Underground Favorites Parallel to the Artistry of Dr. Rameau: Cult ...

Dir: Will S. Davis

Carney marries Agnes Maynard and soon forgets his old sorrow. Anne, tired of her mock wedded life, attempts to make Roland jealous of his wife. She induces Carney to visit the home of Randolph Parsons. There Roland finds his wife, but a sudden twist of affairs results in his discovering that Agnes is innocent. Anne tries new tactics now. She knows that Carney has been losing steadily in the stock market, through her husband's efforts to ruin the man his wife loves. Anne finds a memorandum on Martin's desk: "Corner B.H.R. Stock." She gives this information to Carney. He is overjoyed and grasps the tip eagerly. Martin, however, learns of what Anne has done, and reverses his tactics. The result is that Carney is ruined completely. In his rage, he thinks that Anne has tricked him purposely, and he goes to her, furious. While he is there, she sees Martin returning. She thinks she has an opportunity for revenge. She tears her clothing and lets down her hair. Then she turns out the lights and screams. Martin enters. Anne shrieks that Carney had been attacking her. Martin smiles and takes out the B.H.R. memorandum. "I know your game," he says. "Go," he tells Carney, "you are ruined. You have been punished enough." Martin bids his wife good-bye, and informs her that he is going to leave her. Anne falls senseless to the floor.

Dir: Will S. Davis

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

Stuart Homer, backed by the reform party, runs for the assembly. Rev. Richard Walters and his son, Horace, aid him. Homer wants his sister, Alice, knowing nothing of her love affair with Jefferson Blair, a young lawyer. Helen, Homer's wife, knows, however, and opposes the match and an elopement is planned. Helen finds Blair's note to Alice, reading simply, "Come to my bungalow. I love you. We will go away together. Believe me, sincerely, Jeff." Determined to prevent this, Helen starts for his bungalow alone, Homer being at the political meeting. Alice, on her way to Blair, crosses an old bridge to avoid being seen by Walters, who happens in that vicinity. The bridge falls, throwing her unconscious in a deep ravine, where she is exposed to the storm until found by strangers and later brought home. Helen is seen by Walters entering Blair's bungalow. Forming an unjust conclusion, Walters hurries to Homer at the meeting. Homer, not knowing of Blair's love for Alice, goes to the bungalow. Meanwhile Helen has surprised Blair, and shown him the note and told him she intends to wait and take Alice home. At this junction, Homer arrives and upon finding the incriminating note, orders Helen to leave his house and her little girl. Helen is caught in the storm and picked up practically out of her mind by an automobile party of questionable character. Alice is brought home only to die. Her story and Blair's grief convince Homer of his terrible mistake. He is agonized at obtaining no clue to Helen's whereabouts. Helen's despondency makes her a ready convert to the fast life of her companions. After fifteen years, we find Homer as State Governor, his daughter, Mary, away at school, and his wife a leading factor among her associates in their reprehensible career. Fate brings Mary Homer, her daughter, under the consideration of "the Master." Unknowingly she aids in the bringing of Mary into "the Master's" power. Mary's disappearance arouses the Governor's fears, but to avoid the dangers of publicity and disgrace, he puts a detective, Reggie Wilde, on the case. A restaurant is the means of picking the acquaintance of "Crooked Fingers" as Reggie looks easy, and entrance is gained to the house, where "the Master" lives, and Mary is detained. Wilde arrives during an attempted escape of Mary, the result of which is the discovery by Helen of a birthmark on Mary, proving to her that Mary is her own daughter. Helen plans Mary's escape. Meanwhile Wilde, finding the situation with "Crooked Fingers" and his confederates has reached a climax, shows his hand and under forceful "persuasion" the crooks are forced to telephone for the police, and then locked in a closet. "The Master" takes Wilde by surprise, overpowers him in a terrific struggle and stops Helen in her attempt at escaping with Mary. In desperation Helen shoots "the Master" just as the police arrive. Mary has fainted and Helen is arrested for the murder. Wilde takes Mary to the Governor. Blair, now a prominent lawyer, is assigned to the defense of Helen "Smith." On conferring with Helen, he recognizes her, but promises to keep her identity a secret. Mary is the chief witness against Helen "Smith," and during her testimony the Governor recognizes his wife. Tortured and powerless, he hears her testimony, which results in a verdict of guilty. The Governor visits Helen's cell and promises her to keep so that their daughter may not suffer disgrace. Urged by Blair, the Governor decides to pardon Helen, realizing that to do so, he must satisfy the public and get his reasons and thereby bring disgrace on himself and daughter. The decision proves needless, for Helen's weakened condition and refusal of food results in her death before the pardon leaves the Governor's hands. The Governor's Nemesis has disappeared; a Higher Court has assumed jurisdiction; who will be adjudged guilty?

