Essential Cult Cinema Drawn from the Same DNA as An Adventuress: Cu...

Dir: Fred J. Balshofer

Bruce Edmunds takes a place in the revenue service to help rout the moonshiners in the hills of North Carolina and to avenge the murder of his brother, George Edmunds. George, who was a landscape painter, had selected the picturesque locale in the south for his work, and while there became infatuated with Jill Jamison, a mountain girl, and daughter of Jimmy Jamison, owner of the Bat Cave Hotel. The friendship between the girl and George aroused the enmity of Squid Archer, boss of the moonshining gang. On two occasions Squid and George quarrel over the girl. George is found dead with a bullet wound in his head and his body buried in the mountains. Bruce arrives at Bat Cave disguised as a parson. Jill's father is away, when Bruce arrives and the mountaineers headed by Squid are taking advantage of his absence. Bruce quells a disturbance they have started and immediately wins the respect and favor of Jill. After that Jill and Bruce are often seen together. Squid only hides his anger at this situation because of Bruce's ministerial garb. The following day Jill takes Bruce for a walk, during which he learns much of his brother's life there. He does not disclose his identity and has difficulty in controlling his emotions. One night, soon afterwards, the moonshiners are startled by the appearance of a mysterious masked rider, dressed in a white buckskin suit and riding a white horse. By his actions the moonshiners know he is not a bandit. They fire at him and give chase, but he eludes them. While Jill is riding near a mountain stream she surprises the masked rider who is watering his horse. The masked rider is so startled that he covers her with his revolver before he realizes who she is. Recovering quickly he bows and profusely begs her pardon. Jill's fears are allayed, and she smiles when she finds the terrible masked rider so gallant. Touching her golden curls Bruce tells her she can have her freedom for one curl. The next day Jill learns the parson and masked rider are the same person, when she finds her lock of hair in the parson's room behind his mother's picture. That night Bruce leads a group of government agents in the moonshining district. The illicit distillers take refuge under ground through secret passages. They are driven out when Bruce explodes a heavy charge of dynamite, blowing up their catacomb. Squid manages to escape. He hurries to the Jamison Hotel, the proprietor and attempts to force Jill to accompany him in his escape. Bruce arrives in time to prevent him and a terrific struggle between Bruce and Squid follows. They roll down a flight of stairs and Bruce loses his revolver. Squid, retreating toward the door, fires at Bruce, who is prostrated upon the floor. The bullet enters his right shoulder and disables him. As Squid starts to fire a second time Jill crashes a chair over his head and sends him unconscious to the floor. The moonshiners are made prisoners and Jill nurses Bruce until he recovers sufficiently to accompany her to a real parson.

Dir: Edward LeSaint

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

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: Harley Knoles

Jim McDonald, the foreman of a shipbuilding plant and head of the labor union, strives to combat the anarchistic propaganda being put forth by Klimoff, the leader of a Bolshevik gang whose goal is to disrupt the country with strikes and anarchy. Despite McDonald's efforts, a strike is called, resulting in chaos. McDonald's child is knocked down by runaway horses abandoned by their striking driver, and dies. Mob scenes take place in America, as well as in Russia. Eventually, the unrest is quelled with an armistice called between Capital and Labor for a year, during which time wages are to be increased to reflect the cost of living, and leaders are to work out a common plan for their mutual advantage. The strikers now realize that they have been pawns of the Bolsheviks and call off the strike, agreeing to the plan.

Dir: Wilfred Lucas

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

Brian O'Farrell (Snowy Baker), is an English 'new chum' who takes a job at an Australian cattle station. He is teased by station hands because of his appearance (including spats and a monocle) but he soon impresses them with his skills at riding and boxing. The station manager, John MacDonald (Wilfred Lucas), takes O'Farrell to Sydney to meet his daughter Edith (Kathleen Key) who is working in the slums. Edith is kidnapped by criminals after witnessing a crime but O'Farrell rescues her. It is later revealed he is the owner of the station.

