The Recommended Vault Parallel to the Artistry of Black Orchids: Cu...

Dir: Rex Ingram

Hector Brown, affectionately nicknamed "Humdrum" by the residents of Norwalk because his life is so monotonous, wants to marry Alicia Boothe. Humdrum's brother-in-law Ed Danforth spends all of his money on get-rich-quick schemes, however, so the young bank clerk is forced to support the entire Danforth family. After Danforth and bank president Carlos Tanner rob the bank in which Humdrum is employed, the bank is forced to close, and Humdrum goes to San Francisco to look for a job. In his absence, Alicia inherits a large sum of money and travels to the city to find her fiancé. There she meets Tanner, who takes her money, promising to invest it for her. Having been double-crossed by Tanner, Danforth tells Humdrum the truth about the bank robbery and goes to the police. Humdrum catches the steamer on which Tanner is about to depart, holds the crook until the police arrive, and returns to the Norwalk bank with the stolen funds. He and Alicia marry following his appointment as president of the bank.

Dir: Rex Ingram

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

An American diplomat in China is murdered, and a wealthy Chinese friend of the family raises his daughter Mignon. When she grows up, she wants to return to the U.S. and is tricked into accompanying slave trader Foo Shai to New York. Once there, however, Foo Shai keeps her captive and abuses her. Local artist Lawrence falls in love with her, but he cannot free her from Foo Shai's clutches. It is up to her friend Chang to try to help her.

Dir: Rex Ingram

Brothers Nat and Martin Berry have shared the farm at Shore Acres and attended to the lighthouse on the rocky coast for many years until banker Josiah Blake induces Martin to speculate in oil, lending him the money and taking a mortgage on the farm as security. When Martin loses his money, Blake suggests that he would overlook the debt in exchange for the hand of Martin's daughter Helen in marriage. However, Helen is in love with clerk Sam Warren, and with Nat's help, the couple escape Helen's arranged marriage. Boarding a vessel obtained for them by Nat, they sail out to sea when a storm hits. Martin, enraged by their betrayal, refuses to rekindle the lantern in the lighthouse, and the couple's boat crashes into a reef. The next morning Martin, filled with remorse, discovers the couple clinging to the wreckage, and the family is happily reunited.

Dir: Rex Ingram

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

Julian Randolph, a dishonest attorney whose specialty is furnishing phony jurors, is offered a judgeship if he clears Clifford Nordhoff, the brother of powerful politician "Boss" Nordhoff, of a murder charge. With the aid of his usual tools, Randolph succeeds and is given a position on the bench. Here he is expected to obey the commands of the men who secured his appointment, but Ranoldph falls in love with Laura Nelson, a girl of upstanding social position, and resolves to follow the straight path. He breaks off with Roxana Frisbee, an adventuress who had assisted him in his shady schemes, and refuses to hand down a decision in favor of the political machine. In the end, Randolph upholds justice, wins Laura as his wife, and has the gratification of seeing Roxana also go straight.

Dir: Rex Ingram

When a nobleman murders his best friend, a lawyer becomes a revolutionary with his heart set on vengeance.

Dir: Rex Ingram

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

At a meeting of the Hop Sing Tong, a Chinaman chooses the red bean and is destined to kill one of his countrymen. Later this Chinaman kills his condemned countryman, and the gang manage to throw the officers off the track of the murderer. However, the police suspect that it is the work of the Hop Sing Tong and are instructed by the chief to arrest Charley Sing, as one Chinaman is as good as another. Big Tom Hogan, the Tammany leader, is visited by Buck Mahoney, a gang leader, a friend of Charley Sing's, who has come to get Hogan to have the Chinaman released, for he knows he is innocent. Hogan forces the Governor to pardon Charley Sing. Samuel Savinsky, the keeper of a pawnshop, is thought much of by his wife and family, who never suspect his affair with Neva Sacon. He gives her money and jewels, and becomes jealous of Harvey Wilson, a reporter. Paul Rasnov, a sculptor and a dope fiend, pawns valuable trinkets at Savinsky's store to buy opium at the store of Ah Wong, the leader of the Three Brothers Tong. Tea Rose, Ah Wong's wife, consents to run away with Paul. Buck meets Harvey and says he will show him secrets of Chinatown if Harvey will expose the Boss in his paper. Buck guides Harvey into the building of the Hop Sing Tong. Harvey is enthusiastic over a silver flower, and Buck, seeing no one is looking, tells him to keep it. That evening Harvey gives Neva Sacon, the café dancer, the poppy, the Flower of Doom. The next day Harvey and Neva go to Chinatown and stop at Ah Wong's store to eat. The proprietor sees Neva and makes plans to kidnap her. While Harvey is in another room, a panel opens behind her and she is pulled through the opening. When the reporter returns a servant tells him that the lady has just left. He hurries to tell Buck about the strange disappearance. The Chinamen leave Neva in a small room. Left alone with a Chinaman at one time, the girl offers him a curious ring which Savinsky has given her, if he will deliver a message to Harvey at the newspaper office. The Chinaman is informed that the reporter is not in, and thus satisfied, the Chink goes to Savinsky's pawnshop to get rid of the ring. The pawnbroker recognizes the ring and forces the Chinaman to tell now he got it. With a policeman Savinsky starts for Ah Wong's, but when the officer threatens to break down a door, Savinsky is frightened, and hurriedly leaves the place. Buck appeals to Charley Sing to find Neva, and following Charley's suggestion, Tea Rose is kidnapped while a letter written in Chinese is sent to Ah Wong telling him of Tea Rose and offering her in exchange for Neva. Ah Wong consents, and that evening Neva is restored to her people and Tea Rose to her husband. Savinsky, seeing Neva again in the company of Harvey, realizes he has lost and goes to her to demand the jewels he has given her. Harvey returns with Neva, and when Savinsky begins to quarrel about his rights, the reporter throws him out. Harvey proposes to Neva who accepts his offer. Warned by a spying Chink that Tea Rose and Rasnov are going to run away that evening, Ah Wong plans to spoil their party. He hides in the place where the girl is expecting to meet Rasnov, and springing on her drags her into a room and strangles her. Rasnov waits for Tea Rose, and Ah Wong rushes in at him. They fight, and the Chinaman lifts Rasnov up to hurl him against the wall when his foot slips and his skull is crushed against the stone steps of the grating. Having lost Tea Rose, Rasnov consoles himself with opium.

