Essential Cult Cinema Drawn from the Same DNA as Der keusche Josef:...

Dir: Charley Chase

A young married couple volunteer to take charge of several orphans after the asylum has burned down. Of course they find their hands full with their troublesome charges.

Dir: Vernon Stallings

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

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

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: Georg Jacoby

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

Theodore Reibeth, a medical student, is introduced to Mlle. Aut Nissen in a moving picture studio where she is taking one of the leading roles. He is attracted to her by her unusual beauty and charm. Circumstances later make it possible for him to see her frequently at her home, and he falls in love with her. Mlle. Nissen is very fond of animals and has in her apartments a private collection of lions which she shows to him. Reibeth's graduation is at hand when he receives a letter from his brother telling him that through unfortunate investments their fortune has been lost. In this predicament Mlle. Nissen comes to his aid and lends him enough money to finish his studies, which he accepts and graduates with high honors. Later at a reception Reibeth sees Mlle. Nissen flirting with another man. He protests very strongly and the controversy causes a rupture which separates them. Years pass and he almost forgets the celebrated actress. His wedding announcement in one of the papers, however, comes to the attention of Mlle. Nissen who asks him to call. He does so and the old love returns. His faith in his former love is still so great that he allows himself to be blindfolded by her and led into one of the lower portions of the house. When he tears the blindfold from his eyes he discovers he is in the den of lions. With death in a terrible form almost upon him he manages to escape. Mlle. Nissen seeing him free makes her own life a penance for the tragic deed she had planned.

Dir: Henry Edwards

A millionaire bets £25,000 that he can earn his own living for six months.

Dir: Richard Smith

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

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.

Dir: Reggie Morris

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Georg Jacoby

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Amazing Quest of Mr. Ernest Bliss perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

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.

Dir: Georg Jacoby

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.