Essential Cult Cinema Drawn from the Same DNA as Betrayed: Cult Guide

Dir: Howard M. Mitchell

A doctor's typist Shirley Brown lives vicariously through the romance novels written by Philip Smith. When the author comes to live at her boardinghouse, her admiration is fostered by sympathy upon realizing that her idol is losing his eyesight and that it can only be saved by a specialist in Italy. Sacrificing herself to help Philip, Molly makes him believe that she is an old maid who has been waiting forty years to find a husband, and she induces him to marry her in return for $5,000, half the legacy she is to receive on her wedding day. Philip consents, travels to Italy and regains his sight after which he becomes interested in Marion Sutherland. Upon returning, he neglects Shirley, who decides to kindle her husband's interest by disguising herself as an Alsatian maid in his employ. After several adventures, Philip realizes that he is in love with his maid, who then reveals herself to be his wife.

Dir: Howard M. Mitchell

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

In an old Scottish village near Edinburgh, the schoolteacher, Adam Harden, is a lovable character, a faith healer who keeps people happy and well. His shepherd son David is in love with Peggy Laughlin, the niece of the town's man of wealth, Sir Kent MacGregor, who wishes her to marry a member of the nobility. Schemers George Kyle, an unsuccessful doctor, and his housekeeper, Meg Harper, try to bring about this marriage to benefit themselves by pretending that Kyle is the missing nephew of the deceased Lady Murrell. Peggy is in love with David, however, and falls ill as she is about to marry Kyle. Doctors cannot seem to restore her to health. Relenting, MacGregor has the faith healer Adam and his son David released from jail where he had them placed, and Adam cures Peggy. The schemers, Kyle and Meg, are found out and arrested, and MacGregor is now only too glad to give Peggy in marriage to David.

Dir: Howard M. Mitchell

Upon her stepfather's death, the custody of Jane Day is willed to his wealthy young nephew, Jim Atherton. When Jim, accompanied by his fiancée, visits his ward, Jane becomes so upset at their intrusion that she runs away to the city with her dog, Buddie. There she is befriended by theatrical producer Allen Hamilton who, upon discovering Jane's natural musical ability, offers to send her to Paris to study. In Paris, Jane again meets Jim and the two fall in love. Meanwhile, Hamilton discovers his love for the waif, and Jane, feeling gratitude towards her mentor, is torn between the two men until Hamilton, realizing that Jane's heart belongs to Jim, withdraws his suit.

Dir: Howard M. Mitchell

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

Beebe, a Belgian peasant girl of rare beauty, sells flowers in the marketplace where she meets unscrupulous artist Victor Fleming. Fleming eventually succeeds in making the innocent girl love him, much to the sorrow of Jeanot, a farm boy who loves the girl. Fleming has a sweetheart, however, Lady Magda, who begs Beebe not to take Fleming from her. The artist rejects Lady Magda but leaves Beebe behind when he returns to Paris. Beebe pines for her artist lover, and later, hearing that Fleming is ill, she goes to him. Arriving at his studio in the middle of a wild orgy, Beebe's illusions are shattered. She returns home to her village and accepts the simple love of Jeanot.

Dir: Howard M. Mitchell

Forced to theft when in dire straits, family man John Howard is arrested for stealing food from a grocery store and is put in jail. The shock kills his wife, and his children are sent to an orphanage. Ella is adopted by a wealthy widow, and May finds a place on the farm of George Stuart, where she attracts the attentions of farmhand Billy Bender. Clifford Hamilton, manager of Stuart's grocery stores, calls at the farm with some papers and comes to know May and later her sister, who has been named heir to the widow. After firing the manager for dishonesty, Stuart finds that Hamilton is responsible for May's father's being jailed, and he reunites Howard with his children.

Dir: Howard M. Mitchell

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

Prominent French diplomat Emile Coullard is preparing an important international trade agreement. When Belloc appears at Coullard's country home to help prepare the document, it becomes evident that Belloc had met Marguerite, Coullard's charming wife, before. It later develops that Belloc had deceived and taken advantage of Marguerite when she was an innocent girl just out of a convent. Fernand, the illegitimate product of the union, had been raised by her friend, attorney De Brionne who, on his deathbed, declares that henceforth Marguerite should care for her grown child, now a notorious drinker. Marguerite arranges for Coullard to take Fernand as his secretary. Meanwhile, Belloc attempts to obtain the secret agreement in order to sell the information to a stock brokerage that could then make a killing on the market. Belloc forces Marguerite to open the safe by threatening to expose her past. A fight ensues with Fernand, and in attempting to escape, Belloc falls from a window to his death. Coullard eventually discovers everything, but forgives Marguerite of her past mistakes.

Dir: Howard M. Mitchell

A victim of hypnotism begins to have compulsions to steal.

Dir: Howard M. Mitchell

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

Carteret, an artist, adopts Célestine, a French orphan who makes evasive replies to inquiries about a certain young "man," her close acquaintance. A detective watches the movements of Célestine and the mysterious stranger, whom he believes to be implicated in a murder case. The artist, realizing he is in love with his adopted daughter, is about to propose to her when she "elopes" with the stranger, who is actually the girl he had adopted and who has married an army officer, Célestine acting as her proxy. Delighted with the turn of events, Carteret decides to marry Célestine at once.

Dir: Howard M. Mitchell

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Howard M. Mitchell

Larry Hart criticizes his father, a newspaper publisher, for exploiting the plight of the poor to sensationalize the news, and to prove his point, Larry decides to reform an unfortunate slum dweller. While in the slums, Larry meets Jenny Carson, a waif dressed in boys' clothing, and finds her a job as a waitress. Larry falls in love with Jenny, but when his father meets her, he recognizes the waif as the daughter of his crooked ex-partner, Joe Farley, and forbids their marriage. Joe then appears and confronts his former partner with the proof that Hart and not Joe was the real swindler. After a series of misadventures, Hart admits his guilt, Larry and Jenny are married and Larry is able to implement his ideals when he takes control of his father's paper.