Top-Tier Alternatives In the Shadow of Good Night, Paul: Cult Guide

Dir: Walter Edwards

Promising young lawyer Jack Dunn becomes a victim of drugs and loses his standing in the legal world. He passes his idle hours in the slums where he meets underworld figure Nan Bishop, whose influence helps to make a man out of Dunn; with her help he breaks his dependence on drugs and is successful in obtaining a position as a criminal lawyer. Years later, they meet again in a courtroom: Nan has been falsely accused of murder and Dunn is the prosecuting attorney. Learning that Dunn's professional future depends on his winning the case, Nan pleads guilty, but at the last minute, the real criminal is discovered and Nan is cleared of the crime. She then accepts Dunn's offer of marriage and together they look forward to a happy future.

Dir: Walter Edwards

Bright young novelist Mabel Vere is engaged to Gerald Wantage, a prig who angrily objects when she advertises for a husband in order to elicit ideas for her new book. Mabel's roommate, Maud Bray, a physical culture expert, frightens away the less desirable suitors, while the writer responds to the more interesting letters, and soon becomes embroiled in a number of adventures. One of her applicants is a butler, whose employer, Noel Corcoran, also has answered the ad. Noel informs Mabel that Gerald has bet the other members of his club that she will answer no more letters. Angered, she responds to several particularly lurid ones, after which she and Gerald break off their engagement. Having fallen in love with Mabel, Noel proposes and is accepted.

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

Dir: Walter Edwards

After years on the international crime circuit, "Silver Jim" Farrel shares a comfortable and honest suburban life with Marjory, his sister, until word comes that an old friend from his thieving days is in desperate need of cash. To save his bankrupt friend from jail, Jim reluctantly executes a jewel heist, being careful not to involve Marjory or his sweetheart, who know nothing of his past, in the scheme. When Edgar Seymour, the son of the robbed jeweler, attends Marjory's wedding, Jim prevents him from exposing him on the spot only by jabbing a gun into his back during the proceedings. After the ceremony, Jim returns the jewels as promised, avoiding reprisals from the senior Seymour by reminding him of the time when he swindled Jim and caused him to serve time in prison for someone else's crime. With the help of a sliding trick door and a conveniently placed safe, "Silver Jim" escapes police detection and returns to his quiet, honest existence.

Dir: Walter Edwards

When prospector Harry Webb returns to town from the Funeral Range, he falls in love with cabaret singer Janice Williams. Mark Brenton, an unscrupulous lawyer, lures Janice to his room but is shot by his jealous former sweetheart Dixie. Harry, rushing into the room, believes that Janice is guilty and assumes the blame in order to shield her. During the trial, Brenton's partner, Frank Beekman, holds Janice prisoner to prevent her from testifying; consequently, Harry is convicted and sentenced to death. En route to prison, Harry escapes into the desert, and some time later, he returns to town to sell one of his mines to Freddie Leighton. Despite Harry's disguise, Beekman recognizes him, and when they fight, a gun is discharged, mortally wounding Dixie who has been standing behind a screen. Before her death, she confesses that she killed Brenton, which clears Harry's name and allows him finally to marry Janice.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Time Locks and Diamonds perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Walter Edwards

Dr. Dudley Duprez is a well-known Louisiana physician. His beautiful but wayward niece, Rose Duprez, is abducted by Paul Crenshaw, a friend of the doctor, and to prevent her shame from becoming known, Rose kills herself. Dr. Duprez learns her secret and determines to make Crenshaw expiate his crime. While traveling on a Mississippi River steamer, the doctor wins Mercedes, a beautiful slave, at cards. He takes her home and, passing her off as a distant relative, arranges it so that Crenshaw falls in love with the girl. A wedding is arranged, and immediately after the ceremony Dr. Duprez announces to the assembled guests that Mercedes is a slave and that he considers he has punished Crenshaw sufficiently by making him the husband of a "nigger." A yellow fever epidemic breaks out shortly after, and Crenshaw is shot when attempting to evade the quarantine. Dr. Duprez is told by a dying overseer from the plantation where Mercedes was born that the girl is of Spanish and American ancestry, without a drop of negro blood in her veins, and was made a slave through a conspiracy. The doctor returns home, confesses his wrong to Mercedes and is forgiven by her. In the end they are married.