Dir: Will S. Davis

Free and easy Garrett Cope loves Katherine Gresham, but his rival, Henry Miller, who is really Heinrich Mueller, a World War I German spy, gets rid of Garrett by having him arrested for the murder of Pembroke Van Tuyl. While Garrett is in prison, Katherine marries Mueller, but Sidney Dundas, knowing that the German actually committed the crime, finally confesses, and Garrett is freed. Meanwhile, Mueller takes Katherine to a remote island called No Man's Land, which he uses as a base for blowing up Allied ships. Garrett lands on the island, and after overcoming a number of Chinese servants and German agents, he succeeds in summoning an American ship, killing Mueller, and rescuing Katherine, who warmly demonstrates her gratitude.

Dir: Will S. Davis

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of No Man's Land perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Will S. Davis

Richard Tremaine, by forging a letter, compromises Helene Blair brings about her divorce from her husband and her separation from her children, and then secures her consent to marry him. She discovers, then, that he already has a wife; that he it was who destroyed her home life by his slanderous lies; she starts out deliberately to revenge herself on him. This she does by inducing his son to fall in love with her. The father is then brought face to face with the dilemma of seeing his son marry a woman with whom he had been intimate, or having his own disgrace brought put into the light. The three finally meet in Helene's apartments, and the son is accidentally shot and killed by a revolver with which the father was attempting to end his own life. The father is charged with the murder of his son, and Helene is the chief witness against him. John Blair, Tremaine's counsel, learns from his wife's testimony of the perfidy of Tremaine. After the latter is sentenced to death, Helene, in a fit of remorse, tells Blair, with whom she is now reunited, that the killing was accidental. Tremaine is freed, and Helene goes back to her rightful place as Blair's wife.

Dir: Will S. Davis

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

Janet Ford, a penniless orphan, is reared with her mischievous identical cousin Lillian by Lillian's affluent parents. While Mr. Ford treats Janet kindly, Mrs. Ford remains cold. When Lillian is caught in a gambling raid, she convinces Janet to bear the blame, and Mrs. Ford orders Janet to leave. Lillian marries Sir Anthony Jessop and settles in England. Jessop, who soon tires of Lillian's frivolity, finds fulfillment with their son Bobby. When he rebukes Lillian for her midnight revels, she orders him to leave. Under the pretense of visiting her dying father, Lillian travels to America, followed by her lover, Raymond Fleury, and they travel West together after she persuades Janet to impersonate her at Ford's deathbed. When Janet learns that Bobby has been hurt, she sails to England and cares for him. After Jessop's uncle dies, he returns as the Earl of Devon, and grows to love Janet, who he thinks is Lillian. Janet is terrified because she also loves him. Hearing of Jessop's good fortune, Lillian returns. After Fleury pursues and shoots her, Jessop proposes to Janet that they quietly marry and keep their past secret.

Dir: Will S. Davis

Jim Jepson returns home after serving five years in prison for bank robbery. He manages to live a straight life with his wife and little daughter until misfortune overtakes him. His wife dies, his daughter is forced to work for her living, and at this crisis in his affairs, he meets one of his former pals, Doc Burns, a jailbird, who is wanted in the west for another robbery. Jepson, who has become discouraged, is persuaded by Burns to resume his former life. They rent an old house next to a bank, tunnel through the cellar to the bank, working at night, while Mary, innocent of the life her father leads, continues her work as cashier in an all-night restaurant. Mary, returning home late, is saved from insult by Bob Darrell, a detective, who escorts her home. A man seen loitering in the vicinity, is recognized by Darrell, as "The Worm," a notorious crook. Darrel, who arrested Jepson and Burns twenty years before, follows "The Worm," and seeing him meet Burns, is convinced that there is another plot on foot to rob a bank. Believing Mary to be an accomplice, he causes her discharge so that she will be at home at the time of his raid. Easy access to the house is gained by arresting Mary as she enters the door and Darrell and the detectives descend to the cellar, follow the cracksmen through the tunnel and capture the gang as they are blowing up the bank vaults. Jepson endeavors to exonerate Mary at the trial, but she is given a short sentence while the others receive a long term. Four years elapse. Mary, released from prison, experiences the utmost difficulty in obtaining the bare necessities of life. Sick and starving, she is tempted to snatch a purse, but is saved from the first step in The Criminal Path as the sound of singing in a nearby Mission reaches her ears. She seeks refuge in the Mission, only to faint away. The young minister, Rev. John Horton, sends her to a hospital where he visits her frequently and on her recovery gets her a position with his sister, Mrs. Blair. Morton's interest in Mary ripens into love, while Richard Blair, the husband, attracted by Mary, annoys her with attentions, but she keeps silent to prevent a family scandal and hold her position. Unknown to Mary, Jepson escapes from prison and Darrell believes he can recapture him by watching his daughter. Jepson seeks Mary for help in leaving the country. Darrell obtains an invitation to a reception in the Horton home to watch Mary. Blair, finding Mary alone, insults her. To protect herself she seizes a bronze candelabra from the mantel, but is discovered. Mary, for Horton's sake, makes no accusation. Later a noise is heard in the library and Mary is discovered standing over Blair's dead body, but being unable to give satisfactory explanations, she is arrested for the crime. Meanwhile, Darrell, gathering clues, finds Jepson's trail, and convinced that he killed Blair, pursues him across country through ice and snow. Overtaking him, a terrific struggle ensues. Jepson is the victim of his own wicked design to throw Darrell into the ice hole. Notwithstanding, Darrell rescues him. Dying from exhaustion and learning that his daughter is accused of the crime, Jepson gives the true facts of Blair's death, which convinces Darrell that his conclusions were right and that Mary is innocent. At last, the road to happiness opens to Mary.

