Essential Cult Cinema Drawn from the Same DNA as His Bridal Night: Cult Guide

Dir: Kenneth S. Webb

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Kenneth S. Webb

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Three O'Clock in the Morning perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Impulsive flapper Elizabeth Winthrop, rebels against her parents and moves to New York after breaking with her fiance, Clayton Webster. Hugo Von Strohm, a wealthy playboy, procures Elizabeth a job as a chorus dancer and secretly pays her salary. After he tries to seduce her, Elizabeth sees through his kindnesses and returns to her parents and Clayton.

Dir: Kenneth S. Webb

Ruth Hamilton, from a wealthy aristocratic family, cares little for society or its conventions and refuses the proposal of William Barton, a socialite of her parents' choice. While giving some poor children an outing on a beach, Ruth meets John Martin (Miles?), a young nouveau riche with no social standing who is snubbed by the aristocratic circles, and begins to visit him secretly. When Ruth visits John to show off a new costume, her father arrives to seek his financial aid. Ruth escapes, but she is observed by Barton, who informs her father. Hamilton insists that Martin marry his daughter, but Ruth refuses to be compromised by her father. Later, however, she consents to marry John, discovering that he really loves her.

Dir: Kenneth S. Webb

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Without Fear perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Socialite Leslie Brown, little more than an innocent schoolgirl, becomes engaged to wealthy playboy Dustan Renshaw who has broken his engagement with Janet Preece in order to marry a woman of breeding. After they are married, the Renshaws live abroad where one day, in her husband's absence, Leslie welcomes her friends the Stonehays as her guests, accompanied by their private secretary, Janet Preece. Janet's sudden illness compels her to remain with Leslie after her employers have departed, and the two women become fast friends. Leslie learns the story of Janet's betrayal by a man known to her only as "D. R.," and is shocked to learn upon Dustan's return that Janet's betrayer was none other than her own husband. Leslie leaves Dustan, but, with the passage of time, husband and wife are reunited at Janet's deathbed when Leslie learns to forgive her husband's past.

Dir: Kenneth S. Webb

The defense attorney who was unable to obtain the acquittal of an innocent young man concocts a complicated and diabolical scheme to revenge himself upon the prosecutor.

Dir: Kenneth S. Webb

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

To help her husband keep his job, a woman gives in to her employer's advances. When the husband finds out, he kills his rival.

Dir: Kenneth S. Webb

Eddie Gillian, a wild young New Yorker, lives well on a generous allowance given to him by Old Bryson, his crabby uncle. Eddie loves Bryson's ward, Margaret Hayden, but spends most of his time with Lotta Lauriere, a burlesque queen. After Bryson's death, Eddie is shocked to learn that he has been left only $1,000, which the will advises him to spend prudently and unselfishly. When Lotta discovers this and deserts him, Eddie gives the money to Margaret, who has inherited only $10, telling her that it is rightfully hers. Bryson's lawyer then informs Eddie that he will inherit half a million provided that he spend the $1,000 generously, and although Eddie attempts to turn that, too, over to Margaret, she agrees to share it with him as his wife.

Dir: Kenneth S. Webb

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

A model by day and a short-story writer by night, Erminie Foster is insulted when novelist Ernest Sanford visits her display room to study her as a "flapper" type. Later, Erminie attends a reception uninvited to gather atmosphere for a story. Sanford saves her from being thrown out by saying that she is his cousin. When her prudish aunt forbids her entrance at 3AM, Sanford offers her lodgings under the protection of his housekeeper and soon persuades her to stay for inspiration. He writes a satire on women that is turned down, while hers on men sells. After Erminie overhears Monte Ralston, who loves Sanford's fiancée Helen Reeves, threaten Sanford with Helen's incriminating letters, Erminie sacrifices her reputation to retrieve the letters. When the engagement is broken and Helen and Monte explain Erminie's behavior to Sanford, he loses his smugly superior attitude and confesses he loves Erminie.

Dir: Kenneth S. Webb

Felicia Day is brought up in seclusion by her affectionate but narrow-minded grandfather, Major Trenton. One day, Dudley Hamilt, a choirboy, throws his ball across the fence which separates the rectory from the Trenton yard and meets Felicia, from whom he steals a kiss. Trenton sees the children smooching and, shocked, sends Felicia to Canada. Years pass and Felicia, now an adult, decides to go to New York and make her living as a seamstress. She still yearns for Dudley but decides against seeing him because of her old-fashioned wardrobe. Possessing a natural talent for dancing, Felicia is offered a job by lecherous theatrical manager Allen Graemer, and she accepts. Dudley, attending one of her performances, recognizes his long-lost love and follows her home where he rescues her from Graemer's advances and admits his enduring love for the girl from whom he stole a kiss.

Dir: Kenneth S. Webb

Margherita, an Italian girl, comes to America to avenge the murder of her fiancé by the mysterious Cardi.