The Essential Watchlist that Capture the Essence of Fools for Luck:...

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

Hamilton Hill meets Estelle Redding in an umbrella repair shop and rescues her from two thugs soon afterwards. Estelle has hidden in the handle of her grey parasol the formula for "Coalex," an inexpensive substitute for coal which the coal trust is trying to prevent from reaching the market. Edward Burnham, one of the thugs, tells Hamilton that Estelle is a German agent, but the infatuated young bachelor fails to believe the story. Estelle entrusts Hamilton with the parasol, but when Burnham, who is revealed as Estelle's brother, finally snatches it away from him, they discover that the formula has been removed and that she has outwitted them all. Two German agents, posing as representatives of the United States government, nearly obtain the formula from her, but Hamilton, accompanied by Burnham, who has experienced a change of heart, rescue her in time. With the formula safely delivered to U.S. government officials, Hamilton and Estelle turn to more romantic pursuits.

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

Maida Brown, a rich widow, is being visited by wealthy aircraft manufacturer Louis Letchworth at the Brown family estate in Bayport. The family maid notices the pair's affectionate behavior toward each other and, aghast, reports the incident to Maida's father, the head of the local Purity League. The local citizenry is so outraged by this scandalous behavior that they force Maida to leave town. Meanwhile, Harold Brown, her late husband's brother, is aware that the family estate will revert to him if Maida remarries, so he spies on her in order to prove that she and Louis are married, so Harold can get the family fortune for himself.

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

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

When her two roommates, Maude Raynes and Helen Bartlett, become engaged, Darcy Cole invents a titled fiancé of her own, in part to ward off her friends' nasty remarks about her untidy appearance. Darcy's friend Gloria Green lends a photograph of her cousin, Jack Remsen, made up as a lord for a college play, then transforms Darcy into a stylish beauty. As a practical joke, Gloria's fiancé Tom Harmon agrees to lend his bungalow to each couple for their honeymoon. Darcy pretends to elope with her imaginary lord, played by Jack. The real and pretended honeymooners arrive in succession and are assigned bedrooms by housekeeper Veronica. When Veronica sees Jack remove his makeup, she is certain he is Gentleman Jack, the burglar she has been reading about. Finally, Gloria and Tom arrive and straighten matters out, and Darcy and Jack decide to become real honeymooners.

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

Coaxed by sharpers, who seek to profit by his rustic innocence, the boy from the small town goes to the city with them and become, innocently enough, a successful swindler, but he learns of the deception and returns home, too ashamed to seek his old sweetheart. The crooks return to try a blackmail game, but Ernie's eyes are opened now. He cleans up in whirlwind fashion.

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

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

Robert Hervey Randolph receives $10,000 a year because of the inability to locate the rightful heir of a will, who would receive the money if she could be found. Madge Van Tillier jilts Robert because he does not have enough money. While riding in a taxi, Robert rescues chorus girl Imogene Pamela Thorton from her companion Duke Beamer, and takes her home. Pam turns out to be the missing heir, and Robert loses his inheritance. He then gets a job as a taxi driver. Pam receives a large portion of her inheritance from the Ajax Taxi Company. Beamer tries to ruin Ajax, but Robert foils him, becomes vice-president of the company, and wins Pam's love.

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

Doris Wynne, at boarding school in France, is hardly acquainted with her mother, most of the dealings between them handled by a firm of lawyers. So when she falls in love with the brother of a schoolmate, she obtains her mother's consent through the attorneys. Alys Wynne's reasons for seeing so little of her daughter are that she is the companion in crime of "Python" Grant, international swindler. Having ruined a young nobleman and causing him to commit suicide, the pair escape to America. Doris, the daughter, in the meantime, is happily married to Keith Bourne, a young American. An uncle leaves him a million dollars and they decide to return to the United States. Grant and Alys discover Keith and cultivate him. That he is the husband of Doris is unknown to the mother, who is still young and beautiful herself. Grant pretends to abuse his wife and Keith comforts her. A suit for alienation of affection is the result. Bourne settles for $40,000 rather than have his young wife misunderstand him. But the swindlers try the "Follow-up" and when Keith refuses to be led further they telephone his wife and tell her the story. Through the attorneys she asks her mother to come to her. Alys goes and hears the story. She is thunderstruck to learn that her victim is the husband of her daughter. She advises the younger woman to believe in her husband and disappears. She tells the police where to find Python" Grant and next day the happy couple read in the paper that the woman accomplice of the swindler was found dead. It means nothing to them.

