Editor's Top Picks Following the Footsteps of Brother Alfred: Cult ...

Dir: Robert Thornby

Mary Willard takes over her father's railroad after his death. Her major competitor is a ruthless crook named Harvey Judson. She arranges for Judson to be kidnapped and taken to an isolated spot deep in the forest and turned loose to fend for himself. She accompanies the kidnappers to the wild and Judson, not knowing who she is, begins to fall in love with her. Complications ensue.

Dir: Frank Moser

The simple story is about two siblings, little brother Bud and big sister Susie. After they've been reading "Huckleberry Finn" they dream of adventures on the Mississippi River.

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

Dir: Henry Edwards

A boarding house skivvy helps a poor playwright, becomes an actress and saves him from an insane convict.

Dir: Maurice Campbell

Carver Endicott, a young sophisticate, is rejected by his fiancée for being too foppish and dull. When she feigns an interest in his father, Carver attempts to disgrace his family name by working as a farmhand and later as a busboy in a hotel. However, the newspapers only praise him for his self-sacrificing principles; and finding that he cannot bring shame to the family through menial labor, he takes up with a notorious actress. But when this maneuver also fails, he returns to his former fiancée, who has no further complaint about his being an inexperienced dullard.

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

Dir: Vernon Stallings

Krazy Kat is held in jail and Ignatz finally bails him out after encountering "guilt".

Dir: Reggie Morris

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

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

Dir: Unknown Director

The Judge needs a present for his wife's birthday, so Harry suggests a new corset. They go to the shop, but he's so embarrassed to ask the saleslady he hides in a phone booth.Harry goes in, but finds a GUY wearing one, and runs out.They both dress as women to get back in, but Mrs. Rummy gets there and chases him out.

Dir: Henry Edwards

In the East London tenements lives one Alexandra Vickers, better known as "Viccy." She is rough-tongued, quick-tempered, and generous as far as her slender means allow. Her parents died when the girl was very young and left her to shift for herself. Later she takes up her abode with Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Smith and their nephew, Albert Grummett. In the month of August the family decides to go to the hop fields and earn their living picking the sticky vegetable from which is made the national beverage, beer. About this time in America a wealthy contractor dies and leaves his immense fortune to Victoria Alexandra Vickers, the only daughter of his brother. A search is made for the girl and she is finally located in the hop fields. She is placed under the care of a Mrs. Carrington, to become polished. After "Viccy" leaves, Grummett, with five hundred pounds given him by the girl, sets himself up in business and is soon prosperous. Mrs. Carrington's son asks "Viccy" to marry him, as he needs money to pay his debts, and the girl accepts him. She later sees Grummett, however, and after discovering that Carrington wants only her money she goes back to Grummett, and East returns to East.

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

Dir: Lloyd Ingraham

While walking along the street one day, Arthur P. Hampton, an impoverished young doctor, and his chums, Stub Masters and Johnny Stokes, are persuaded to part with their last remaining funds by tag day solicitor Mary Jane Smith, with whom the doctor promptly falls in love. Doc's friends then hit upon a get-rich-quick scheme. Knowing that his Uncle George has promised a large sum of money upon his nephew's marriage, they persuade Doc to send out fake wedding invitations naming Mary Jane as the blushing bride. Uncle George, elated at the good news, writes to Mary Jane's aunt, Angelica Burns, an old sweetheart, to invite Mary Jane and Angelica to be his guests on an ocean voyage. Meanwhile, Mary Jane pays a visit to the doctor's office and, upon seeing the wedding invitations, becomes so flustered that she trips and sprains her ankle. Doc comes to her rescue and then begs her to pose as his wife. She agrees, but at ship-side, Stub and Johnnie confess all to Uncle George, who flies into a rage until Doc announces that he and Mary Jane have chosen a wedding at sea.

Dir: Henry Edwards

A poor author feigns marriage to please his dying father.