The Cult Collection Inspired by the Vision of Alias Jimmy Valentine...

Dir: Maurice Tourneur

For 10 years the men of the D. and O., a short line, have been at the mercy of "B," supposedly Barker, president of the railroad. The line itself is run from the executive offices in New York, far distant, and none of the men have ever laid eyes of "B," yet the smallest transgression, accidental or otherwise, of the railroad's rigid and economical discipline results in a telegraphed order from "B," decreeing the fine, suspension or other punishment for the offender. Latterly, it has amounted to almost persecution and the men are on the verge of a strike. The climax comes when 48, the passenger train driven by Jim Lewis, goes off the rails on a soft spot and ties up the whole system for a day. When 48 finally limps into Wellsdale, the eastern terminus, "B's" decision is waiting for Lewis, two weeks' pay as a fine and six months' probation on a yard engine. The punishment starts a riot. The men agree to send Lewis to see Barker. Lewis calls on Barker. Barker receives Lewis, and instead of the hulky, brutal man he expected to find, Barker is an elderly, kind old gentleman, with a charming family. Mildred, his daughter, impresses Lewis. At last, Lewis, much bewildered, accepts an invitation to dinner with the family. In the morning Lewis learns that "B" is Brown, the manager. With a card from Barker he seeks an interview, but learns the manager has decamped, taking all the negotiable funds of the road. Lewis, thinking of the girl he met the night before, asks for and gets the job of running down "B." After considerable detective work he locates a man he has reason to believe is his quarry. With the aid of a bellboy, he gets a tip on the departure of the suspect and as the fleeing man enters a machine Lewis grabs him. There is a fight, which ends in Lewis's victory. Jim Lewis returns in triumph to New York with the stolen goods licked in a brand-new bag, and reaches Barker's house in the early evening, just as a group of D. and O. magnates are deciding that the road is gone and done for. Jim is the sort of stuff the road needs in its executive offices, and barker states that he is to come in to New York to be trained. Jim parts with Mildred on his way out, but to their mutual satisfaction it is only "au revoir." The future is rosy for Jim Lewis, and the boys of the road have gained more than they hoped when they sent him to see "B."

Dir: Maurice Tourneur

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

Arriving with her husband in Arabia, Katherine Wyvrne is ready for romantic times in the exotic Middle East, but her aristocratic husband prefers to be out hunting "Barbara sheep" than fulfilling his wife's desires. She soon meets up with the dashing Arab chief Benchaalai and falls for his charms, but he has a much more sinister goal in mind for her than romance.

Dir: Maurice Tourneur

In ancient Egypt a Princess is loved by a simple Shepherd, to the great displeasure of the King, who orders the offending lover be buried alive, for he had promised his daughter to the builder of the Temple. Breaking a double scarab in two, the shepherd and the Princess each keep a broken half and pledge that their souls will be reunited in death. Centuries later Capt. Harry Paget of the English garrison at the Sudan is enchanted by Grace Leslie, the daughter of Sir Hector Leslie, commander of the garrison. Mrs. Harvey, the wife of another officer, is also in love with the captain, and lures him to a meeting on the desert, causing him to miss a surprise drill. Grace, learning of the drill, rushes to inform Paget in time, thus interrupting the illicit meeting. Because of his disgrace, Paget volunteers for duty in a desert outpost and Grace, after learning the truth from Mrs. Harvey, falls into the captain's arms and announces that she will go to the desert with him, when it is discovered that each possesses a piece of the broken scarab.

Dir: Maurice Tourneur

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

After being expelled from college, Giles runs away from home and meets and falls for a young lady.

Dir: Maurice Tourneur

The wealthy but selfish parents of a lonely young girl begin to rethink what is important to them after a servant's irresponsibility results in a crisis.

Dir: Maurice Tourneur

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Wishing Ring: An Idyll of Old England perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

James Kestner is a government secret agent on the trail of a band of counterfeiters and particularly anxious to locate the head of the gang, Frank Lambert, who, in addition to his skill as a counterfeiter, is known to the underworld as the only man who can fill in the perforations of a used bank check. Kestner locates the band in their underground work shop near the river front. He cleverly maneuvers his way into the headquarters of the band when it is empty, but is caught in the act of searching for incriminating evidence by "Bull's Eye" Cherry, a clever girl crook, and one of the mainstays of Lambert's crowd. Lambert and his daughter, who has been educated in crime by her father, return to find Kestner held at the point of Cherry's revolver. Lambert is for killing the detective outright. Impressed by Kestner's brave demeanor, Maura intercedes in his behalf, but finding her father determined in his intention to kill the government agent, she pretends that the police are outside. The counterfeiters make their escape without settling accounts with Kestner. Kestner locates the criminals in their new quarters. One of his assistants trails "Bull's Eye," who has the new counterfeit plates in her possession, but she cleverly evades capture and returns the plates to Lambert's headquarters. Kestner forces his way into the gang's rooms, arriving just in time to witness a desperate battle between Lambert and Tony Morello, one of his accomplices, whose passion for Maura has led him to attempt to force his advances upon her. Lambert kills Morello with a knife, but before dying the man acquaints Maura with the fact that Lambert is not her real father, but that he stole her when a baby and reared her to this life of crime. Kestner places Lambert under arrest, but the crook evades capture a second time by a ruse. Kestner's assistant arrives with the police, but Kestner permits Maura to go free on account of her having saved his life on the occasion of their first meeting. Kestner is determined to capture Lambert single-handed. He trails him to a midnight rendezvous on a wharf, where he and Lambert fight it out to a finish. The revolver battle between the two men in the dark culminates in a hand-to-hand encounter in which Kestner ultimately proves victor, but has barely strength enough to handcuff himself to his unconscious opponent before collapsing. In the end Kestner induces Maura to return to the straight road, and she takes up her home with his mother. The story closes with the intimation that the romance so strangely begun will lead, as time passes, to a life of happiness for them, together.

