Top-Tier Alternatives Exploring the Legacy of Beauty and the Bad Man: Cult Guide

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A young man trades places with a lookalike boxer and learns to fight for what he wants.

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

The Japanese Prince Maiyo is in London to avenge the death of his father who years earlier committed hara-kiri because he had been financially ruined by an English swindler. The Prince warns his friend, the Duke of Devenham, that the Count de la Mar is attempting to seduce the Duke's bored American wife, and then is told by his servant Soto that the Count is the man who killed his father. During a foggy night, the Count, planning to elope with the Duchess, is killed in a taxi with the sword that the Prince's father used to kill himself. Although the American sister of the Duke, Penelope Morse, who loves the Prince, pleads with him to leave before being arrested, he will not perform such a cowardly act. After Soto confesses murdering the Count because he wronged his daughter years ago, the Prince is freed, but because of the racial barrier, he bids a sad farewell to Penelope and leaves.

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Only a seven-passenger motor and $100, to be spent exclusively for gasoline or repairs, was Arnold Baird's share of his father's property. Light-hearted by nature, Baird made the most of his legacy and started a "jitney bus" line. When James Bennett, general manager of the Consolidated Traction Co., learned Baird had been practically cut off in his father's will, he informed Baird that his daughter would never marry a pauper and to go out and make his fortune. Bennett's decision suited Mrs. Bennett, who was eager to shine in society and planned to gain her ends by marrying Ruth to Wm. Mott-Smith, who controlled the traction company. When Ruth got the chance to tell Mr. Mott-Smith what she thought of him, she left no room for doubt. Ruth met Baird secretly and she was first to know of Baird's jitney-bus plans. Israel Helmstone, leader of organized labor, decided that the employees of the Consolidated Traction Co. deserved an increase in pay. Bennett refused Helmstone's demands and the labor leader called Baird into consultation. Helmstone's daughter, Wanda, employed as stenographer by Mr. Mott-Smith, furnished inside information that showed the weakness of Bennett's defense. The car strike was called and traffic paralyzed. The next morning the "Social Rapid Transit Company" sprang into operation. Mott-Smith, Bennett and their associates were filled with consternation. Baird's pals in society entered their cars for public patronage and "jitney bused" the traction company to its knees. When strike-breakers were called in there was nobody to ride, for the public preferred the limousines. When Bennett cried for mercy, Baird was the intermediary. Fate decreed that Baird should be the one to rush to Mott-Smith's office to rescue Wanda Helmstone from the clutches of the drunken society leper. Settling with Bennett was no hard matter for Baird. His terms were $10,000 a year for becoming assistant general manager and six months' vacation to enjoy a honeymoon on which Ruth was to be the bride.

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

A wild man and genius becomes a master painter's disciple, but loses his divine gift when he finds love.

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When Gregory Van Houten went to the country to recuperate, he intended to remain only a few weeks and then return to plunge into the swirl of city gaieties. But when Van Houten returned he brought with him a country-girl wife and set upon himself the seal of new duties and obligations. Jean Haskins was the daughter of Farmer Haskins, who owned the place where Van Houten boarded. She was a simple child of nature, trustful and devoted to the new ideals of happiness that Van Houten brought into her young life. Farmer Haskins warned the young folks that they were storing trouble for themselves in marrying; he told them that their lives had been so different that they would eventually find that they could not continue happily. Nevertheless, they married and returned to town happy. At the first social function they attended, Gregory realized that his wife wasn't prepared for the butterfly life. One of Gregory's club friends, James Hanley, saw in the young bride a conquest. His attentions to Jean soon centered Gregory's suspicions upon them; meanwhile, Gregory turned to a woman in his own set for companionship. Upon an incident that looked worse than it really was, Gregory based cause for a divorce and won his case. Then he married the other woman, a society butterfly. The shock completely changed Jean's good, wholesome nature; she turned into a viper bent upon revenging herself upon the man who had violated his obligation and made a mockery of her love. Hanley gained his point, but in possessing himself of Jean gained more of companionship than her love as recompense. Years later Gregory and Jeanmet again and her beauty fired his heart with desire. Jean connived to reap her vengeance. When Hanley was called away Jean refused to accompany him, setting up as an excuse that a few months' separation would lead them to a better understanding of their position. Gregory takes advantage of a free field and Jean coyly leads him on. Gregory neglected the wife he married when he divorced Jean and turned all his attentions to Jean. Suddenly Hanley appeared upon the scene, and Jean made a way to a greater revenge than she had planned. The men engaged in a personal encounter and when Hanley seemed to be getting the better of the fight, Jean fired a revolver at the struggling forms and killed Hanley. The sudden outcome of the combat benumbed Gregory's senses. Jean placed the revolver in his hand just as the police entered and they found Gregory bending over the prostrate form of his rival. In the trial that ensued Jean swore that Gregory fired the shot, and her vengeance is almost completed by the verdict of the jury that Gregory was guilty of deliberate murder. But when the court guard goes to bring the prisoner to hear his doom, they find him dead upon the cot of his cell and Jean is left to contemplate the sad ending of her youthful romance.

