Essential Cult Cinema Drawn from the Same DNA as Elmo, the Mighty: ...

Dir: Henry MacRae

Railroad depot stationmaster Tom Grady (Wilfred Lucas) discovers a plot to blow up a railroad bridge in order to holdup and rob the train. Railroad trouble-shooter Jack Adams (William Fairbanks) sets out to foil the plot.

Dir: Henry MacRae

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

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Henry MacRae

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Henry MacRae

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

Grace Danton's father loses his best driver and is in danger of losing money he needs to erase debts. Grace's sweetheart, Jack Grant, agrees to drive in the race if Danton does not prosecute his brother, who has stolen money from Danton. Jack is abducted by his brother, but he escapes in time to win the race and the hand of Grace.

Dir: Henry MacRae

A set of eight golden lotus leaves holds the secret for eternal life. A young girl is tricked out of the one she holds, and enlists the aid of an adventurer is tracking down the entire set.

Dir: Henry MacRae

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

A young woman named Suwanna is the object of affection for many men. In her search for true love, she has many adventures and mishaps, including overcoming her father's disapproval, before finally finding her soul-mate. Miss Suwanna of Siam, or Nang Sao Suwan, was one of first feature films to be made in Thailand, and was the first Hollywood co-production in Thailand.

Dir: Henry MacRae

While their father, Michael Kalmar, remains in a Siberian prison, political refugees Ivan and Irma Kalmar seek freedom in Winnipeg, Canada. However, they continue to encounter persecution at the hands of prejudiced neighbors, and from their father's enemy, Makaroff. Ivan's violin playing attracts the interest of Marjorie Menzies, but also the enmity of District Attorney Mortimer Staunton, a rival for her affection. During a party at Makaroff's home, Irma is insulted, and when her abuser is slain, Ivan is arrested. Michael, who has arrived in Winnipeg after escaping from prison, confesses to the murder. Ivan becomes a foreman in a coal mine, which Makaroff hopes to acquire illegally. After his plan fails, Makaroff attempts to blow up the mine along with its employees, but kills himself instead. Michael is freed by a family servant who admits to the murder, and Ivan becomes engaged to Marjorie.

Dir: Henry MacRae

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

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Henry MacRae

A soldier returns home from World War I with a beautiful black horse that he saved on the battlefield, and names Thunderhoof. He enters the horse in a local race, hoping to earn enough money to save the family ranch of the girl he loves. However, the crooks intent on taking the ranch manage to capture a notorious wild horse and enter it in the same race, believing that it can beat Thunderhoof and thereby ensure that they're able to take the ranch.

Dir: Henry MacRae

Dan McQuade, an old fisherman, finds a woman and a child cast up by the storm of the night before. The mother is beyond human aid, but the child is still alive and he takes it to his cottage. Years pass and the child has grown to be a beautiful young girl. She has filled a place in the old fisherman's heart left vacant by the death of his wife and baby many years before. She has a secret cave where she often goes, and as a means of amusement spends her time carving miniature sand statues, in which art she has become proficient. Old Dan has named the girl Coral, and one day the locket she wears falls open, showing a young man and woman. She shows them to Dan, and he tells her how he found her. After her grief has subsided the girl returns to her cave, and from the experience gets an inspiration which makes her carve a life size statue of a mother and babe lying on the rocks. In New York, Phillip Norton, a wealthy young artist and son of a diamond merchant, has been betrothed to Helen, a society girl. On the bridal tour Phillip discovers his wife to be self-centered and selfish and comes to the conclusion that she married him merely to satisfy her vanity. Every advance he makes to his wife is repulsed and he attempts to stifle his love for her. As the yacht upon which they are spending their honeymoon enters the little bay where Dan and Coral live, Phillip takes his painting paraphernalia ashore and makes some sketches to divert his mind. He is discovered by Coral, but she is in awe of him, and when he looks around she flees. As the days pass Coral again finds him, but this time he is downcast. She gives him one of her statues, and the friendship thus engendered grows as time passes. Helen, through marine glasses, espies her husband with Coral, and heaps her wrath upon him when he returns to the yacht. Phillip's pent-up emotions break their bonds, and gathering her up in his arms he carries her to the cabin, where he leaves her. While standing on the deck he sees Coral dive to the water below and swim about. Filled with longing, he seeks her out. Sympathy leads to love, and as Coral caresses the broken man she learns for the first time the meaning of love. Phillip, overcome with remorse at his double acting, asks Coral to forgive and forget him. That night old Dan dies and the girl is left alone. Despite his wife's anger and hate, he takes Coral to his parents' home in New York, where she is received with open arms. Coral's knowledge of sculpture is increased by Phillip's aid, and her happiness is punctuated only by the actions of Helen. A valuable diamond belonging to Phillip's father is missing. During a reception, one of Coral's statues is broken and the diamond disclosed. Coral is accused, but later Phillip's father learns that Helen contrived to have Coral disgraced. Seeing that she has been discovered, Helen hurriedly leaves the house and is killed in a railroad wreck. Meanwhile Coral, who has left the house, comes to the studio of Paul Dore, a sculptor, who offers to teach the girl free of charge. Later she is taken under the "wing" of the old janitor of the art school and his wife, who look upon her as their own child. Some time later the art school offers a price of $1,000 and a medal for the statue that wins the first prize at the Academy, and Coral decides to compete. Phillip has sought in vain for Coral after his wife's death and is persuaded to attend the exhibition at the Academy, and on the unveiling of a statue recognizes it as Coral's work. Coral is summoned to the studio and awarded the prize. After the committee have gone Coral tells Dore of her inspiration and shows him the locket. He recognizes it as a picture of himself and wife and tells the girl of the wreck. There is a happy reunion between father and daughter. Phillip enters and is overjoyed to meet Coral again. Coral makes a visit to the old janitor and his wife and leaves them the envelope with the prize money, which gladdens their old hearts. Some time later a white yacht drops anchor in the bay near where Coral was raised, and while Paul Dore kneels beside his wife's grave high on the cliffs above two figures appear and suddenly merge into one. Phillip and Coral are clasped in each other's arms and Phillip points out their yacht.