Dir: Maurice Tourneur

A hypnotic Svengali controls the singing voice of a young starlet, but he cannot control her heart.

Dir: Maurice Tourneur

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Poor Little Rich Girl perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A restless young girl yearns to leave her rural environment and "get away from it all." One day she stumbles upon a film crew shooting a Western near her home. She makes friends with the film's leading man, who encourages her to try her luck as an actress, so she leaves her small town and goes to the big city to break into the picture business. However, things don't turn out quite the way she planned.

Dir: Maurice Tourneur

Among the simple fisher-folk of a little island off the west coast of Scotland lives MacTavish, head of a clan. Here he rules as a chieftain, and his word is law. One day a hurricane sweeps across the Hebrides and the fishermen turn their boats to the inlet for shelter. On the shore the women and children watch the fight of their men with the waves. Among those who wait is Margaret MacTavish, who sees her father's boat dashed to pieces in the roaring surf. A party of men headed by Jamie Campbell tries to rescue the old chieftain but the waves close over him before they can reach the battling craft. With MacTavish lost, according to the law of the island the succession of authority passes to his daughter Marget, just 18. She, with a spirit of kindness and in a tender, sweet and girlish way, rules the fishermen and their families. Her disposition wins them. Jamie Campbell, a young fisherman, has won Marget's heart. Jamie has always been regarded as the son of Mrs. Campbell, one of the clan. The old lady, realizing that Jamie is reaching his 21st birthday, feels that she cannot keep her secret longer. So she writes to the Countess of Dunstable that the baby of her first marriage, which she left with the old woman of the island, did not die but grew to be a fine young man, and is now known as Jamie Campbell. The Countess, accompanied by her husband, starts out to seek her son. It is on the eve of Jamie's betrothal to Marget that, the Countess finds the young man and tells him of his real identity. She swears him to secrecy even from his own sweetheart. The Countess goes to watch the quaint betrothal ceremony of her son and Marget. Meeting him they are seen by those who do not know the relation to embrace and this fact is told to Marget. The disappearance of the Countess has aroused the suspicions of the Earl, and he, having learned of her secret meeting with, Jamie and not knowing the relation, confronts her. The wife breaks down and confesses that the young man is her son. There having been no children by the second marriage the Earl is delighted with the news and at once starts to plan for Jamie's future. The Earl, however, means that Jamie shall cut loose from all of his former associates. He persuades Marget to believe that she is an obstacle to Jamie's future and she reluctantly decides to make the sacrifice and give up her sweetheart. As chief of the clan, Marget commands him to leave. Jamie with heart torn asunder departs for his mother's yacht. Marget decides to sail out to somewhere in the west where her father and his father were wont to sail with the fishing boats. Before she cuts the ropes that hold the frail old hulk in which she lives to the island shore she sets ashore her pets and writes a note, places it on the strap collar of her favored little goat, and sends it abroad. Grouchy, gloomy Pitcairn, the village atheist who feared no one and hated himself, has always refused to obey the rulings of Marget. Pitcairn is in a troubled sleep the night Marget cuts loose in her unseaworthy craft, and in a wakeful moment he hears the bleating of the goat at his door. He is about to drive the animal away when he finds the note Marget has written. Looking seaward he sees the old craft tossing in the sea and he realizes what has happened. The village is aroused and the church bell set to ringing. Down to the surf line rush the people. Pitcairn sends a messenger to the yacht to get Jamie. Lowering a boat he rushes to the hulk and just as the waters are closing in on the cabin he rescues his sweetheart and the atheist falls to his knees and utters a prayer for the first time in his life. Jamie takes Marget back to the yacht, a reconciliation between the girl and the Earl follows and the dreams of the courtship begin all over again but they are real dreams because they have come true.

Dir: Maurice Tourneur

In order to save her mother from disgrace, Margaret marries Richard Harding even though she really loves Geoffrey Morton. Five years later, the Hardings have a little son, and Margaret's life has been made almost unbearable by her husband; she lives for nothing but her son. Morton, returning after an absence of two years, learns that Harding has made some false accusations against him and goes to his home to demand a retraction. While there, he witnesses an exhibition of Harding's cruelty as he whips his little son. After Morton leaves, Harding threatens to beat the boy again, and Margaret tells him that she will shoot him if he does. Harding defies Margaret's plea, and she carries out her threat. Together, Harding's secretary and Margaret place the revolver so that it will appear to be a suicide, but the police are not deceived. After a desperate defense by her lawyers, however, the death is ruled accidental and Margaret is free to begin life anew.