Visionary Picks In Alignment with the style of Early to Wed: Cult G...

Dir: Frank Borzage

After a young inventor discovers a powerful new explosive, agents from a German chemical firm induce him to study at a German university. While there, he is repelled by certain aspects of the people, and he leaves for Belgium. When the war begins, the inventor saves a Belgian burgomaster's daughter from Prussian invaders. The inventor and the girl endure horrible suffering because of the war, but they find happiness at its end, while the formerly fighting nations direct their effort towards world peace at the Paris conferences. The assassination of Kurt Eisner of Bavaria occurs at the end.

Dir: Frank Borzage

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Land o' Lizards perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Ward Curtis, president of a development company, comes to the western town of Los Huesos with his daughter, Wynne, to investigate a report made by one of his field scouts that there is a gold stream on the land occupied by the Bar C outfit. The Bar C people have no legal title to the land, but they have terrorized the neighborhood, and intimidated the government officials. The land is used for grazing purposes, and the Bar C people know nothing about the gold stream. There has also come to Los Huesos a cowpuncher known only as "The Stranger," the only man who refuses to be intimidated by Bar C crowd. Curtis meets the Stranger, who consents to assist Curtis in his undertaking, hoping to win favor with Wynne. She is mildly interested in him, but is disappointed and bored by the town and its people, and after a week or so packs her bags and leaves for home, saying that the Stranger is the only picturesque thing she has seen in this land of lizards. Near the Bar C holdings is a small sheep ranch operated by Dave Moore and his daughter, Bobbie, as a blind to cover more important operations, by moonlight Moore secretly pans the gold stream on the Bar C ranch. Bobbie maintains a disguise as a boy for her own protection from the lawless cowpunchers, and to keep them from becoming interested in her father's affairs. The Stranger sets out to investigate the placer site, and stops at the Moore cabin to make inquiries about the Bar C crowd. He meets Bobbie without suspecting her disguise, and she manifests considerable interest in him. The Stranger locates the placer stream, but is observed by Moore, who hastens to the land office and files on the creek bed. By moonlight Moore builds on his claim, but is discovered by one of the Bar C outlaws and killed. The Stranger, who has set up his camp in a blind canyon known as the "Cow's Mouth" near the creek, hears the exchange of shots, gets into the scrap and drives away the outlaw, then brings Moore's body to Bobbie. The Bar C crowd, led by Moran, set out to "get" the Stranger. They come to Bobbie's cabin, but she directs them to town. They search the town, then decide that Bobbie has lied to them, and start again for her cabin. The Stranger discovers that Bobbie is a girl, and falls in love with her. He leaves the cabin and goes to the Cow's Mouth to "hide out" from the Bar C crowd. The Bar C boys come to Bobbie's cabin, and she is handled brutally by Moran to get her to tell what has become of the Stranger. Her hat falls off, and her secret is discovered. Moran claims her as his personal prize, and they set off to pursue the Stranger. They see him enter the narrow passage into the Cow's Mouth. Inside he starts a grass fire, then slips out with his horse through a secret passage which is unknown to the Bar C fellows. Leaving one of their number to guard Bobbie, the others go in after the Stranger, but are soon driven out by the fire. As they come single file through the passage the Stranger picks off the first two or three with his gun; the rest surrender. Moran is one of the men who was killed. Bobbie is taken to the Bar C ranch house by the outlaws. The Stranger rides into town and turns his captives over to the authorities, and enlists the men there to go to Bobbie's rescue. Later, as Bobbie and the Stranger are about to board a train for their honeymoon, Curtis rushes up to them and announces that, by the death of her father, Bobbie is now the owner of the gold stream claim.

Dir: Frank Borzage

Prudence's ( Olive Thomas ) parents send her from their Pennsylvania Quaker colony to a fashionable girls seminary, hoping she can learn about the devil's tricks, instead she engages in girlish pranks, but uses her pure appearance to escape blame. Later, Prudence visits her New York aunt, a society matron, and soon attracts an array of male admirers. She falls in love with wealthy Grayson Mills, but John Melbourne, who lives off of his wife's wealth, plots to seduce her. After Melbourne loans Prudence $200 to pay a gambling debt, he forces her to go to a roadhouse by threatening to show her stern father her canceled check. At dinner, Prudence produces a love letter which Melbourne had earlier written to an actress, and says that if she is not back by midnight, her hotel clerk will show Melbourne's wife his nineteen other love letters. After Melbourne hurries her back, he discovers that she only had the one letter. Prudence now becomes engaged to Grayson.

Dir: Frank Borzage

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

A saloon owner loans her lover the money to buy a house, which he has led her to believe they will live in after they're married. Instead, he takes the money and buys a saloon in another town.

Dir: Edward LeSaint

When famous opera singer Elinore Duane undergoes an operation on her throat, she has a series of ether-induced visions. In one, she is transported to ancient Rome where she appears as a much-admired woman in love with Paul, a young heretic, and at odds with Lutor, the high priest. To save her love, she poisons Lutor with her ring. After several other visions which involve variations on this love triangle, Elinore awakens to discover that Lutor is actually her doctor, Sascha Jaccard, and that Paul is the son of a friend who has come to visit the recovering prima donna.

