Editor's Top Picks Following the Footsteps of High Finance: Cult Guide

Dir: Otis Turner

Jack Langdon is sent by a San Francisco company to manage its Santa Clara mine in Peru. Gov. Juan Maria Barada, who disputes the American claim to the mine, means to gain possession of it through intimidation. Barada has his henchman, Miguel Alba, try to bribe and then attempt to kill Langdon, who plans to inform his superiors about the plot. Langdon returns to San Francisco, and after six weeks in delirium in the hospital because of Alba's attack, recovers. He then is told that his aunt has died, leaving him the heir to a woman's seminary in Massachussetts, containing 250 female students. Langdon goes to the seminary, and after the commencement exercises, although he thinks that he is alone at the college except for the caretakers, he comes upon Pepita, Barada's daughter, who is a student at the seminary. She escaped from the clutches of the evil Alba and his mistress, Señorita Del Deros, who had tried to kidnap her from the college. Alba returns for Pepita but he is overcome by Langdon who then telephones Barada and informs him that his daughter is safe. In gratitude, Barada promises that Langdon's new tenure in Peru will be trouble free, and that Alba will be silenced permanently.

Dir: Otis Turner

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

Terence O'Rourke an adventurer, has been courting Princess Beatrix long enough to ask her to marry him, but he realizes that, with no steady income, he has no right to propose. Then, the Pool of Flame, a huge ruby that adorns a statue of Buddha, is stolen, and officials in Rangoon offer Terence $500,000 to find the jewel and return it. In tracking down the gem, Terence must outwit such longtime adversaries as Chambret, Princess Karan, and another of Beatrix' suitors, Duke Victor. Finally, Terence manages to complete his mission, and then, with his fortune assured, he ends the long wooing phase of his romance with Beatrix and marries her.

Dir: Otis Turner

Tired of the life of a gunfighter, Lish Henley settles down in the quiet California town of Peaceful Hill. The town, however, doesn't live up to its name, and it's not long before Lish finds himself the unofficial "mediator" of the town, which is being terrorized by various outlaw gangs. Lish has his own style of "mediating", however--he keeps killing members of rival gangs until they agree to holster their guns and leave the town alone. However, one day Big Bill, an old enemy of Lish's, shows up in town with his gang, looking for payback.

Dir: Otis Turner

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

Reverend Eric Norton leaves his position in a fashionable New York congregation to preach in a poor mining town, against the wishes of his wife Cecelia. Disputes rage about the safety of the mines, which have been closed under pressure, but in spite of threats from powerful miner "Bull" Morgan, Eric uses his influence with the owner to reopen the mines. Bored with her drab life, Cecelia deserts her infant son and runs off to Paris with former lover Richard Allen, who eventually leaves her. Penitent, Cecelia decides to return home only to find that her husband, believing her dead after reading about her apparent suicide in a newspaper, has married Edith Jackson, his ward. Bull Morgan attempts to blow up the mines but is buried in the explosion instead. Sneaking into her home for a last look at her son, Cecelia accidentally sets the house on fire. After a brave rescue of the baby, Cecelia begs Eric's forgiveness, then dies.

Dir: Otis Turner

After a prologue which shows several aerial views of the Acropolis, the story begins. The friendship of Damon, the senator, and Pythias, the soldier, is famous in Ancient Syracuse. Because the general Dionysius is infatuated with Calanthe, Pythias' sweetheart, he sends the soldier to fight the Carthaginians at the Battle of Agrigentum. Pythias returns in triumph, and then angers Dionysius even further when he defeats Aristle, the general's favorite, in a chariot race. During the wedding ceremony for Pythias and Calanthe, Dionysius has himself proclaimed sovereign while Damon is absent from the Senate. Shocked, Damon attempts to assassinate Dionysius, but he fails and is sentenced to death. In order for Damon to say goodbye to his wife and son, Pythias leaves Calanthe and takes his friend's place in prison, offering to die in Damon's place if he does not return. Despite several tests of the strength of their friendship, they remain loyal to each other and so impress Dionysius that he allows them both Free.

Dir: Otis Turner

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

With the help of futuristic technical inventions, a private detective investigates a bizarre murder case involving mysterious messages delivered in a small black box by the killer.

Dir: Otis Turner

Balentine inherits a fortune from his father. He also inherits a fiancée. He sets out to spend the fortune and would have succeeded had not Vera Morton stepped in. Miss Morton, the fiancée, gets his money away from him, and keeps it until he settles down to earn a living. Jack changes his mind about marrying Miss Morton, when he sees Jane Billon. Vera solves the difficulty by becoming the wife of old Billon. Then she returns Jack's fortune, and he adds to it by acquiring Jane.

Dir: Otis Turner

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

Young and wild, George Bell lives with his rancher father, Thomas Bell, in Paradise Valley, California. When George sells his father's favorite horse, Mr. Bell turns him out, and George becomes a grain salesman in St. Louis. Meanwhile, Polly Martin lives with her father Bill, an ex-businessman who has sunk to day-labor because of his addiction to alcohol. Bill frequently abuses Polly, and when he falls to his death from a high girder, Polly becomes a nurse in the Salvation Army in St. Louis. George falls in love with Polly after he saves her from the advances of a drunk, but she will not marry him because of his wild past. Instead, she applies for a job in Paradise Valley as a nurse, where she renders aid to Thomas Bell, who has broken his leg. She nurses him back to health at his ranch, and he grows fond of her. Eventually, George learns that Polly is in Paradise Valley and follows her to the ranch. When Thomas discovers that his son loves Polly, he sacrifices his love for George's happiness, and all live together as a family.

Dir: Otis Turner

Young Anthony March, living in London, inherits a considerable amount of money, but his crooked uncle Dr. Manuel Ceneri steals it. When Anthony gets suspicious, Ceneri's partner in crime, Macari, persuades Ceneri to kill him. However, just as they commit the murder a blind man, Gilbert Vaughan, mistakenly enters the house. Anthony's sister Pauline sees the murder, faints and loses her memory. Thinking they have gotten away with the murder, Ceneri and Macari soon find out that they're in for a shock.

Dir: Otis Turner

Miriam Lee is a young woman in New York who works hard for a living. Her life changes when she meets Joe Valdez, a handsome and ruthless gambler. After the couple is married Valdez opens an elegant gambling house and uses Miriam, who is nicknamed "the queen of the night", as bait to attract rich and gambling customers.