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

Dir: Howard M. Mitchell

One night at a party, when her drunken husband Tom makes a fool of himself, Bess Rutherford becomes so humiliated that she accepts long-time admirer Jim Carpenter's offer to leave Tom for him. Bess goes to New York with Jim, who persists in postponing their wedding date, forcing her to live as an illicit woman. Bess's son Jack suspects nothing of his mother's circumstances until his fiancée's mother, Mrs. Dexter, asks him to stop seeing her daughter Gladys. Finally learning of Bess's scandalous living conditions, Jack confronts Carpenter, who is secretly hoping to win Gladys, and in their confrontation, Carpenter is shot and killed. Bess, hysterical, drinks poison, but then realizes that the whole scene was a nightmare which ends happily when Tom promises to never drink again.

Dir: Howard M. Mitchell

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

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

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

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

After wealthy young socialite Myra Hastings ensnares her latest victim, Kent Whitney, the son of an "oil can millionaire," Bob Harkness, one of her rejected suitors, warns Kent of Myra's flirtatious and fickle nature. Together they concoct a scheme to teach her a lesson. Kent invites Myra home to meet his family, and she goes, expecting to find an atmosphere of elegance and refinement. Instead, she is greeted by Kent's eccentric father, who affronts her with crude jokes; Kent's mother is introduced reclining on a couch, surrounded by yapping dogs. Upon discovering that the evening was a ruse, Myra decides to retaliate. She hires a fake minister, pretends to marry Kent and then deserts him, leaving behind a message explaining that the ceremony was a farce. Kent pursues Myra and persuades her that a real marriage is in order.

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.

Dir: Howard M. Mitchell

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

Peter Brent discovers silver in the Cobalt mining district and sends for Jim Symonds, an acquaintance, to assist in developing the vein. Although the mine proves to be worthless, Symonds sells stock to exploit the local citizens. Brent is buried in a cave-in caused by one of Symond's crooked pals, but a neighbor and her father rescue Brent and he arrives in time to force Symonds to return the citizens' money.

Dir: Howard M. Mitchell

Hoping to reconcile her divorced parents, Norris Gradley remains with her father, Giles, after he marries another woman. The new Mrs. Gradley snubs and mistreats Norris, who earns money by disguising herself as a boy and playing the violin at dances. Claude Wolcott, employed by Giles to drill oil wells, falls in love with Norris. When Giles discovers Rodney Bates trying to rekindle his romance with Mrs. Gradley, Claude prevents his employer from committing murder. The enraged Mrs. Gradley rushes from the house and falls to her death into an abyss. Norris reunites her parents and marries Claude.

Dir: Howard M. Mitchell

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Little Wanderer 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

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

In Red Dog, Nevada, a lawless mining town, Ann Murdock attempts to oust the reigning politicians, all of them corrupt, by persuading women to run for office. Because the women cannot vote, they convince their husbands to vote for them, and as a result all of the elective offices in Red Dog come to be held by women. The men, meanwhile, remain at home to care for the houses and babies. Disgruntled by his loss of power, the former town boss has the new town officials locked in jail. Tenderfoot Leonard Blair tries to assist them but is arrested on a trumped-up robbery charge. Ann finally rescues Leonard, with whom she has fallen in love, and the women are released from jail to continue their petticoat politics.