Editor's Top Picks Following the Footsteps of Conditioning: Cult Guide

Dir: Unknown Director

The village youths are rivals for the hand of the local belle. Their battles lead them to the village store, where chaos soon reigns, terminating in the place being blown up, leaving Bobby a happy victor.

Dir: Jack Eaton

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Artist's Model perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Jack Eaton

The opening of the picture shows the artist (James Montgomery Flagg) equipped with his pencil paraphernalia commencing his work of sketching in various moods a young woman seated in front of him to whom he relates the story of the character for which she is to pose. Then follows the film version of the story in which the screen fan in the shape of a pretty young woman sits in the front row at the theater, her countenance reflecting colorfully the tragedy of the screen. In due time aspirations become reality, and we find our heroine in close proximity with the Cooper Hewitts. But while she awaits the call of the director she falls asleep and dreams a wonderful dream in which she becomes the leading woman of the play, living in ease and affluence, and treated with a heavenly respect such as none of her kind in wildest dreams has ever imagined. Finally the dream has a rude awakening in which the director summons her to enter a lion's cage to "make meat for the lion," assuring her that he "will be right outside and everything." The finish of the picture shows Miss Screen Fan making a hasty flight to "Mommer!"

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.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Screen Fan 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: Reggie Morris

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

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

Dir: Jack Eaton

We are introduced first to the star actor of a certain play, after which we meet the girl who has seen and secretly adored him. She sends him her photograph with the request that he find her a position on the stage. He is attracted by the photograph, and sends her his in return. She calls at his dressing room at his bidding, and the inevitable lovemaking takes place. Finally the wife of the actor appears on the scene, and the girl awakes from her dream.

Dir: Richard Smith

Two female candidates for Chief of Police live across the hall from each other, and their political rivalry follows them home, leading to plenty of hi-jinks.

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

Dir: Mason N. Litson

Edgar and his chum try to amass a fortune in one day by cornering the fan market on a hot afternoon when the circus comes to the small town where they are spending their vacation.

Dir: Jack Eaton

A simple old story of the girl who longs to yield to her lover's appeal that they be married at once, but hesitates to break the news to "pa." The elopement is there, too; but "pa," having overheard a certain telephone conversation between the contracting parties, is also on the job. His tactics are quite different, however, from those of the usual moving picture "pa." This particular gentleman merely steps up to the prospective bridegroom waiting in the moonlight beside the taxi, taps him on the arm and suggests they make it a daylight affair - "why not advertise and get the benefit of the wedding presents?" The suggestion is well taken and a month later an artistically staged wedding takes place.