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

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

Pursued by two men, a wealthy banker Roderick Duncan and brash interloper Richard Morton, Patricia Langdon favors Duncan until her father, finding himself in dire financial straits, appeals to his prospective son-in-law for help. Patricia, believing that she is regarded as mere human collateral, insists upon making a legal transaction out of her engagement, with loan papers duly signed. Resentful, Patricia begins to encourage Morton's attentions, and when the two suffer an auto accident, they go to a country shack for the night. Meanwhile, Duncan, fearful for Patricia's safety, begins to search for his fiancée, arriving just in time to save her from Morton's advances. The incident forces Patricia to realize that Duncan's intentions are truly honorable and that she is much more than human collateral to the man who loves her.

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

Gilbert and Edith Goodhue lack nothing in life except a child, which they desperately desire. Edith's brother Alan, who is interested in eugenics, suggests that they pay their chauffeur Joe and maid Nora to have a baby for them. While awaiting the proper time to elapse, Edith and Gilbert travel to Palm Beach for an extended vacation, where Gilbert, attempting to obtain a child for his wife, vamps a dancer with a baby. Edith misunderstands and becomes desperately jealous until Gilbert finally explains his motives, causing the two to renew their love with ardent fervor. Returning home, they discover that the maid has given birth to a baby boy, but is loath to part with him. Embarrassment follows as the couple puzzle over what to tell their friends who are awaiting the blessed event until Edith discloses that the Florida sunshine has worked wonders and that another baby is on its way.

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

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

Lord Dawlish is made the heir of an eccentric English millionaire, who cuts off a nephew and niece, living in America. Dawlish is engaged to Claire Edmont, an actress. Dawlish offers half his inheritance to the niece, and when she refuses to accept he goes to America to persuade her. Claire follows, but not having received the letter regarding the inheritance she marries a man she meets on the boat. Dawlish meets Elizabeth as Bill Chalmers, his family name, and as Bill she learns to love him, but she discovers his identity, and things work to a rapid conclusion.

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

"Two-Bits," the price men used to pay for a haircut, isn't much money in these days with old Mr. H.C.L. at our heels, but one "Two-Bit" piece surely changed the life events of Jimmy Mason. Jimmy couldn't get an orchestra seat to see the wonderful lady in tights so he invested "Two-Bits" and went to the gallery. There he found a seat beside a wonderful girl. He sat to the finish but didn't see the show; her eyes blurred everything commonplace, and then they became acquainted when she accidentally jabbed him with a hatpin. The next night he asked her to go with him to an orchestra box. But Alice wouldn't listen. But she would go to the "Two-Bit" gallery. And they went often, but Jimmy always suffered the fear that Faulkner, his boss, would see him and think him a terribly cheap sport. But Alice told Jimmy not to waste money on seats in the orchestra. And so it went. Finally the blow falls when his employer sees him and Alice exiting from the gallery. Hope is gone when he is called before the boss the next morning and asked how long he had been patronizing the gallery, but all is well and the sun shines again when "the old man" approves and proves it with a promotion. Jimmie dashes to Alice's house and tells her about the promotion and what he thinks of a certain girl. Then Alice tells him that all along she had a definite idea in preferring 'Two-Bit Seats." You are entitled to one guess. You're Right.