Visionary Picks Drawn from the Same DNA as Fate: Cult Guide

Dir: Harley Knoles

Jim McDonald, the foreman of a shipbuilding plant and head of the labor union, strives to combat the anarchistic propaganda being put forth by Klimoff, the leader of a Bolshevik gang whose goal is to disrupt the country with strikes and anarchy. Despite McDonald's efforts, a strike is called, resulting in chaos. McDonald's child is knocked down by runaway horses abandoned by their striking driver, and dies. Mob scenes take place in America, as well as in Russia. Eventually, the unrest is quelled with an armistice called between Capital and Labor for a year, during which time wages are to be increased to reflect the cost of living, and leaders are to work out a common plan for their mutual advantage. The strikers now realize that they have been pawns of the Bolsheviks and call off the strike, agreeing to the plan.

Dir: Frank Beal

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

During a raging Montana snowstorm, Doctor Jim Barnes collapses at Esther Anderson's cabin door. Esther offers Jim refuge, but when he discovers that their food supplies are running dangerously low, he braves the journey into town in order to replenish them. On the way, he is overcome with exhaustion and fails to return. Esther, unaware of Jim's condition and abused by her stepfather, joins a theatrical troop and leaves home. Time passes and Jim finally finds Esther, but a vindictive member of her troupe accuses her of having an affair with the manager and Jim believes the accusation. He leaves and Esther goes to New York City where she becomes engaged to a jealous artist, although she still loves Jim. Sam Tuttle, a long time friend, is aware of Esther's continuing love, and so brings Jim to New York City in time to save Esther from an unhappy marriage.

Dir: Robert N. Bradbury

A simple country girl, brutally mistreated by her stepfather, awakens first the sympathy, then the love, of The Boy. The Spider, who lusts after The Girl, makes a bargain with the stepfather and takes her to the city where, kept prisoner, she is soon broken in health and spirit. Cast out and near death, she is taken in by The Boy. Following the demise of The Spider, The Boy takes her to church, where he prays, and after many hours she is restored to health.

Dir: John Gorman

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

Young Jim leaves his small town for life in the big city. It's not long before he's living the "high life" with fancy friends and partying. When Jim's brother and his wife are killed in a storm, Jim's girlfriend Molly brings Goldenlocks, the couple's young daughter, to the city to live with Jim. However, Jim is having way too much fun to bother looking after a child. and his neglect results in her becoming seriously ill. Complications ensue.

Dir: John Gorman

The story of a baby placed in a home by the father and his sweetheart. As years pass, the child is known as the Little Orphan. The mother becomes the wife of a successful doctor. The father has grown prosperous in business. The child has been forgotten. The child meets with an accident. The doctor cares for her, learns to love her, and adopts her. The father of the child learns of this, and in endeavoring to protect his secret, goes to the doctor's wife, his old sweetheart and mother of the Little Orphan. The doctor finds the duplicity of his wife and leaves her; the Little Orphan is thrown into the street. The father of the child meets with an untimely end at the hands of his former sweetheart, who herself pays the penalty later. The doctor searches and finds the Little Orphan and brings her to his home.

Dir: Edgar Jones

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

A mail-order bride arrives at a Maine lumber camp but doesn't like her prospective husband.

Dir: Eduardo Notari

A crime drama in the Gennariello-series. The police detective in Naples that is confronted with modern gangsters and crime events.

Dir: John Gorman

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Little Miss Nobody perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

An injured little girl is taken in by a tribe of Gypsies. When she is a grown beauty, she is caught between the love of a man and the Gypsy chief.

Dir: Bruno Ziener

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: John Gorman

Becoming pregnant after an affair with her boss's son, Philip Montrose, Grace visits abortionist Dr. Robert Lynn. When the doctor's wife discovers that Grace is her own child whom she had left with her sister-in-law years earlier, Mrs. Lynn takes the girl to Mr. Montrose to expose the perfidy of his son. His father compels Philip to marry Grace, but their marriage is an unhappy one and in a fit of rage one day Philip strikes his wife. Thinking that he has killed her, he flees, but Grace physically recovers although her mind remains deranged. All efforts to restore her sanity are to no avail until the repentant husband returns and takes her in his arms. Meanwhile, Dr. Lynn takes poison after the nature of his practice is exposed.