Dir: Fred J. Balshofer

"Broadway Bill" Clayton, a New York playboy and heavy drinker, takes a job at the Maine lumber camp of John Underwood hoping to reform himself and regain the affections of Muriel Latham. Foreman Buck Hardigan, who has been stealing and selling Underwood's maple syrup, suspects that Bill has been sent as a spy and decides to get rid of him. Bill survives several plots on his life and finally defeats Buck in a fight and is elected foreman. His struggle with alcohol is nearly won, but when he reads a newspaper item erroneously stating that Muriel is engaged to another, he decides to drink again. Muriel visits the camp with Underwood, and everything is cleared up after Bill rescues her brother Jack in a snow storm.

Dir: William Parke

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

Bruce Wendell, the son of West Virginia coal mine owner James Wendell, graduates from West Point and prepares to lead a fighting unit to the front during World War I. As his father lies dying, however, he convinces Bruce to remain at home and guard the mine. Bruce's fiancée Ann Blair assumes that he is a coward and breaks off their engagement, but her brother Bobbie remains Bruce's loyal friend. Meyer, a German agent, persuades railroad president Parrish to refuse to transport Wendell's coal, but when Bruce adamantly refuses to close the mine, the spy's men decide to blow it up. While Ann is being abducted by Meyer, Bobbie is buried in an explosion at the mine. Bruce rescues Bobbie and then sends a plea to Lieutenant Parrish to rescue Ann. Meyer and his gang are captured and Ann renews her vow of love to Bruce.

Dir: Fred J. Balshofer

Jerry Benham, the ten-year-old heir to a vast fortune, must remain on the Benham estate, where he has no contact with any female, until his twenty-first birthday, according to the will. Ten years later, while fishing, Jerry meets beautiful Una Habberton, who has wandered through a broken gate onto the estate. She returns many times to their "Paradise Garden," and an affection grows between them. However, when Jerry's kindly guardian, Roger Canby, finds them together, he sends Una away. Upon reaching twenty-one, Jerry, curious to see New York, goes there with another mentor, Jack Ballard, and is introduced to the business and society life. Despite Roger's warnings, Jerry becomes infatuated with Marcia Van Wyck, an idle-rich temptress who teaches him how to kiss, but thoughts of Una still linger. At a party, when Jerry catches Marcia kissing Ballard, he throws Ballard over a banister, thus disrupting the evening. Jerry repulses Marcia's advances, tears her dress down the back, and returns home. Roger arranges for Una to appear at the spot where they first met, and they are reconciled.