Dir: Walter Edwards

Paddy O'Hara is the star reporter on the London Blade. Rumors of impending warfare between two Balkan principalities reach London, and Paddy is dispatched to the seat of action. Before leaving he comes across the photograph of a military officer. Count Ivan of Darbaya, and his niece, the Lady Maryska. Two weeks later Paddy reaches Tarozza, the seaport capital of Ideria, and finds that the army there is preparing to invade Darbaya. While waiting at Tarozza he forms the acquaintance of a Captain Raoul du Plessis, of the Iderian Huzzars. Raoul is charged with an important mission to Darbaya, and carries on his person documents to be delivered at headquarters. In order to obtain these and delay the Captain's departure, a spy insults him and forces a duel. Du Plessis, who chooses Paddy secretly transfer the documents to Paddy, who leave Tarozza disguised in the uniform of Captain Raoul. Although the spies are hot on his trail, Paddy reaches a castle perched high on the cliffs of Darbaya. The castle is deserted, as its men folk are fighting in the valley and its women have been sent away to a place of safety. One inmate alone is left, the Lady Maryska, the girl of his dreams. Maryska sees in Paddy an intruder in the hated uniform of Ideria and treats him with scorn. At the time of the meeting the Iderians are sweeping all before them, and Colonel Ivan retreats to the castle. The Colonel's one anxiety is to get his niece away from the danger zone. As the castle is about to fall into the hands of the enemy, the only way to escape is to place her in the care of Paddy. By a slight alteration, the passport is made to read Patrick O'Hara and wife. Circumstances make it imperative for Paddy to go through the marriage ceremony with Maryska, who only consents on the condition that she is to be freed from the marital yoke as soon as they reach safety. Passing through innumerable adventures and hardships the couple at last gain the frontier. Paddy sends his dispatch to the Blade and while dictating to the operator leaves Maryska asleep under shelter. The message sent, he returns just in time to see Maryska seized and borne away in an aeroplane by emissaries of the enemy. Paddy returns to London. When all hope is lost, he receives a summons to a foreign embassy, where a proposition is made to him to relinquish his wife in order that she may wed a great personage. He is assured that a divorce can easily be arranged and is offered a handsome monetary bribe and other considerations. O'Hara refuses the proposition, and his refusal is overheard by Maryska, who is hiding in the council chamber. Maryska has learned to love the gallant Irishman during the stormy days of battle and flight, and convinces him that the hurried wedding in the Balkans will stand good for all time.

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

Dir: Walter Edwards

Wealthy John Steele has a handsome young son, Frank, on whom he pins his hopes. But riches lead Frank not into social standing and duty, but into depravity, drug-addiction, criminal activity, and finally to tragedy.

Dir: Walter Edwards

David Waltham is the head of a syndicate, which corners the food supply. His wife hears of her husband's operation and begs him to consider the poor, who will be unable to pay the prices that his monopoly will exact. He is merciless, however. Among those who suffer from Waltham's efforts is an engineer named John Adams. The bank in which his small funds are deposited undergoes a "run" and he loses all his money. He has previously lost his job. The Adams family is reduced to starvation and finally Adams in desperation breaks a window in a bakery and gets away with an armful of bread. He is arrested and is sent up to the workhouse for thirty days. The rent collector comes around, but Mrs. Adams is unable to pay him anything though she slaves over the washboard and her two children assist her. Seeing that the woman is beautiful, the collector gives her some money, telling her to buy her children and herself a square meal. She reluctantly accepts his gift. Little by little she descends until she even appears in a low dance hall with the man. John Adams returns from jail and goes to his humble rooms. There he finds his children in bed. Finally his wife appears in beautiful and expensive clothes. She appears disgusted with the life she leads and wipes the paint off her lips with loathing. Then she suddenly sees her husband, who is staring at her as if in a trance. She is almost hysterical from fright. He grasps her wrists roughly and demands an explanation. She tells him that she has done it for the children's sake. This plea saves her life, but the soul of John Adams is filled with bitterness. Widespread suffering and destitution prevail and bread lines are everywhere in the poorer quarters of the great city. Men and women practice deception to get a little more bread and some get into fights overcome by their own and their children's sufferings. Three desperate men invade the sanctum of David Waltham, but are quelled by his masterful manner and slink away impotently when he tells them that he will call the police if they are not gone in a minute. John Adams gets a job in Waltham's big storage house. A fellow worker points out Waltham to Adams and the latter's rage against the big monopolist is aroused to a high pitch of fury as he thinks of his wife's degradation. Adams blames it all on Waltham. That night he secrets himself in the big warehouse and telephones to Waltham saying that the police are down there, having heard of a secret plan on the part of some of the starving populace to destroy the place. He tells Waltham to leave his auto a block or two away from the building, when he comes, to avoid suspicion. Adams gets Waltham in the building and securely ties him and then leaves him to starve. That he may not be found, Adams surrounds the magnate with a big pile of boxes. In his struggles to free himself, Waltham upsets the towering piles of boxes and they topple over completely burying him.

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

Dir: Walter Edwards

After discovering her husband Roger has been unfaithful to her, Angela De Haven sets out to make all men pay for his deceit. Roger, despairing of ever winning back his wife, sails for the South Sea islands and is lost during the voyage. Meanwhile, Angela establishes a salon where prominent men vie for her attentions. One of the members of her court, Bragdon Brant, controls the Bob Cat mine, but not the railroad extending to it which is owned by Bob Spalding. Brant sends Angela West to buy the controlling interest in the railroad and she meets Bob, who falls in love with her. Angela refuses to marry him and flees after securing control of the road through Bob's partner, Durant. She returns to New York, intent upon ruining Brant, but is prevented from carrying out her plans when Bob appears and forces her to realize the destructive path that her life has taken. Angela then restores the railroad shares to Bob, and thus reconciled, they travel West to spend the rest of their lives together.

Dir: Walter Edwards

After her family dies in the jungle, Ollante is raised by Brazilian Indians, and, from her rugged lifestyle, she grows into a woman of uncommon strength and courage. Then, she rescues Ridgeway Webb, an explorer lost in the wilderness, and he soon discovers, through papers left on Ollante by her parents, that she is worth a fortune. As a result, the unscrupulous Ridgeway starts courting Ollante, and after she has fallen in love with him, he marries her and brings her to New York. At a society party, however, which Ridgeway turns into a drunken orgy, Ollante hears her husband boast of his cunning in catching a millionaire for a wife. Suddenly aware of his motives, Ollante takes off her American high society outfit, puts on her jungle costume, and strangles Ridgeway.