Dir: Rex Ingram

An extended family split up in France and Germany find themselves on opposing sides of the battlefield during World War I.

Dir: Rex Ingram

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

Pastor Spener, a missionary in Wallos, learns that Captain Gregson has closed his café to prove his earnestness as a Christian. Spener's daughter, Matilda, is in love with a handsome young native chief. Her father favors a marriage with Gregson, who is really a villain. The girl and her lover attempt to journey to his home, but their plans fail, and separation seems inevitable. The captain is killed.

Dir: Rex Ingram

The captain of a sailing ship has an affair with the wife of one of his passengers, and gets mixed up in a mutiny at sea and a revolution.

Dir: Rex Ingram

Opera goers had never heard such a "Carmen" as Lorelei, the American girl, who had come to Mexico City, almost unheralded, and captivated the town. Francisco De Sarpina, governor of the province, coveted the girl, and with his power was able to sweep aside all opposition. Marion Leslie, an American sculptor, had rejoiced when he secured the commission to supply frescoes for one of the local cathedrals; he could be near Lorelei, his betrothed, during the grand opera season. Rance Clifford is the American consul and his sister, Isable, lives with him at the consulate. When Clifford files a telegram that promises to lead to an investigation of Sarpina's action the American is arrested and thrown into jail. Isable Clifford had at one time relieved the family of Pietro, the jailer. In their distress and thus gained the gratitude of Pietro and his wife. Isable hears of her brother's imprisonment and bribes Pietro to provide Clifford with means of escape. The Cliffords and Leslie are friendly and when Clifford escapes, he goes to the cathedral, to find shelter until he can plan the next move. Isable has consented to pose for a head of the Madonna and Lorelei is needlessly jealous. Lorelei arrives, demands admittance, and during the brief interval Leslie employs to hide Clifford, Lorelei's jealousy is set aflame. Sarpina discovers that his prisoner has escaped. He elicits from the jailer a confession that involves Isable. The cunning Mexican devises a scheme to play upon Lorelei's jealousy by forging a note to the opera singer that implicates Leslie and Isable. The forgery fires Lorelei's jealous passion, and she divulges Clifford's hiding place. Leading the Mexicans to Leslie's home she enters to find Clifford and his sister with Leslie. The situation is explained and Leslie directs Clifford and Isable to a nearby hiding place from whence they ultimately escape to safety. When the Mexicans enter Leslie's home, and find the singer and Leslie the only occupants, Sarpina demands that the whereabouts of his prisoner shall be disclosed. Sarpina's men seize Leslie and torture him when he will not betray the American refugees. Lorelei is a witness to the scene and when she can no longer bear seeing her betrothed punished, she tells where Clifford and Isable may be found. Leslie is ordered to jail, to be shot next morning. When Clifford and Isable cannot be found (because they have fled) Sarpina tells Lorelei that his vengeance will fall upon the head of her sweetheart. Surrendering herself to Sarpina is given as Lorelei's only method of saving Leslie's life. Lorelei dines with the Mexican brute and agrees to render the tribute demanded of her. First, however, Sarpina must deliver to her passports for two and instruct his executioner that only blanks shall be fired at Leslie in his pretended execution at sunrise. Five minutes alone with her betrothed is allowed Lorelei. Returning to Sarpina's apartments Lorelei, during a struggle with the Mexican, stabs him dead. Morning breaks, and Lorelei goes, passports in hand, to the place where her sweetheart lies prostrate upon the ground, cold in death. Shocked beyond human endurance, the singer falls upon the breast of her betrothed.