Must-Watch List in the Vein of Ben Blair: Cult Guide

Dir: William Desmond Taylor

Edna Coleman's mother has wanted her two daughters to marry rich men, especially now that the money left to her by her dead husband is dwindling. Edna, however, is adamant about marrying for love and not money, and deliberately "disfigures" herself to thwart her mother's plans. Her sister Dorothy, however, has set her sights on a wealthy poet, Marcus Auriel, and married him. Unfortunately, Edna has been in love with Marcus for many years, and manages to get a job as his secretary in order to be near him and expose her mother's and sister's plans to get his money. Complications ensue.

Dir: William Desmond Taylor

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

The adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer.

Dir: William Desmond Taylor

The infant daughter of a wealthy couple is thought to be lost at sea, but she survives and is raised by a poor family.

Dir: William Desmond Taylor

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

Bashful stenographer Bunker Bean ( Jack Pickford ), works for wealthy businessman Jim Breede by day and by night theosophist Prof. Balthasar, who convinces Bean that he is the reincarnation of Napoleon and, more remotely, of the great Egyptian king Ramses. His courage much bolstered by this revelation, Bean begins to deport himself with unaccustomed dignity and becomes a regular visitor to old Breede's estate, where he successfully courts the boss's daughter ( Louise Huff ), "The Flapper." With his $10,000 inheritance, Bean invests in a financial venture that nets him millions and purchases the alleged mummy of Ramses from the professor. After his marriage to The Flapper, Bean learns that the professor is a charlatan, and realizes that it is the belief in one's own strength of character that leads to success.

Dir: William Desmond Taylor

The story of the famous Tennessee frontiersman, soldier, scout, and Congressman who fought and died at the Alamo.

Dir: William Desmond Taylor

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of His Majesty, Bunker Bean perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Constance, the beautiful wife of Mark Barr, is in fear of her husband's jealousy. Among the guests at their reception are Myrtle Gale and her fiancé, Billy Craig, to whom Constance was at one time engaged. Mark misinterprets a friendly chat between the two and forbids Billy to visit his house. Myrtle goes to the city, and is to return on an early evening train, on which Constance also expects her husband. Both are delayed and Constance persuades Billy, who has come to meet Myrtle, to take her for a ride in his new car. They lose their way and are out nearly all night. Constance is beset with fear at her husband's anger. Billy takes Constance to an inn for a bite to eat and they discover it is a notorious roadhouse. On their way out of the grounds, lightning strikes a tree which falls in the road as another automobile, driven by Fletcher, cashier of the bank, approaches. Monck, watchman at the bank, learning that Fletcher has gone out, breaks open the safe and takes a large sum of money. As an alibi he takes a watch charm which belongs to Fletcher, to the police, and tells them Fletcher overpowered him and robbed the bank. Fletcher is placed in jail and sends for Billy. Mrs. Fletcher also seeks his aid. Constance goes to Billy's office and hides behind a screen as her husband enters. She sneezes but Billy will not allow Mark to look behind the screen. Constance pictures the difference in size between the watchman and the cashier. Billy places his stenographer behind the screen, sends for Monck and secures his confession. Mark comes in and finds the stenographer behind the screen and Constance's happiness is assured. Fletcher is released and Mrs. Fletcher is made happy, while Billy goes to his sweetheart who is doubly happy in the knowledge that Billy has caused justice to be done.

Dir: William Desmond Taylor

John Humperdink Stover, otherwise known as "The Varmint" for his pestiferousness or as "Dink" when in special favor, was expelled from a boarding school and sent to Lawrenceville Academy. On the stage on the way to the school he meets a silent man whom Dink sizes up for a salesman and he proceeds to wax eloquent on the subject of his past career and the reason he was expelled from his previous school. The "salesman" is actually the professor of Latin known to the boys as the "Roman." Dink boasts that in a week he will have the boys at the school in his power. A strange uneasiness grips him when he sees that he does not make just the impression he expected. Little by little he succeeds in making himself the most thoroughly disliked and abhorred person on the campus. Dink rises a point in his schoolmates' estimation when he discovers on reporting to the Latin class that the instructor is no other than the traveling man of the stage on the day of his arrival, and in order to make good some of the many boasts he made on that day fakes the translation. The Roman, possessed of a good sense of humor, compliments "Dink" on his performance, much to everyone's surprise. The first girl to attract Dink Stover is the pretty daughter of the Roman, considerably older than he is. After a short and one-sided flirtation, Miss McCarty becomes engaged to another man and Dink is desperate until some new neckwear arrives at the local haberdasher's and diverts his mind from his agony. As a result of his neglect of study, Dink finds himself about to be dropped in school for falling off in his studies. He is to have a private examination at the Roman's house. Stover decides to cheat, and arranges with the Tennessee Shad and MacNooder to overturn a large water cooler outside the Roman's door and other devices to get him out of the way. To his utter dismay, the Roman goes out of the room and stays, thus putting him on his honor. Dink signs his name at the head of the blank paper and is dumbfounded when, upon the Roman's return, he seems to scan the blank sheets closely and says : "I think this will about pass you, Stover." The two discover that they had been friends from the first and Dink really comes into his own when the Roman explains that as he is now an upperclassman, he must set a good example for the younger boys.

