Editor's Top Picks Sharing the Atmosphere of All Wrong: Cult Guide

Dir: Raymond B. West

Thisbe Lorraine, an American who hopes to pursue an art career in Paris, falls in love with German aristocrat Ernst Faber, who makes love to the young woman and then leaves her. Disillusioned, Thisbe resolves to live by her own rules and returns to New York, where her sex novels earn her great fame and wealth. At a grotto café in Greenwich Village, Thisbe encounters "Tea Cup Ann," a fortuneteller who predicts that her sinful ways will bring her only sorrow. Later, Thisbe falls in love with artist Le Saint Hammond, who asks her to pose for his statue of Psyche, but when he learns of her past, her rejects her and then begins to drink excessively. Thisbe's sorrow turns to joy, however, when Le Saint finally returns to her.

Dir: Raymond B. West

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

While on the job, Neva Blaine, a seasoned cabaret girl, is assigned to the well-to-do Warren Kennedy, who has come to her club to forget a recent romantic humiliation. Kennedy was to marry Blanche Calloway, but Ellis Hopper, his rival, seduced her and forced her to appear at the wedding with a note detailing her betrayal. As revenge, Kennedy decides to remake Neva, by schooling her in the ways of society, pair her with Hopper, then, at the proper moment, reveal her lowly background. Although she loves Kennedy, Neva wins Hopper's hand as instructed but, on the day of the wedding, writes to her mentor imploring him to save her from the marriage. When Kennedy refuses to intercede, Neva, desperate with grief, spills wine on her wedding gown and pretends to be drunk in the church, causing the guests to flee and Hopper to denounce her. Her fate apparently sealed, Neva goes off to live alone, but Kennedy, realizing his love for her, saves her from a lonely existence.

Dir: Raymond B. West

Pampy lives in a quaint little Dutch village, where she supports her invalid father by selling flowers to tourists. Pampy is so beautiful that she provides inspiration to Donald Luther, an American artist who is visiting the village, and at his request, poses for him. Just as his interest starts to blossom into love, he is called away for two weeks. During his absence Pampy's father dies, leaving her only with directions to her wealthy grandfather's home in New York. A letter containing money for her voyage is intercepted by the unscrupulous Captain von der Bloom, who takes an innkeeper's daughter to the old man and tries to persuade him that she is his grandaughter. Pampy is finally able to sail to America when the village priest buys her passage, and she arrives just in time to prevent the old man from turning over a large sum of money to von der Bloom. The gloom of the old house is then awakened to laughter as it is filled with Pampy's charming presence, and all ends happily as she is reunited with her artist.

Dir: Raymond B. West

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

The Earl of Selkirk and his family learn of the impending arrival of American pirate John Paul Jones, they flee their castle, leaving behind Nora, the kitchen maid. Left alone in the house, Nora dons the clothes of her mistress and parades herself about the castle until the arrival of the king's light infantry. Because they mistake her for the lady of the house, she invites them to be her guests. Meanwhile, on board the pirate ship, third officer Darby O'Donovan recognizes the little island as his former home. Sent ashore by the commanding officer to investigate, Darby sees Nora, his old sweetheart, seated at the table with the redcoats and, impersonating an Irish gentleman, he interrupts the gathering. Later, a fisherman exposes Darby's true identity and he is arrested. Nora, determined to save her lover, disguises herself as a soldier and signals the pirate ship for help. After a thrilling battle between the pirates and the soldiers, the pirates escape and Darby sails to America accompanied by Nora.

Dir: Raymond B. West

Seized with a fainting spell during a polo game, Donald Van Wye is given six months to live and told he must go to Arizona. His brother Tom, an irresponsible college youth, is wired to come home and take Donald's place. When Tom arrives, Donald finds that his little brother has committed himself to an actress named Maizie. Donald pleads with the actress to give Tom up, but when she refuses, Donald marries her in order to save his brother. The couple go to Arizona where their love ripens, and through Maizie's prayers, Donald regains his health. Mrs. Van Wye then comes to visit and tells Maizie that she is preventing Donald from assuming his rightful place in society. Crushed, Maizie starts across the desert alone, and when Donald learns of his mother's dreadful behavior, he follows Maizie and begs her to stay.

Dir: Raymond B. West

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

An actress plans revenge on a man and gives it up for the sake of his little son.

Dir: Raymond B. West

The social climbing Flower family is comprised of Mr. Flower, a banker who has overextended himself financially, Mrs. Flower, a socially ambitious mother, Julia Flower, a marriage-minded elder daughter and Madge Flower, a high-spirited younger daughter. When Madge is expelled from boarding school for her practical jokes and pranks, she joins her mother and sister in Palm Beach, where they are wintering, in hopes of snaring a titled husband for Julia. Julia, fearful that her little sister will impair her success on the marriage market, forces Madge to dress as a child of ten. Julia has her sights set on the Earl of Larsdale, but after a series of misadventures, Madge elopes with the young man who turns out not to be an earl at all, but a prosperous young American who is holding her father's notes. Thus, she saves the day for the Flower family.

Dir: Raymond B. West

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

When the wealthy Robert Reyburn offers to pay for struggling painter Phyllis Page to continue her studies in Europe, he is not interested simply in serving as a patron of the arts. As a result, they indulge in a brief romance behind the back of Robert's wife Edith, then, several years later, Phyllis returns to the United States as a famous artist and becomes a high society favorite. Later, Edith successfully arranges a romance between her brother Dick and Phyllis. When Dick proposes, however, Edith turns him down, because she knows that, as his wife, she eventually would have to tell him who gave her the money for her European training and explain the conditions under which the money was offered.

Dir: Raymond B. West

Robin Cameron transforms her home on the Scottish seacoast into a hospital for convalescing soldiers. Sidney Carson, who owns the adjoining estate, and Dr. Hyde both love Robin, but she gives her heart to John Hamilton, an American soldier whose ship was sunk off the coast. When several Allied officials are sent to investigate reports of German spy activities in the area, an air raid occurs, and one of the officers is almost killed. Carson accuses John, and Dr. Hyde, jealous of the American's success with Robin, supports Carson's claim. However, with aid from a little Belgian girl named Mimi, Robin discovers that Carson had sent nightly messages to a fleet of German submarines. Exonerated, John departs for the front, and Robin, although her younger brother Donald has just lost his life in battle, bravely bids him farewell.

Dir: Raymond B. West

Patrick "The Ear" Muldoon, a professional safecracker, passes on his skills to his daughter Peggy. However, after reading Ralph Waldo Emerson's books, Peggy decides to forego a life of crime, after pulling one last job. Unfortunately, she's arrested for that crime and sent to prison for two years. When she gets out of prison she moves to California and meets Robert Benton, who works in a local bank. Theu marry and are living happily--until Peggy's old gang shows up and threatens to tell her husband about her past unless she helps them crack the safe in his bank.