Dir: Will S. Davis

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

Mary Ames is caught while planning to elope, and locked in a room by Aunt Letitia. Her sister, Geraldine, plans to help her, and goes to her friend the police commissioner to borrow a criminal. Paul, the commissioner's nephew, sees her, and loses his heart. He decides to pose as the criminal to be near her. Everything works smoothly, Mary is released, and the elopement takes place; but just at that moment the chauffeur and ex-gardener, together with the real criminal whom Paul is impersonating, arrive, and attempt to rob the house. Of course, Paul subdues them, and saves the jewels. The commissioner and a number of policemen arrive on the scene, everything is explained, and ends happily with a second elopement a short time after.

Dir: Will S. Davis

Unhappy surroundings and cruel parents force Katinka Jenkins to lead a very dissatisfied existence. The mill foreman becomes attracted by her, and makes advances which Katinka resents. Joe Mercer, a worker, is in love with Katinka, but the desperate girl chooses Lindsay, the rich mill owner. The girl's father, in order to obtain a petty loan, promises his daughter's hand to Joel Brinker, a money lender, who forces his attentions until Katinka leaves home. Katinka, ignorant of the fact that Lindsay is already married, proceeds to live a gay and reckless life, never forgetting, however, to send her family enough money to live on. Later, through Lindsay's influence, Katinka becomes the famous "Madcap" dancer. A reform movement, headed by John Strong, is started, in order to stop Katinka's disgraceful performances. Katinka's extravagance forces Lindsay to borrow money in order to pay the mill hands' wages. Ignorant of Lindsay's financial condition, Katinka continues her reckless living. The men demand their wages, and a strike at the mill is barely averted. Believing John Strong, who has fallen in love with her sister, Olivia, to be a reformer in name only, Katinka invites him to join a gay party which is given by Lindsay in her honor. Strong is at first shocked, but the gaiety of the occasion, and Katinka's hospitality towards him, soon makes him forget the real purpose of his visit. The mill owner is unexpectedly called away as the strikers, on the verge of riot, are only held back by Joe Mercer's great influence with them. As Strong is making desperate love to Katinka, Olivia and her father enter, and Strong is shown up in his true colors. After all the others have gone, Brinker, who is also a guest at the party, remains and tells Katinka of Lindsay's financial condition, at the same time telling her of his great love for her. Remorseful, Katinka orders Brinker out of her home, and for the first time realizes how much her reckless life has cost. Joe Mercer learns of Katinka's affair with Lindsay. Losing control of himself, he returns and arouses the workers to riot. They attack Lindsay as he is leaving the mill. Lindsay's wife leaves him, and later the mills are destroyed by fire which makes his ruin complete. The unhappy Katinka learns of the life she has wrecked. Remorseful, she decides to end her misspent life by suicide. This is prevented by Joe Mercer. After strong persuasion, Katinka promises to reform, and become a nurse in the United States Army. Joe also enlists. Her reformation becomes complete when she shows great bravery in the yellow fever camp. Joe has been stricken with the disease and is aided to recover by Katinka. who at last realizes that love from the poor is far better than luxuries from the rich.

Dir: Will S. Davis

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.