Dir: Bruno Ziener

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

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Fred J. Balshofer

Randall Ridgeway. a lumber king, learns that one of his contracting companies in northern Maine is carrying on crooked transactions. His son, Burt, overhears his father discussing the matter and asks if he might go and investigate. His father refuses, thinking his son too young and not strong enough physically to deal with the woodsmen. Mac Heberton, who controls the camp in Maine, hears of Ridgeway's suspicions. He compels his bookkeeper to arrange a double set of books, under penalty of exposing him for a murder he saw him commit. Burt Ridgeway falls in with a fast crowd and meets a professional dancer named Lotus de Valois. Under the spell of the girl, and the direction of her unscrupulous chaperon, Burt becomes involved financially. He goes to his father for more money. His father, fearful that his son is not improving his time, puts him to a test. He gives him $25,000 with the understanding that every time he adds another thousand to the amount he will present him with an additional $5,000. With more funds at his disposal Burt strikes a faster pace. Lotus sees a lavaliere, valued at $14,500, which she induces Burt to buy for her. The elder Ridgeway becomes discouraged when he does not see any business activity on the part of his son. Hoping to interest and assist him he takes a three days' option on some real estate where there is a chance to make a big coup. The boy confesses that he cannot cover the option, as he has but $5,000 left in the bank. That night Burt returns home intoxicated. He has words with his father, who has lost faith in him for the first time. In a rage his father orders him from home, telling him he is not "worth his salt." Burt leaves and makes straight for the lumber camp in Maine, where he hopes to rejuvenate himself. Arrived there, after many severe trials, he meets Patta Heberton, a pretty girl of the woods, and the ward of Mac Heberton. They become interested in each other, at their first meeting, and are engaged in pleasant conversation, when "Bully Bill," a camp foreman, observes them. "Bully Bill" is all his sobriquet implies, and he is madly in love with Patta. He challenges the stranger's right to talk to the girl, which results in a fight. The dissipated young man from the city is like a child in the woodman's hands, and h« is knocked cold with two sharp blows. Burt takes his beating with chagrin, but decides to remain, and obtains a position as checker. He plans to regain his strength and prowess if proper training will do it. He leaves off cigarettes and whiskey, and exercises in the open at every opportunity. On a holiday, soon afterward, when the woodsmen are gathered for a day of sports, Burt has another encounter with "Bully Bill." He dispatches the bully with ease. For this Burt wins the admiration of the crowd and the lasting friendship of "Bully Bill." The following day Burt is passing the office of Mac Heberton, when a draft of wind carries a check out of the window, and at his feet picking it up he finds it is from a rival concern. Burt hurries inside, and backing the spineless bookkeeper up in a corner, he threatens to kill him if he does not tell him the whole truth. For the first time in the camp he discloses his identity. The bookkeeper weakens and confesses that Heberton has been cheating his father out of thousands of dollars. Heberton comes in the door unseen, as the bookkeeper makes this statement, and with uplifted axe is about to strike Burt, when "Bully Bill" rushes in and stays his hand. In a subsequent investigation Burt finds a will left by Patta's grandfather, in which she is named sole beneficiary of his estate on her eighteenth birthday. Heberton has kept her in ignorance of this situation, and has taken over the estate himself. Burt's father is overjoyed beyond expression when his son comes back, a new man, with the story of the arrest of Heberton and a vivid description of the girl in the woods, who is to join him soon in New York, as his life's partner.

Dir: Fred J. Balshofer

Peggy Ainslee, the daughter of a wealthy broker, tires of the empty life of society, and determines on a mission of charity and uplift in the poor quarters of New York City. She confers with Charles Hathaway, a settlement worker, who conducts her on several tours among the needy. Peggy is engaged to marry Algie Sherwood, a social idler, and it is arranged to announce their engagement at a birthday party given in her honor. Isabelle Rawlston is also in love with Sherwood, and determines to break up his match with Peggy. On the night of the birthday party Isabelle intimates to Sherwood that Peggy's interest in Hathaway is one other than charity. He becomes jealous and tells Peggy she must give up her settlement work. She refuses and returns the engagement ring. Peggy receives from her father, for her birthday gift, stock in Consolidated Cotton, valued at $50,000. This she puts away, intending to use it in her charities. The next day her father tells her that he has just learned of the deplorable financial conditions among the owners of the cotton mills in the south, and that he has written to Colonel Robert Carter, one of the big cotton growers, and offered to aid him. Colonel Carter, who is proud and haughty, becomes indignant when he receives the letter from the Wall Street broker, and turns down his proffer of assistance. This puzzles Peggy, and she decides to go south and investigate conditions at first hand. Arriving in the south she obtains a position as a mill hand. Her beauty attracts the attention of the foreman in the Carter mill, and he tells Peggy she must remain after work, as he wishes to see her. He attempts to force his attentions upon her, and a struggle ensues. John Carter, son of the owner, enters at the critical moment and rescues Peggy. The foreman is discharged and the gallantry of young Carter makes an appeal to Peggy. The boll weevil is discovered in the cotton, and this, together with a shortage in the crop, threatens ruin for Colonel Carter. For the second time be refuses financial aid from Peggy's father, and the broker decides to crush him by cornering the cotton market. Peggy learns of her father's manipulations and hurries to New York. With her $50,000 worth of stock for a nucleus she begins a fight on the exchange, in which she is triumphant over her father. He is dumbfounded when he learns the identity of his antagonist. Peggy explains the hardships he would have worked among the mill hands had he been successful. She induces him to take a trip south with her, when they meet the Carters. The two men profit through the meeting, and come to a complete understanding on economic questions and conditions. Young Carter learns that Peggy was the one that "broke"' the corner and saved his family from ruin. The two decide to exchange cotton bolls for orange blossoms.