Essential Cult Cinema Drawn from the Same DNA as David Garrick: Cul...

Dir: Frank Lloyd

Realizing that his mayoral campaign is in serious trouble, reform candidate Frank Grandell sends his people out to dig up some dirt on Art Hoke, the boss of the city's political machine. Their investigation leads them to Hoke's flunky, nicknamed "Looney Jim". Jim implies that he has some damaging information about Hoke's daughter, but he dies before he can reveal it. Grandell eventually finds out what the "secret" is, however, and must decide whether to use it in his campaign to defeat Hoke's candidate.

Dir: Frank Lloyd

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

When John Langdon suspects--wrongly, as it turns out--that his wife Claire is having an affair he divorces her, and gets custody of their daughter Florence. Later Florence marries the city's District Attorney. Meanwhile Claire, in dire financial straits, gets involved with an infamous gambling resort in the city. A political rival of Florence's husband discovers Claire's secret and tries blackmailing Florence by threatening to expose her mother's "secret life".

Dir: Frank Lloyd

After her parents separate, young Violet Dale's father takes her to Alaska. Although he tries to protect her from the sordidness of life in a lawless town, Violet must resort to working in a dance hall after he is killed after being caught cheating at cards. Despite her circumstances, Violet remains virtuous and earns the respect and admiration of the dance-hall clientele. Frank Carson, a young man who has come to Alaska to seek his fortune, is attracted to Violet and asks her to marry him. When he shows her a portrait of his mother, Violet sees that it is a duplicate of a portrait she has of her own mother. Now realizing that Frank is her own brother, she refuses his proposal but does not tell him why. Some time later, Frank receives word that his mother is seriously ill and needs an expensive operation that she cannot afford. Desperate to help, Violet holds an auction at the dance hall to offer herself to the highest bidder. Rev. David Cromwell, a kind man who is in love with Violet and knows her predicament, makes the winning bid of $6,000, although he does not have the money. Dance-hall owner Buck, who is jealous of David's influence over the community, decides to lend him the money for three months on the condition that if David does not pay, he will belong to Buck for 10 years. David eventually obtains the money and wins Violet's love.

Dir: Frank Lloyd

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

Jean Valjean, a good and decent man who has committed a minor crime, is imprisoned but escapes. He is pursued thereafter for years by Javert, the cruel and implacable arm of the law.

Dir: Frank Lloyd

George Hale, a rather good-for-nothing son of wealthy parents, is engaged to marry Marie, a young society girl. She refuses to marry him until he has made good. Young Hale's chum, Augustus Foster, an art student, induces Hale to join him in his studio in Rome. To win the admiration of his sweetheart, Hale accepts his chum's offer and starts his career as an artist. Being of a carefree, happy disposition, he dallies with his work. Here he meets Maddalena, a very beautiful young Italian girl, who poses as his model. Her father, a rough and muchly-dissipated Italian of the poorer class, has abused his daughter most shamefully, using the money she earned selling flowers to buy his drink. Young Hale is greatly attracted to the beautiful Maddalena. One night at the studio, where a number of his friends were celebrating the Fourth of July, in true American fashion, the studio gaily decorated with American flags, bunting of red, white and blue, a letter is received by Hale from the American sweetheart denouncing him and announcing her engagement to Signor Pastorelli, a great artist, who was then living in America. Leaving her home because of her father's abuses, Maddalena seeks refuge in the studio of Hale. In a fit of rage over the news of his sweetheart's betrothal to Sig. Pastorelli, Hale announces to his friends his intentions of marrying his beautiful model, Maddalena. He marries her, a son is born to them. Hale finds the struggle for existence a very difficult one and seeks employment. He becomes ill, loses his position. Hale's father, who has learned of his marriage and illness, decides to go to his son and bring him to America, to his mother, who is grieving for him. This he does, takes his son away until he is well enough to go to America. He would like to take the child, but the mother will not give him up. Maddalena's brutal father, seeing an opportunity to get a few dollars from the elder Hale if he should bring him the child, kidnaps the baby. Grandfather Hale, with his son and grandson, leave for America. Months later, Hale's chum, Augustus Foster and his aunt, Mrs. Wright, go to find young Hale, only to learn from poor little broken-hearted Maddalena of her desertion. Mrs. Wright takes the girl as her companion to Paris. Here she is educated. They finally come to America. Here Maddalena becomes interested in settlement work, meets Dr. Comstock and interests him in her great work among the poor. She becomes a trained nurse, nursing in the homes of these poor people. An epidemic breaks out in the city, a most dreaded disease and one day she learns through the newspaper that her child has been stricken with this disease. She goes to the home of the child's grandfather, acts as nurse to her child. The child becomes very ill, the elder Hale does not recognize the young nurse as his daughter-in-law, and thinking the child is dying, says: "Oh, if the child's mother was only here." Hale, who has been out of the city, has been called home because of the seriousness of his child's illness, comes into the room and recognizes his wife. A reconciliation takes place, the elder Hale recognizes the great change in the girl, sees the noble character, and takes her into his home.

