Deep Archive Finds in the Vein of Golden Rule Kate: Cult Guide

Dir: Reginald Barker

The bandit Jim Stokes, wanting to go straight and settle down with his new bride, strikes a bargain with the sheriff for his freedom.

Dir: Reginald Barker

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

Doris Wingate is featured in a Sunday magazine supplement as the most snobbish girl in America. In reality, Doris is lovable and eager for friends, and it is her Aunt Priscilla who deliberately cultivates the false impression. Realizing this, her uncle ships Doris off to a co-educational college, but unfortunately, her reputation preceded her and she is snubbed by the other students. However, in Robert Lee Hollister, a fellow student who takes in washing to earn his tuition, and his little helper Dolly Temple, Doris finds true friends. Entering into a business partnership with her new friends, Doris spends her happiest hours sorting linen until her Aunt Priscilla arrives to break up the match. Doris defies her aunt and elopes with Bob, thus shattering her image as a snob, and the two settle down to a happy life together.

Dir: Reginald Barker

In war-torn Europe, Colonel Damien seizes an enemy town, then to persuade the defeated soldiers to give up their ill-gotten money, the Emir of Balkania, commander of the supporting native troops, threatens to unleash his men on the women who are staying in the town abbey. After giving the captured men a payment deadline, Damien collapses in a chair and falls asleep. As he sleeps, the emir goes to the abbey where Sylvia, the colonel's daughter, is staying in secret. He offers to free the other women in exchange for her sexual favors, but after complying with his demands, she shoots and kills him. When Damien discovers the emir's corpse, he orders the assassin shot, and covered in a veil, Sylvia is promptly executed. After her body is identified, the colonel is overcome with grief. Finally, he wakes up in his armchair and, realizing the tragedy was only a dream, orders his troops to leave the town in peace.

Dir: Reginald Barker

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

After his wife dies in childbirth, mountaineer Jim Grimsby names his newborn daughter Bill, and raises her as a boy. Remaining a boy in name only, however, Bill soon wants to style her hair and wear the latest fashions. She soon develops a crush on the new sheriff, Waldo Whittier. Appalled at the prospect of his "son" marrying Waldo, Jim decides to test the sheriff's grit, and so, believing that Waldo will be too frightened to come after him, he robs a casino. The sheriff does pursue, however, and, further impressing Jim, Bill pulls a rifle on Waldo to protect her father. Now certain of the sheriff's manliness, and convinced that his daughter has not forgotten how to act like a man, Jim returns the casino's money and agrees to let Bill and Waldo continue their courtship.

Dir: Reginald Barker

A poor ditch-digger, Pietro Massena, lovingly raises his motherless daughter Rosina. Phil Griswold, in order to throw a party to celebrate his expected inheritance, induces his friend Robbins to rob the flower shop where he works. After the inheritance goes to Phil's brother William, who refuses Phil money to return to the flower shop, Phil abducts William's daughter Dorothy and sends a "Black Hand" ransom demand to throw suspicion onto Pietro, who earlier frightened Dorothy when he delivered a Christmas tree to William's house. William drives into the slums looking for Pietro and accidentally runs down Rosina. The grieving Pietro goes to the flower shop on Christmas morning to buy a rose for Rosina's coffin and is accused of the kidnapping, because Phil arranged to have a man known by "the sign of the rose" pick up the ransom money there. Pietro threatens to kill the arresting detective so that he can return to his "bambino," when William arrives with news that Dorothy has been found. William offers Pietro compensation, but he refuses and sorrowfully returns home.

Dir: Reginald Barker

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

Richard Deering, a wealthy New Yorker, spends his holidays in a magnificent lodge in the heart of the Adirondacks. His daughter, Evelyn, Donald Greene, his ward, and Robert Ross, his confidential secretary, are his companions. On the eve of Thanksgiving, Greene is called to New York on business. He leaves reluctantly as he is deeply in love with Evelyn and jealous of Ross. The next morning, while at breakfast, Donald receives a telegram from Evelyn that her father has been shot and begging him to come at once, and bring a detective. Greene goes to Horace Lee, a crime specialist, and returns to Deer lodge accompanied by the detective and his assistant, Joe. They find Deering unconscious attended by the country doctor, and Dr. Adamson, a specialist from New York. The detective and his assistant set to work to unravel the mystery. Suspicion lights on the family butler, who was the last to see his master alive, and who had been acting strangely. Through adventures and deduction the detective unravels the mystery. The butler is exonerated as his worried demeanor is found to be the result of an effort to shield his son, an escaped convict, who had sought refuge in the lodge on the eve of the shooting, and the charge of attempted murder is brought against Donald Greene, who had brought in the aid of mechanical science to perform the deed in his absence. Donald Greene, who has inherited a trace of madness, becomes hopelessly insane. Evelyn gives her hand to the man of her choice, Horace Lee, who is completely restored to health.

Dir: Reginald Barker

Confederate soldier Frank Winslow is terrified of the war and eventually runs away from battle. But when he finds himself behind enemy lines with vital information, he must decide between his fear and his conscience.

Dir: Reginald Barker

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

Billy, who is the little son of Captain Andrews, commandant of a western army post, has one ambition in life, and that is to become a good soldier. This he has confided to his friend, Sergeant Hogan, and the sergeant takes pains to foster the idea. He really needs all his courage to face a new situation that has come up in his life. His father is going to marry again. While he knows absolutely nothing about his prospective stepmother, he can conceive of no one worthy of taking the place of his beloved mother, who lies in the little cemetery outside the fort. In spite of Billy, however, the wedding takes place. The newcomer tries in every way to win over the little fellow, but beyond politeness his friendship stops. Soon after the wedding his father is called at the head of his regiment to quell an uprising of the Sioux Indians, forty miles away. He leaves his bride in little Billy's care. The distant trouble is but a ruse on the part of Lame Bear, the Indian chief, and now, with his picked braves, he swoops down on the weakened garrison at the fort. The defenders of the fort are so few in number that it is but a question of time before they must surrender. Billy, bearing in mind the admonition of his father to take care of his stepmother, takes her away from the fort by a secret passage and hides her in a cave in the hills. Suddenly he observes the wavering men at the stockade. Bethinking himself of his bugle and hoping to lead the Indians to believe that his father and the regiment are returning, he blows the signal to charge from a distant knoll outside the fort. The outcome of that bugle call saves the garrison and draws Billy and his stepmother together.

Dir: Reginald Barker

An American sailor falls in love with a fisherman's daughter and convinces her that Jesus is more powerful than the gods who have cursed her.

Dir: Reginald Barker

An Italian immigrant and his sweetheart search for a better life in America, but the harsh realities of life in the slums of New York City lay waste to their hopes and dreams.