Top-Tier Alternatives Exploring the Legacy of Annie-for-Spite: Cult Guide

Dir: James Kirkwood

Montgomery Jackson, a man who possesses a deep fear of bloodshed, refuses to enlist in the American army during World War I, ignoring the appeals and insults of his friends and colleagues. Even when his fiancée, Bettie Adams, threatens to leave him, he refuses to fight, but after she volunteers to serve as a Red Cross nurse in France, he relents and joins the American forces. At the front, he proves his courage by fighting bravely and saving the lives of Bettie's father, Colonel Adams, and of the man to whom she had become engaged after accusing Montgomery of cowardice. Finally Montgomery is wounded, but through Bettie's care he recovers, and after his rival, realizing that Bettie still loves Montgomery, gives Bettie her freedom, she and Montgomery happily renew their engagement.

Dir: James Kirkwood

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

Though mistreated by her cruel stepmother and stepsisters, Cinderella is able to attend the royal ball through the help of a fairy godmother.

Dir: James Kirkwood

Fanchon, a wild young girl, resides in a forest with her unconventional grandmother accused of witchcraft by villagers.

Dir: James Kirkwood

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Fanchon, the Cricket perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

"Little Pal" is the daughter of a saloon keeper in a rough Alaskan gold rush town. During a game of dice, he loses his daughter to the brutal "Black Brand". A fight ensues and her father is killed, Little Pal flees and seeks refuge with John, an Easterner who has come to Alaska to mine. When he falls ill, the lovestruck Little Pal nurses him back to health with the help of her loyal friend, Cultus. Little Pal is heartbroken with the arrival of John's wife, and when she learns he will die if he remains in the harsh climate, Little Pal and Cultus steal gold dust from a rival claim in order to provide John with money. Meanwhile, Black Brand who is suspected of the crime is shot. As John and his wife leave Alaska, a despondent Little Pal finds comfort in Cultus' love.

Dir: James Kirkwood

Suffering from aphasia after being conked on the head, a man is coerced into robbing his fiancée's home.

Dir: James Kirkwood

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

Dulcie's once-aristocratic Southern family has fallen upon hard times, so her Aunt Netta decides to take her to California in search of a millionaire husband. While Dulcie pines for Harry, her sweetheart back home, Netta triumphantly arranges an engagement with a wealthy suitor. On her wedding day, preparing to sacrifice herself for her family, Dulcie discovers that her fiance's millions actually belong to other people when he is arrested at the altar on a bank robbing charge. Meanwhile, Harry, who has come West to get Dulcie back, arrives at the wedding just as the police interrupt it. He volunteers to take the arrested fiance's place, and Dulcie accepts his offer instantly.

Dir: James Kirkwood

When Josiah Whitcomb's son gets into trouble with bad companions in New York City, Josiah leaves the farm and goes into the city to find the boy. There he finds that his country ways are not at all respected in the sophisticated city.

Dir: James Kirkwood

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

Mary Pickford plays "Rags," a pretty but wild girl who defends her alcoholic father a disgraced bank cashier, no matter how he mistreats her.

Dir: James Kirkwood

A notorious gambler and card cheat, George Forrester, rules a little western town with an iron hand. The men of the town plot to catch him cheating and do, but his men save him from danger. In the same town lives Gerald Austen, or Aitkens, who had left his tyrannical father in the east and made good in the west. Later, Forrester and his men rob a payroll messenger for Austen's enterprise. Forrester is apprehended and is about to be hung when Austen saves his life. The man has just been scribbling a message to his daughter who lives in the east and who believes her father a prosperous mine operator. On being saved he tears the card in two and gives half to Austen, saying that if he ever needs a friend that will be his passport. Forrester then returns east, rejoins his daughter and assumes his real name of Marrable. Austen also goes east under his real name of Aitkens and the men later meet but do not recognize each other. Austen falls in love with Margaret Marrable. Marrable's happiness, however, is curtailed by the arrival of his former western associates who threaten to expose his identity if he does not aid them in robbing Austen's father of a shipment of English bonds. He is forced to consent. The gang rents offices opposite those of Austen and await the day of shipment, July 4. Fortune plays into their hands when the boy visits his father to obtain consent for marriage to Margaret. The father refuses and a stormy quarrel ensues, which employees overhear. The son leaves his walking stick. The conspirators enter the office. In order to quiet the elder Austen they hit him over the head with the stick. The blow kills him. The boy returns to make up, finds the door locked and leaves. The others then escape, taking the key with them. Later, the son overhears the gang dividing the spoils. He makes his presence known. They tell him that his death is inevitable. He asks Marrable to take a card out of his pocketbook. Marrable finds it. It is the fatal card. He now knows that Margaret's fiancé is the man who saved his life. In gratitude he takes upon himself responsibility for the crime and makes a supreme sacrifice, paving the way for the lovers' ultimate happiness.

Dir: James Kirkwood

A young girl who lives in the London slums is in love with a cunning thief and persuades him to give up his life of crime. Meanwhile, an eccentric millionaire who has been diagnosed with an incurable dementia becomes so despondent that he decides to commit suicide. He disguises himself as a vagrant and wanders into the slums. As he tries to find the courage to kill himself, the young girl encounters him and rationalizes him out of his cowardly act. Her genuine sweetness and strong faith affect him to such an extent, that he begins to believe recovery is possible. Now the girl's sweetheart has been falsely accused of murder, and only the millionaire's licentious nephew can give him an alibi. The girl pleads with the nephew to help prove her sweetheart's innocence. He refuses and tries to take advantage of her. The millionaire arrives in time and shames his nephew to testify correctly. The millionaire now pledges himself to a life of service and charity, and the girl and her sweetheart are happily reunited.