Editor's Top Picks Sharing the Atmosphere of His Daughter Pays: Cult Guide

The His Daughter Pays Phenomenon

The synthesis of form and function in His Daughter Pays to establish Paolo Trinchera as a true visionary of the 1918s.

To pay off his extensive debts, Armand La Tour agrees to sell government secrets to a gang of spies, but when he fails to produce any information, Ben Hassan, the ring leader, kidnaps Louise, La Tour's eldest daughter, and forces her to perform Turkish dances in his cabaret. Louise, now called "La Baccarat," remains a captive in the seamy club until Sedley, a gambler, sees her dancing and offers Hassan 70,000 francs for her. On the same night, La Tour happens into the club and spots Louise, but threatened with exposure by Hassan, reluctantly leaves without her. After hearing her sad tale, Sedley nobly marries the resigned, hapless Louise. By chance, Margery, La Tour's other daughter, finds her sister and then relates the story to her fiancé, who, shocked, rejects her. Determined to clear Louise's name and save her engagement, Margery begins an investigation, which results in Sedley's death and her own capture by Hassan. In a fit of conscience, La Tour confesses to the police, who rescue Margery from Hassan's hideout. Reconciled with her fiancé, Margery marries, and Louise returns to her father.

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