Editor's Top Picks Following the Footsteps of Children of Jazz: Cul...

Dir: Jerome Storm

Nancy, a naive young girl who works backstage at a musical-comedy theatre, learns from the chorus girls the notion of winning a man by the seductive method of "vamping" him. She tries the method on the shy minister she loves, and it works. They marry and resettle in a mining town where a German operative foments dissension amongst the miners. Nancy is called upon to use her vamping technique once more to get the best of the German spy.

Dir: Jerome Storm

Bill Henry Jenkins is a country boy on the lookout for a good career. He faces numerous obstacles, including losing his sales job when his bicycle is lost. A bigtime poker game turns out to be the key to Bill Henry's success.

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

Dir: Alexander Butler

In Alberta, Canada, a Cornish emigrant unmasks a rustler posing as the girl's "blind" father.

Dir: Jerome Storm

A young baseball pitcher in the bush leagues is discovered by a big-league manager and given his chance in the major leagues. But will he be up to the challenge?

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

Dir: Jerome Storm

Socially prominent but nearly penniless Easterner Mrs. Bereton, marries her daughter Avice to wealthy cattleman Barton Masters. Before the ceremony, Avice promises Dr. Fortescue Van Fleet, with whom she has been carrying on a flirtation, that her marriage will mean nothing, but after she moves to Barton's ranch, she comes to respect her husband deeply. When the wedding party, consisting of Van Fleet as well as Avice's mother and brother Billy, visits the ranch, Van Fleet attacks Avice in her room, but Barton catches him and turns him out. The next day, Barton sends Avice's relatives home and compels her to work on the ranch. She is resentful until Van Fleet returns and shoots Barton, seriously wounding him. At the point of a gun, Avice forces the doctor to tend her husband's injury, and after Barton's recovery, she devotes herself to him.

Dir: Jerome Storm

A rural youngster uses the strength he has developed handling egg crates in a shipping office to carry him to success in the boxing ring.

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

Dir: Edgar Jones

A mail-order bride arrives at a Maine lumber camp but doesn't like her prospective husband.

Dir: Jerome Storm

Ulysses S. Grant Briggs, raised by his grandfather Thaddeus, who served under General Grant, grows up with the General as his hero even though his neighbor, former Confederate soldier Jeff Hanan, argues that General Lee was the better man. When war is declared, Thaddeus and Jeff forget their differences and train Ulysses for military service. At the camp amateur show, Ulysses falls in love with dancer Betty Martin, but remembering Thaddeus' admonition to "watch out for play actresses," Ulysses avoids her. When dissolute Harry Weller lures Betty to a notorious roadhouse, Ulysses follows, knowing he can be court-martialed. Hearing Betty struggle, Ulysses fights Weller and keeps the military police from entering until Betty can escape through a window. Ulysses then is sent to the guardhouse where Thaddeus and Jeff unsuccessfully try to convince him to talk. After Betty confesses, the commanding officer, Thaddeus and Jeff agree that Ulysses did what both Grant and Lee would have done.

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

Dir: Reggie Morris

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Wilfred Lucas

Brian O'Farrell (Snowy Baker), is an English 'new chum' who takes a job at an Australian cattle station. He is teased by station hands because of his appearance (including spats and a monocle) but he soon impresses them with his skills at riding and boxing. The station manager, John MacDonald (Wilfred Lucas), takes O'Farrell to Sydney to meet his daughter Edith (Kathleen Key) who is working in the slums. Edith is kidnapped by criminals after witnessing a crime but O'Farrell rescues her. It is later revealed he is the owner of the station.