Dir: Frank Lloyd

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

William Armstrong, an American whose family is from France, inherits an iron mine in France. With his sister Betty, he travels to France to take over the business. In the village near the mine lives Claire, the daughter of a wealthy family, who is engaged to the scheming Duc de Bligny. When Claire's family loses all their money, the Duc dumps her for the daughter of a wealthy manufacturer. Armstrong and his sister find themselves caught up in this intrigue, which becomes more complicated when Armstrong falls for Claire.

Dir: Frank Lloyd

To obtain an increase in his income from his wealthy uncle, Charles Shackleton must stop his wild bachelor ways and marry. Charles proposes to Lucy Norton, but her father refuses his permission. Undaunted, Charles tells his uncle he has married and receives his increased allowance. A year later the uncle announces an upcoming visit, and Charles begins a frantic search for a temporary wife, offering Jane, the maid, five hundred dollars to play the part of Mrs. Shackleton. Secretly married to William, the butler, Jane undertakes the role without her husband's knowledge, causing him much confusion and jealousy. When the uncle demands to see "the baby," Jane snatches one from an unsuspecting washerwoman, who later catches the uncle with her child and calls the police on him. Further complications lead to Charles' pleading proposal to Lucy and then finally to the truth, which leaves everyone satisfied.

Dir: Frank Lloyd

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

The story tells of the troubles started by the fondness for gaiety of three mature French judges. With an eye to securing his good graces, they enjoy losing an occasional game of whist to their superior, Judge Galipaux. M. Galipaux's life burden is an ambitious wife. An escapade with the leading lady of a theatrical troupe, Mlle. Gobette, lands the three judges on the carpet for a severe reprimand. The offending actress is evicted from the hotel. Like an inspiration, a way out of their predicament comes to one of the offenders. That night on returning from seeing his wife on her train to Paris, M. Galipaux finds his house occupied by a strange but very beautiful woman, who refuses to leave. Unexpectedly M. Gaudet, the handsome and irreproachable Minister of Justice, arrives. He is fascinated by Gobette whom he believes to be Mme. Galipaux. Still posing as Mme. Galipaux, Gobette comes to Paris to call upon him. Scenting a possible scandal, Marius, the head usher, lays a trap. Mlle. Gobette calls and the trap is sprung. From then on events crowd quickly upon poor Gaudet, but through humorous situations and startling perplexities he remains undaunted to emerge triumphant.

Dir: Frank Lloyd

A sci-fi/espionage film in which world powers vie for control of a death ray during World War I.

Dir: Frank Lloyd

U. S. Senator Frank Deering has spent his life trying to alleviate the misery of child labor. Judge Vernon, his closest friend, aids him in this struggle. Unexpected circumstances force Judge Vernon to borrow money from Henry McCarthy, one of the factory owners most responsible for the harsh and inhumane working conditions. Judge Vernon is unable to pay off the loan, and is reduced to accepting a bride from McCarthy. Later, the Judge is stricken with a heart-condition but, on his dying bed, he confesses the shameful act he committed to Deering. To keep his friend's name unsullied, Deering makes a deal with McCarthy and votes against the child-labor-act he sponsored. His colleagues and the world, unaware of his sacrifice, mock and jeer him.