Dir: Frank Borzage

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

Giulia, a Neapolitan girl, much against her will, becomes the mistress of a wealthy gangster. Her "protector" is stabbed to death by Giulia's hot-headed musician lover Tony (Francis McDonald), whereupon the heroine takes refuge in the villa of French playwright La Farge. Under La Farge's careful tutelage, Giulia develops into a famous actress, capturing the heart of the Duke De Chaumont. Though LaFarge himself has fallen in love with the girl, he does not stand in her way when she accepts the Duke's proposal. But Giulia has not reckoned with Tony, who is still crazy about her and still willing to kill any man who stands in his way. Tony murders LaFarge, then sets his sights on the Duke, intending to kill the poor fellow during the wedding ceremony. Hoping to save the Duke's life, Giulia pretends to have fallen out of love with him and returns to Tony.

Dir: Frank Borzage

Josiah Pringle, a benevolent old musician, who ekes out his livelihood by giving music lessons, after playing the organ for twenty years in the church of a little New England hamlet, must make way for a younger man, Gordon Howard, who comes from Boston. Faith Pringle, adopted by Josiah and his aged sister, Letitia, is leader of the choir, and when Pringle is replaced, she refuses to sing, but relents at Pringle's gentle insistence. When the new organist appears, Pringle's pupils leave him for the younger man, but he feels no resentment against Howard and compliments him on his playing. A young ruffian attacks Faith, but Howard rescues her and Pringle, deeply appreciative, invites Howard to the house. For many years Pringle has been working upon an improvement in organs. He shows the model to Howard who discovers a point that has baffled the old musician for ten years. The young ruffian, seeking a way to revenge himself on Howard through Pringle, shows Pringle a newspaper bearing the picture of a young man, resembling Howard closely, sought as an embezzler, but Pringle, in his kindly way, says that if Howard has reformed, he will not be the first to persecute him. Pringle places his model in the hands of Howard, to obtain a patent. Howard writes that he has secured an advance of $20,000 royalties and they hear nothing further from him. As the weeks drag by and Pringle's small store of money is exhausted, he and his sister are forced to the decision that Faith must be returned to the orphanage whence she came. The day of her departure comes all too soon. At the last moment, Howard comes in and explains that after receiving the money he placed it in a safe for the time being. In passing a building in the course of construction, he was injured. At the hospital to which he was taken, no means of identification were found on him, and just as soon as he recovered his memory he returned to the Pringles. The cloud on his antecedents is cleared when he looks at the newspaper pictures and says "My brother, the poor fellow is dead now." Through Howard's influence, Pringle is reinstated as organist and the friendship between Faith and Howard quickly ripens into love.

Dir: Frank Borzage

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

Immediate Lee, employed on the ranch owned by one Masters, is discharged by the manager through the influence of one of his men, who is in the brand blotting game with Masters. Beulah, a dance-hall girl, has attracted the attention of Hurley, a brand blotter, but prefers Lee. Hurley entraps Lee and cuts his mouth open with a wide gash, which leaves a permanent scar. Lee vows vengeance and follows the man all over the country. He at last meets him face to face, but Hurley is saved by the intercession of Beulah. He later is killed in a fierce encounter. The brand blotters are discovered and punished by the aid of Immediate Lee, and Beulah receives the reward of loyalty and devotion by becoming Lee's wife.

Dir: Frank Borzage

In the Latin Quarter of Paris, American artist David Lane (Norman Kerry) marries his model Yvonne (Olive Thomas), but just prior to the birth of their baby, David's mother dies, and he is forced to depart for the United States. In David's absence, his father hires a lawyer to convince Yvonne that David has abandoned her, and grief-stricken, she dies soon after her little girl is born. Yvonne's trusted friend Pierre rears the girl as a boy, whom he calls Toton, and trains her to become a skilled pickpocket. Meanwhile, David adopts a boy named Carew, and when he grows to manhood, the two move to Paris to establish an art studio. In robbing the studio, Pierre recognizes David, and to avenge Yvonne's death, he claims that Toton has been taught to hate her father. Later, Pierre becomes convinced of David's innocence, and before he dies, he reveals the truth to Toton. Finally, the girl is reunited with her father and marries Carew.

Dir: Frank Borzage

Brent Brewster, formerly a Yale athlete known for his pole vaulting prowess, is unsuccessful in business. When his wealthy relatives send him out to fend for himself, Brent joins a detective agency. After Craig Lansing, a family friend, hires Brent to investigate the numerous jewel thefts in Poughkeepsie, Brent works undercover at Lansing's house party and recognizes Captain Drake, an English crook. Although Brent temporarily forgets detective work when he meets Ann, the beautiful sister of Lansing's wife Ruth, Ann's remark that $40,000 a year would be enough for her to live on brings Brent back to the job. Meanwhile, Drake is intent on compromising Ruth, who flirts with him while Lansing is away. When Lansing returns unexpectedly, Brent accepts the blame for the flirtation to protect Ruth's honor, because of his love for Ann. After Brent vaults with a clothes pole through a window to prevent Drake's escape, Drake is exposed. Brent then learns that he has inherited a legacy which will enable him to satisfy Ann's monetary needs.