Masterpiece Selection Resonating with the Themes of Flirting with Death: Cult Guide

Dir: Elmer Clifton

Big Hearted Jim, the sheriff, loves the tomboyish Nugget Nell ( Dorothy Gish ), who runs a hash house in the mining country, but although she has romantic feelings, they are not aroused by Jim. Nell agrees to an old miner friend's request to care for his "child," Nell is shocked to meet the six-foot girl, but she cares for her just the same. Nell falls in love with the City Chap, out West to look after his mining property, but he barely notices her, having become intrigued by the Ingenue, whom he met on the stagecoach. The jealous Nell steals stylish clothes to allure him, but she has trouble walking in French high-heels. After rescuing the City Chap from outlaws robbing the stage, Nell takes him to a deserted shack. Although the outlaws kidnap the "child" and set fire to the shack, Jim, lassoing them one-by-one, rescues Nell, who, having seen the City Chap's cowardice, now yields to Jim's embrace.

Dir: Elmer Clifton

Dave Marco, a claim jumper, and his boss Earl Foster, a crooked investment broker, hire chemist Ralph Brandon to sign papers proclaiming the wealth of a certain mine. Foster then convinces Ralph's mother to invest all of her money in the mine, which actually is worthless. While she and her pretty daughter Holly are waiting in Foster's San Francisco office, they meet Jack Mason, whose rich mine has not yet earned him any profits, and the two young people fall in love. Inspecting her mine in Keno County, Mrs. Brandon learns that it is worthless, but when she confronts Foster, he threatens to have Ralph arrested for signing false documents unless Holly agrees to marry him. Meanwhile, Marco tries to jump Jack's claim but is prevented from doing so by Jack and a sheriff's posse. Foster weds Holly in an illegal ceremony, but Jack and Ralph overtake their train with the aid of a car and then a motorcycle. Finally, Ralph kills Foster, freeing Holly and her mother from his clutches.

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

Dir: Elmer Clifton

Framed by police inspector Finch and his managing editor, R. H. Steadman, to cover up their own crooked work, reporter John Mull languishes in prison until he escapes, determined to wreak vengeance. In Mull's absence, his sweetheart, Bess Miller, has been dating Burton Grange with whom she plans to elope. When Grange has an altercation with Steadman, in the scuffle, Steadman is knocked unconscious. Grange flees and is arrested for Steadman's murder but escapes and encounters Mull, now a fugitive from justice. After persuading Grange to give himself up, Mull pays a visit to Finch and forces him to confess to Steadman's murder. With Finch's testimony, Mull is also vindicated of charges and is free to marry Bess.

Dir: Elmer Clifton

James Gordon, Sr., owner of the Gordon syndicate, dispatches his roughneck son Jimmy to investigate why production has fallen off in his opal mine on an island off the coast of lower California. After an argument with his fiancé, socialite Lucy Andrews, Jimmy leaves for the island where he is met by Juan, McCool's servant who, along with Jasper Sneedham, has been cheating the company. On the launch, Juan tries to eliminate Jimmy by hitting him over the head, but escapes and swims to shore where he is rescued by Sneedham's stepdaughter Nadine. Nadine takes Jimmy to the hut of mine foreman Fred Haimer, the only honest man on the island. When Nadine overhears her stepfather's plans to take his ill gained fortune and flee, Jimmy and Haimer team up to defeat Juan, Sneedham and McCool. After a number of grueling skirmishes, Jimmy, Haimer and Nadine escape to the mainland where they notify the police who return to the island and arrest the gang. Jimmy then introduces Nadine to his father and is thrilled to learn that Lucy has married a nobleman, thus freeing Jimmy to marry Nadine.

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

Dir: Elmer Clifton

When his father commits suicide after being ruined by dishonest stockbroker Abner Hinman, Randolph Shorb resolves to gain revenge and rebuild his fortune by whatever means necessary. With the aid of notorious crook Philadelphia Johnson, Randolph becomes the head of a gang of thieves and is thereafter known as The Ferret. Joe Freeman, the brother of Randolph's girlfriend Mary, moves to the city, where he is robbed by Johnson and forced to hold up a bank. Mary learns of Joe's troubles and rushes to the city to help him but is lured to a rooming house and attacked by Johnson. Joe disappears with the intention of committing suicide, after which Randolph, frantic over both Joe and Mary, goes to the power house and flashes a message in Morse code over all of the city's electric lights. Through his message, Joe regains hope and Mary is rescued. After the gang's arrest, Randolph vows to lead an honest life.

Dir: Elmer Clifton

While relaxing in his cabin one stormy night, John Winton, a rising young businessman who has successfully resisted the institution of marriage, is interrupted by cries for help. Opening his door, he finds a soaking wet, pretty girl, who pleads with him to come to her aid. She guides him to a swamp where a man is lying insensible. John carries the man to his bungalow and goes for a doctor. On his return, both have disappeared. John, his curiosity thoroughly aroused, follows the only clue that has been left to him, a glove that is lying on the cabin floor. After a series of mysterious encounters in which the girl is involved, John marries her without knowing who or what she is. Then it is revealed that the whole mystery has been a scheme contrived by John's father to marry his son off by employing the romance of mystery.

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

Dir: Elmer Clifton

In order to be admitted to his school fraternity, David Bruce is told to impersonate a Balkan prince. In that guise, Bruce leaves for the prince's tiny principality. En route, he becomes involved with a gang of anarchists who order him to kill the prince he is supposed to be impersonating. After escaping from the anarchists, Bruce arrives at the Balkan state and learns that he is to marry a princess from a neighboring land. Bruce willingly agrees to the ceremony when he learns that the princess is Hulda Maroff, the college coed with whom he fell in love back home. After the marriage, the anarchists arrive to kill Bruce and his bride, but they escape. At that moment, the telephone rings and awakens Bruce from his dream. On the line is Hulda, calling for help. Bruce rounds up his college chums, goes to Hulda's rescue and the two are married.

Dir: Elmer Clifton

When young inventor Bob Moore fails in his efforts to provide his father, a safe manufacturer, with a lock that is burglar proof, he contacts The "Eel," the most talented safecracker in the city, to offer him a job in his factory. The Eel, deciding to go straight, accepts the offer, but when he later learns that Irene Hardin has been given a valuable necklace by her father, The Eel plans one last job to secure Irene's pearls. Meanwhile, Irene's father, also a safe manufacturer, places the pearls in his own safe and tells Bob that if he can open it, Irene will be his. Bob, in love with Irene, opens the safe and places the pearls on the handle. After he departs, The Eel enters the house and steals the pearls. Bob is accused of the crime, and to exonerate himself, pursues The Eel. After a lively fight, Bob recovers the necklace and returns home to claim his bride.

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

Dir: Elmer Clifton

Jane is a rootless young lady who finds an abandoned child and adopts it as her own. The decision, however, leads to great conflict with the child's vicious outlaw father.

Dir: Elmer Clifton

Two men, one of them a villainous hypnotist, contend for the same woman, unaware that she suffers from dual personality disorder.