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

The renown Hindu scientist, Dr. Chindi Ashutor, who has conquered plague in India, visits Scotland and falls in love with Kate Erskine, whose sister Mary is engaged to Ashutor's college friend, James Bassett. Although Kate loves Ashutor, she says marriage would make them social outcasts. Several months later, Bassett comes to Ashutor in India for help in eluding members of the Black Hand. Bassett became involved with them out of curiosity, and now they demand that he commit a murder. On a boat bound for Italy, Ashutor gives Bassett an injection to make him appear dead. In view of the Black Hand agents, François and Countess Petite Florence, a dummy is then buried at sea. In Scotland, after the agents overhear Ashutor tell the Erskines that Bassett is all right, Ashutor bribes François, who is then murdered by the countess. For his silence, Ashutor demands that Bassett be left alone. He then bids another farewell to Kate saying he will always love her.

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Jeffrey Wall, the dissipated grandson of a wealthy man, requests that a farewell party be given in his honor before he is disinherited. During the wild banquet, a Mexican dancer assaults Mary Drew and then shoots a man, but suspicion is cast on Jeffrey. At the death of her father, Mary is called home to her little village on the Mexican border but is followed by the lecherous dancer, who soon becomes the head of a gang of bandits. Jeffrey traces him and learns that the outlaws have taken control of a small rancho, shot its owner and kidnapped Mary. Jeffrey visits the rancho disguised as a ghost, and as the outlaws are fleeing in terror, the sheriff and his men arrive and arrest them all. Wall, Sr., pleased with the improvements in his son's character, comes West to bless the marriage of Jeffrey and Mary.

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A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Devil's Pay Day perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Howard Dana and his partner in adventures, Olga Veloski, discover that Sam Brockton, millionaire from the west, has arrived in town and they arrange to fleece him. They plan an old confidence game and locate the scene in one of the residences of wealth, knowing that the occupants of "Millionaire's Row" are spending the summer at various resorts. Agnes Darling and her father come to town for a day or two from their summer home in the mountains. Mr. Darling's automobile breaks down and as Brockton passes, he offers his services to help make repairs. In this way he discovers that Agnes is a charming girl and falls in love. The incident has been observed by Olga and her accomplice and when the repaired automobile drives away, Olga attracts Brockton's attention. She tells him that if he will come to her home the next day she will introduce him to Agnes, who is supposed to call at Olga's residence. Olga and her accomplice manage to avoid the caretaker in the house they have selected for their work. At the appointed time Brockton arrives and through an old confidence game he is robbed. The scene of the robbery happens to be the town residence of the Darlings. Just as the trick is being turned, Mr. Darling and Agnes arrive at their home. Upon entering the house, the Darlings are amazed to find that the house has been entered. They come upon Brockton, who is so frank and interesting in his explanation that he ingratiates himself with Agnes and her father, and they invite him to their country home. The two sharpers escape and join another member of the confidence gang, a crook known as "Dippy" Lewis. When Olga observes a striking resemblance between "Dippy" and Brockton, she decides to use the crook to an advantage. Olga overheard the invitation Brockton had received from the Darlings and dresses "Dippy" to resemble him. She sends him to the mountains and he is received by the Darlings. "Dippy's" criminal instincts lead him to commit several robberies among the hotel guests, and when Brockton arrives he finds himself under suspicion. He is puzzled at Miss Darling's conduct toward him. Olga has directed members of her gang to chloroform Brockton and dispose of him in a cellar, that he may not by any mischance reach the mountains before "Dippy" Lewis arrives there. The striking resemblance between the two mislead the toughs and they chloroform "Dippy" and confine him in a cellar. Agnes is perplexed at the strange transition in Brockton's manner, for he really is of a gentlemanly type in strong contrast to "Dippy," whom the girl had previously mistaken for him. The Darling family decide to return to the city and invite Brockton to call upon them there. Olga hears of this and plans to have "Dippy" again impersonate Brockton. When Olga attempts to locate "Dippy," she discovers that he is a prisoner. Before she can have him released, Brockton makes his visit to the Darlings, a fact of which Olga is not aware. Thus it is that she goes on with her plans, sends "Dippy" to call at the Darling home and there the two men meet and settle matters.

