Underground Favorites Mirroring the Impact of Help! Help! Police!: ...

Dir: Edward Dillon

A young girl, Rose Eastmen ( Besie Love ) lives with her lazy Uncle, who works as a janitor in a publishing house. Lacking education, both Rose and her Uncle are susceptible to the socialist ideas of writer Rudolph Creig. One day Rose encounters Jack Stevens the wealthy son of the owner of a publishing house, working on his car. She believes he is a common laborer, and she begins courting him. Through her exposure to Jack, Rose begins to realize the rich are not such an abominable people. Rudolph has also reached this conclusion after learning Stevens has published his book. Now bolstered by success and armed with a hefty royalty check, Rudolph is able to marry Rose.

Dir: Edward Dillon

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

Through the death of a relative, New York sweatshop worker Lizzie Holt is transformed into Miss Elizabeth Holt, heiress. Elizabeth soon tires, however, of the shallowness of society life and occupies herself by working in a settlement house on the lower East Side. There she falls in love with John Russell, an idealist who despises the rich, and to escape his scorn, she identifies herself as Miss Holt's secretary. John's efforts to close up ward boss Ted Phelan's gambling house next door prove successful when the place is raided, but when several of Elizabeth's acquaintances on a "slumming party" seek her aid in escaping arrest, John discovers her true identity. He is about to change his mind about marrying her, when Elizabeth convinces him that her love and her character are true, and the two are united.

Dir: Edward Dillon

Dodo Warren, an ingenuous young bride, decides to take her three rejected suitors - Bobo Brown, Tommy Belden, and Dr. Elliott - along with her and her husband Herb on their honeymoon. Herb's protests fall on deaf ears, and soon all five are comfortably ensconced in a Florida resort. Herb finds Dodo in what appears to be a compromising position with Dr. Elliott, but her heartfelt explanation convinces him of her innocence. A year later, Dodo tries to rescue Angie Martin, who has quarreled with her fiancé Bobo and therefore plans to attend a party with George Haywood. After calling Dr. Elliott, Dodo asks Bobo to accompany her to the party, which Angie fails to attend, and later that evening, the well-meaning young wife is locked into Haywood's apartment. Following a new round of explanations, Dodo promises never to look at another man again.

Dir: Edward Dillon

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

A follies girl is courted by the son of an aristocratic family. The presence of this rough and ready showgirl in such sedate surroundings creates amusing situations. She brings with her to the household a sympathetic pet--a goldfish--to which she confides her troubles. When her wealthy suitor is called away on business, she learns of his younger brother, who, though he appears to be absorbed in his books, is more her type. She transforms him into her ideal and alienates the elder brother; her own wit brings about a happy ending in her prospective marriage to the younger brother.

Dir: Edward Dillon

Ann Wharton, a rambunctious young student at the prestigious Bredwell Academy, is in trouble after a spoonful of cereal she flung at a classmate hits Mrs. Bredwell in the face. As she is being reprimanded in Mrs. Bredwell's office, a misunderstanding results in a member of the football team arriving at the office with Ann's clothes--she had left them behind when she changed into a football uniform so she could play football with the team--and Mrs. Bredwell writes to Ann's father notifying him that Ann is being expelled. She intercepts the letter, but her troubles are far from over.

Dir: Edward Dillon

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

Anita Gray is the spoiled daughter of a millionaire. Returning home from a party, her car breaks down and she is picked up by a stranger, who sells her his car for a diamond bracelet. The car has been stolen and the police arrest her, but she escapes and takes refuge on a freighter bound for China. She has no money and has to work her way there. Her father learns of her destination and hires Hamlin to bring her safely home. Meanwhile, she has taken a job as a croupier at the dice table in a casino. Datto recognizes her and kidnaps her for ransom. But Hamlin is looking for her.

Dir: Edward Dillon

In a mock fraternity initiation, a group of Yale students haze Paul Browning for tattling. When he learns that the leader of the group, oarsman Buck Simmons, is also winning the favor of Aida Courtlandt, the dean's niece, the jealous Browning and gambler Burton Hampdon, to whom Browning owes money, attempt to disgrace Buck so he will not be allowed to participate in the upcoming Yale-Harvard race. After they fail to lure Buck to bed with a girl, Browning takes Aida to a roadhouse so that Buck will have to break training rules to go there. When the coach, suspicious about the roadhouse incident, finds a letter planted on Buck about a deal for him to throw the race, he suspends Buck, but with Aida's influence, the dean straightens matters out. After Yale wins a close race, Browning shoots at Buck, who then trounces him. Proclaimed captain of the next year's team, Buck becomes engaged to Aida.

Dir: Edward Dillon

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

New York police sergeant Jim Dark is determined that his daughter, Jenny, will be shielded from any knowledge of evil. Consequently, she lives in a dream world, imagining herself to be a descendant of Saint Jeanne d'Arc, but has a loyal friend in reporter Pep Mullins. Her school friend, Adele, also raised by overly protective parents, is ejected from her home when she becomes inebriated after spending an evening with a disreputable young man. Later, Jenny falls into the hands of a crooked Frenchman, posing as a wounded veteran, who absconds with $250,000 intended for war orphans. Jim tracks the criminal to a rendezvous with his daughter and rescues her with the aid of Pep, who makes Jenny his wife.

Dir: Edward Dillon

Traveling on a Pullman train are two strangers who, except for a difference in hair color, bear a striking resemblance to each other. Horace Barney, the heir to a fortune, is on his way to a mental sanitarium, accompanied by his unscrupulous guardian Maurice Claypool and Claypool's accomplices, Dr. Wallace and Thomas Farrel. Jack Trevor, an automobile salesman, is substituted for Barney when the train crashes and Barney is killed. When Trevor awakens from his unconscious state, he finds himself in a mansion and addressed as Barney. He falls in love with Helen Townsend, Barney's cousin who is next in line for the inheritance. Trevor realizes the fraud and sets out to save the estate for Helen. Claypool, who wants to marry Helen, tries to declare Trevor insane and commit him to an institution. A series of fights, chases, and misunderstandings ensue, but Trevor finally forces a confession from Claypool and wins both Helen and the fortune.

Dir: Edward Dillon

Professional thief Joe Grim is killing time in New York City's Central Park before he robs the Wall Street subtreasury. He spots pretty young Laura White on a runaway horse. He manages to rescue her. Falling for her, he tries to steal a photo of her but is discovered and held at gunpoint by Laura's friend Countess Briand--who, unbeknownst to Laura, is actually the head of a German spy ring, among whose members if Laura's fiance Karl Richter. The countess convinces Joe to steal plane for a new airplane by telling Joe that they're papers that are being used to blackmail Laura. But things don't go exactly as planned.