a five-year prison sentence because he took the blame for a robbery his father committed. His father promises to go straight, but the old man dies two years later, before he can reveal Dick was Innocent.

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

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

A woman gives up her illegitimate child, and then marries without telling her new husband about the child. A copy exists in the Archives du Film du CNC according to the American Silent Feature Film Survival Database.

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

Oliver Curwell disowned his son Roger because he declined to abandon art and go into business, Roger gradually drifted from bad to worse until he was a derelict on the streets of San Francisco. In his art-student days a girl of the name of Olga had shown interest in him, believing he would inherit his father's millions, but when he was cast off the girl abandoned her pretense of affection. One evening Roger wanders into "Sailor's Rest," a saloon and dance hall run by "Hell" Morgan. A work of art hanging behind the bar Roger denounced as a "daub." Morgan resented this remark and was beating Roger when Lola saved his life by her interference. Morgan's daughter continued to befriend Roger and finally prevailed upon her father to give Roger the job of playing the piano in the dance hall. Roger painted Lola's portrait and they fell in love with each other. Sleter, a tough politician, objected, for the reason that he coveted Morgan's daughter. Olga leads a party of friends to "Sailor's Rest" on a slumming tour. She sees Roger at the piano and sends for him, as she reads in the newspapers of the death of Oliver Curwell, who willed his millions to his son. Roger joins Olga's party, and the old days are recalled. He forgets his love for Lola, and makes advances which Olga reciprocates. Lola goes to the party of slummers, and takes physical toll of both Roger and Olga. As a result Roger leaves "Sailor's Rest" and Lola resigns herself to Sleter. But when he attempts to collect his reward, Lola rebels and resists his advances. The tumult in Lola's room attracts "Hell" Morgan. He dashes upstairs, and in an encounter with Sleter is shot and mortally wounded. Lola drives Sleter from her room and escapes, dragging her father down a fire escape. Hardly have they reached the ground when San Francisco's earthquake and fire break loose. "Sailor's Rest" tumbles in a burning heap. Helping her father, Lola reaches the Presidio, where refugees are assembling. Her father is near death and she seeks a doctor in the crowd. Roger has been drawn back to "Sailor's Rest" by his love for Lola, and when he finds the place in ruins he likewise wends his way to the Presidio. Fate brings them together as "Hell" Morgan dies.

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

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

After discovering that Cyrus Peabody, the president of the bank, and his son Ernest have embezzled $35,000, their cashier, Paul Revere Forbes, threatens to expose them. In a rage, the two men strike him on the head and, persuaded that the busybody is dead, ask their broker to dump the body off in a deserted place. But the broker has an accident and is killed in the crash. The cashier, who was actually still alive, comes to and, while suffering a loss of memory, wanders off. Still believing their employee dead, the Peabodys accuse their cashier of having stolen the money. But Beatrice Forbes, Paul Revere's daughter, and her boyfriend, idle-turned-responsible Billy Winthrop, are on the alert.

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

Louis and August Siever, twin sons of a German father and American mother, are traveling through Europe when war breaks out. August joins the Kaiser's army, while Louis, a loyal American, is trapped in Berlin for a year while he tries to prove his citizenship. After a violent confrontation with Louis, August steals his brother's passport and leaves for New York City with Gerda Anderson, a German spy. Louis also returns to the U.S., and sometime later is invited to a weekend party on Long Island by his wealthy friends, the Waynes. When August and Gerda learn of the event, they rent a nearby house and invite all of the Waynes' guests, including Louis, to a "mystery" party. Upon their arrival, the women are held prisoner and ransom notes are sent to their husbands via carrier pigeon. Shirley Wayne and Louis track down and are captured by the kidnappers. Meanwhile, Mortimer Eddington, an amateur detective, devises a method to trace the pigeons back to the house. Before Shirley and Louis come to harm, police officers arrive and demand the Germans' surrender.

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Hell Morgan's Girl perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

In pre-Civil War days, a woman dies in childbirth. Her sister, believing the child to be illegitimate, leaves the baby in care of one of her sister's slaves.

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

Mary and Fannie Graham are forced to live with their criminal father when their mother dies. Mary flees, but Fannie remains with her father and is reared as a thief, becoming known as "Flash" Fan.

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

An unusual story about the crossing paths of the poor Italian family of sculptor Giovanni (Lon Chaney) and reckless American millionaire, Cyrus Kirkham (Gilmore Hammond). Louise Lovely plays two parts: Giovanni's wife Leonita, who comes to grief when Cyrus falls in love with her; and Giovanni's daughter Elisa, whose beauty brings a horrific resolution to the two families' woes.