Cinematic Discoveries Resonating with the Themes of Better Times: Cult Guide

Dir: King Vidor

Three elderly bachelors adopt a girl who's the daughter of the woman they were in love with in their youth.

Dir: King Vidor

Sculptor Leonard Hunt is urged by his wife Vivian to compete for a million dollar prize competition for a Victory Memorial commemorating the First World War. Sylvia Morton models for Hunt, and they become romantically involved. In an attempt to save her marriage, Vivian persuades him to close the studio and go on a second honeymoon. But Hunt is unable to forget Sylvia, so he leaves Vivian. Vivian threatens to kill Sylvia unless she promises to give up Hunt. Months later, Hunt returns, remorseful and begging forgiveness, saying that Sylvia has married someone else.

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

Dir: King Vidor

Gritzko (John Gilbert) is a Russian nobleman, and Tamara (Aileen Pringle) is the object of his desire. After a series of misunderstandings and much drama, they fall in love.

Dir: King Vidor

Beverly Tucker, the daughter of an impoverished aristocratic Southern family, has scraped together her last pennies to put her brother Dal through college in the hope that he will support the family after graduation. However, Dal harbors no such ambition and instead spends his time gambling and drinking in a saloon owned by the town's mayor, Curran. During a raid led by Curran's crusading son Merle, a detective is killed and Dal is accused of the crime. When his case seems hopeless, one of the witnesses finally comes forth to testify that the saloon manager committed the killing and Dal is cleared. After this harrowing experience, Dal reforms and Beverly and Merle marry.

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

Dir: King Vidor

The adventures of a young shopgirl who learns that having money is not the key to happiness.

Dir: King Vidor

Wealthy, spoiled society girl Judith Stafford accepts a marriage proposal from rich European Count Henri and adopts his arrogance and contempt for American "barbarians". This angers her father Tobias, who arranges for Judith and a cowboy friend of his, Larry Saunders, to be marooned on a South Sea island to teach her a lesson and break her spirit. At first the "test" has no effect on her, but she soon begins to warm to Larry--until her snobbish fiance' shows up.

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

Dir: King Vidor

The sky pilot is a preacher who helps Gwen walk again after a near-fatal accident.

Dir: King Vidor

John and Tilly's happy marriage is ruined when Tilly's father finds out about the scandalous past of John's mother. John, unaware of his father-in-law's meddling, thinks Tilly has left him, and he leaves town. Her father leads Tilly to believe that John has died in an accident, and he pushes her to marry someone else.

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

Dir: King Vidor

Millie Stope lives with her grandfather on a remote island. Her grandfather fled there for political reasons. But they're not alone. An escaped prisoner, Nicholas, is terrorizing them, and further more, he's interested in Mllie. John Woolfolk has lost his wife in an accident and tries to forget by sailing in his yacht aimlessly on the ocean. By chance he drops anchor in a bay of that island. He soon finds out that something is wrong on that island, and furthermore, he falls in love with Millie, who sees in him a chance to get off that island. But Nicholas has threatened her with rape and murder if she tries to escape, and he has found out about her plans...

Dir: King Vidor

A young American soldier witnesses the horrors of the Great War.