Dir: William Desmond Taylor

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

Tom, the rambunctious member of the Sawyer clan, takes it upon himself to teach the goody-goody boy of Hannibal, Missouri a lesson and, as Huckleberry Finn, his free-spirited best friend watches, pummels his foe to defeat. At school clever Tom makes mischief a regular practice, but as long as the punishment lands him next to his beloved Becky Thatcher, he remains carefree. After he is unfairly accused of his brother Sid's misdeed, Tom runs away with Huck and Joe Harper. Disguised as pirates, the trio builds a raft and sails down the Mississippi to a deserted island. Back at home, Tom's frantic Aunt Polly calls for a search, and cannons are fired into the river. When the search yields nothing, the boys are declared dead and a funeral is planned. At first tempted to reveal himself, Tom decides later to partake in his own memorial service, and as the townspeople mourn, he and his friends appear in the back of the church. Overcome with relief, Becky and Aunt Polly embrace Tom, forgetting to scold him for his mischief.

Dir: William Desmond Taylor

Mining magnate Roland Holt sends his worthless son Clyde to reform under the watchful eye of mining superintendent Bob Fulton. Instead of renouncing his irresponsible ways, however, Clyde attempts to rob the company safe. In order to prevent the robbery, Bob is forced to shoot Clyde, who loses his wedding ring while making his escape. Soon after, Clyde's new bride Beth arrives, and learning that her husband has mysteriously disappeared, devotes her time to nursing Bob back to health. Beth falls in love with her patient until her discovery of Clyde's ring leads her to believe that the man she loves is probably her husband's murderer. The truth is revealed, however, when Clyde returns to be killed by the sheriff's bullet, leaving the lovers free to begin a new life together.

Dir: William Desmond Taylor

Gordon, a young war correspondent, after being wounded in the jungles of Africa, is picked up and taken back to England by James Egerton, a wealthy rubber magnate, who has been investigating conditions on his plantation, where there has been a great shortage in the year's yield. On the voyage homeward the correspondent and Egerton's daughter Alice fall in love. In England Gordon, finds in Lord Arbuthton a formidable rival for the hand of the girl he loves. At this time an exploring expedition leaves England to find the Lost River, a stream supposed to exist in the interior of Africa. Gordon views with concern his titled rival's attention to Alice, and at the first opportunity asks her father's consent to their marriage. Egerton answers that he will never allow his daughter to marry a penniless man, but offers his daughter's hand and an interest in the business if he will go to Africa and successfully solve the mystery of the rubber shortage. Gordon leaves, and the farewell between himself and Alice is a promise that, come what may, she will wait for him, and this promise she seals by taking off a locket and chain, which she gives him as a pledge of her love. He arrives in Africa, and after a series of thrilling adventures discovers that the overseer of the plantation has been selling rubber to coast traders and covering his dishonesty by manufacturing false statements about raids by outlaw bands. A fight follows in which the overseer is killed and the plantation settlement destroyed by fire. Gordon is wounded and barely escapes from a burning hut alive. Outside he discovers a weather-stained map upon the body of a dead native showing that the Lost River has been discovered, but not by the exploring party. Gordon struggles through the jungle, is found unconscious by the returning explorers, who have given up the search. When they see the map they hail him as Tracy, the discoverer of the Lost River. Here he learns that his rival has circulated reports that he died in the jungle and that Alice is to become the nobleman's bride. Gordon returns to London in disguise and is applauded by the public as a great explorer, and is about to give up Alice forever when Fate steps in. Lord Arbuthton is killed in an accident. The returned lover hurries to the girl, divulges his identity and reminds her of her pledge. Egerton, true to his promise, makes Gordon a member of the firm, and shortly afterward the bells are ringing for the young people's wedding.