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Toyama's wife Sada secretly earns money as a Geisha girl to finance his studies in America, but she says that the money comes from her deceased grandfather. In America, Toyama becomes an assistant to Dr. Stone, studying cures for inherited vices. When Toyama learns that Sada has been sentenced to death for murdering a prominent banker who attacked her, Toyama disappears and gives in to his hereditary tendency to drink until Dr. Stone cures him. Unknown to Toyama, Sada's sentence is commuted to life imprisonment when she gives birth to their daughter. Meanwhile, Toyama marries Stone's half-Japanese daughter Emily to fulfill Stone's dying request. In Japan, after Toyama lectures women prisoners and recognizes Sada, he discovers that the child he and Emily adopted is really his own daughter. When Sada escapes and finds Toyama, he decides to commit harakiri, but as the prison guards approach, Sada drowns herself to save him.

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In childhood Cecile and Felix were playmates. Felix was gifted as a violinist and Cecile was fond of dancing. When Cecile's mother died her rich uncle, a domineering Frenchman, adopted her. Felix wandered the country over as a vagrant musician, until after ten years he secures employment as violinist in the orchestra at the opera house in the city where Cecile dwells. Wandering one evening Felix leans over a garden wall to behold a young girl dancing on the green. Having his violin under his arm Felix begins playing a measure, attracts the girl's attention and in the end they recognize each other as childhood sweethearts. The crabbed old uncle comes in search of the girl, and upon discovering the unconventional conduct of the young folks, strikes the girl with his cane and orders Felix from his grounds. Cecile rebels and leaves the grounds with Felix to begin living with him without the formality of marriage. There are weeks of happiness for Felix and Cecile, until the uncle demands of the police that they arrest Felix for unlawful practices and restore the girl to her guardian. At the opera house Cecile has met the director of the orchestra, who compliments her upon her dancing and flatters her vanity by declaring she should go to Paris as a premier dancer in the opera. When Felix is thrown into jail the uncle takes Cecile home with him. The girl takes advantage of an opportunity, and goes to Lecoq, the orchestra director, and begs him to take her to Paris. Lecoq has that day had an offer to become director at the Paris Grand Opera, and the girl conceives the idea of helping Felix from his predicament by effacing herself from the situation. To Paris she goes with Lecoq and the officials liberate Felix. With heavy heart the musician buries his grief in composing an opera. When the score is completed he sends his manager to Paris with the work. Lecoq is interviewed and discredits the value of the composition, but says he will present it to the management. Months pass and Felix hears nothing from his opera. He goes to Paris for the purpose of investigating. That day Felix arrives at the Paris Opera House. Lecoq is hailed as the author of a new opera. The premier of the ballot is advertised as Mlle. Genze. Felix goes that evening to the opera, discovers that Lecoq has stolen his composition, and also sees in Mlle. Genze the Cecile who deserted him and thereafter left him uninformed. Forcing his way to Mlle. Genze's dressing room, he finds her prostrated from an injury to her ankle that will keep her forever from dancing. Denouncing the girl Felix forces Lecoq to publicity admit his plagiarism. He then retires to seclusion crowned with the laurels of genius. Cecile languishes with a broken heart. Her physician learns her story, prevails upon her uncle to take her once more into his home, and when the girl still shows no sign of recovery, the uncle goes to Felix and tells him that Cecile lingers at death's door because of a broken heart. Felix forgets everything but his love for Cecile, goes to her and there is a blissful reunion.