Hidden Genre Gems In Alignment with the style of Hit or Miss: Cult Guide

Dir: Dell Henderson

The spoiled, somewhat "mama's boy" young son of a railroad magnate and the pretty young daughter of the magnate's partner set out to stop their respective fathers' incessant quarreling. In the process, they realize that they are falling in love with each other.

Dir: Dell Henderson

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

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Dell Henderson

Pretty young seamstress Doria Dane is discovered by a motion picture producer, who transforms her into a film star and then proposes. Doria, however, has fallen in love with a sculptor named George Steele, who has asked her to pose for his statue, "American Militant." Under Doria's influence, George concentrates on his work and avoids his frivolous Greenwich Village friends, with the result that he wins a prestigious award for the statue. Basking in the limelight, George neglects Doria and falls prey to the fashionable Mrs. Schuyler, a wealthy widow who wants him for herself. George's friends are horrified when Doria bursts into his studio and shatters his masterpiece, but soon afterwards, she leads him into artist Harry North's studio, where the statue is standing intact. After explaining that she destroyed only Harry's replica of the work, Doria accepts George's heartfelt apology, and the two are reunited.

Dir: Dell Henderson

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Who Loved Him Best? perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

To prevent her niece from becoming an old maid, Beatrice Hammond's aunt stipulates in her will that the girl must be married by the age of eighteen or sacrifice a million dollar inheritance. Beatrice is in love with Ronald Farwell, but he has been called to fight against the Germans in France, so Beatrice approaches her guardian, Gerald Eversleigh, with a plan: Gerald will marry her, thus insuring that she will inherit the fortune, but divorce her as soon as Ronald returns. The wedding is staged, and all goes well until Gerald falls in love with his wife. Meanwhile, Ronald falls in love with a French nurse and, upon his return home, offers to pay Gerald to remain married to Beatrice. Gerald happily accepts the offer but refuses the money, and Beatrice discovers that she has loved her husband all along.

Dir: Dell Henderson

A young man doubles as a butler and an amateur detective.

Dir: Dell Henderson

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

Alice Avery, the orphaned daughter of an actress, is raised to adulthood in a small town by her strict Aunt Jane and Uncle Ezra. When artist Richard Danforth comes to town to rest, Alice falls in love with him. When he leaves, he promises that if Alice comes to New York he will care for her, so Alice decides to follow him there over the objections of her aunt and uncle, who want her to marry a local boy. In New York, Richard is surprised by her appearance and sends for Sarah, Alice's childhood guardian, to look after her. Nancy Arnold, one of Richard's models, is in love with him and jealous of Alice, and Alice is jealous of her. When Alice interrupts a quarrel between Richard and Nancy over her, she decides to run away and get a job on the stage. She becomes a famous actress and eventually is found by Richard, who realizes that he is in love with her. She then gives up the stage to become his wife.

Dir: Dell Henderson

Although a feud between the Harlan and Boone families has been raging for years, Mollie Powell, the Harlan's stepdaughter, is secretly in love with Clay Boone. When a young member of the Boone clan is killed during one of the battles, Clay vows that he will never touch a gun again. Branded a coward by the other mountaineers, Clay keeps his oath until Buck Gomery, one of the moonshiners, attacks Julia Weston, the daughter of another moonshiner. Clay comes to Julia's defense, and during the fight the Harlans are arrested and jailed, thus freeing Clay and Mollie to live their lives together in peace.

Dir: Dell Henderson

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

Kid Kelly, a gangster in New York's Lower East Side, attempts to rob Goldberg's millinery store. When the police arrive, Flo Haines, who had come to the building to look at an apartment, hides. When the police find her, they charge her with the crime, but the Kid turns himself over to the law instead. After his release, he again meets Flo, who works in an artificial-flower factory by day and at Reverend Roberts' relief mission by night. The Kid soon falls in love with Flo, and his jealous sweetheart Mamie tricks her into coming to her apartment, where she drugs her and turns her over to Joe Carelli, the flower factory's lustful owner. The Kid saves Flo, but when Carelli is found murdered the next day, he is arrested for the crime. The confession of Annie, who had stabbed Carelli in a jealous rage, frees The Kid, who reforms himself and marries Flo.

Dir: Dell Henderson

After his father's death, Charles de la Fontaine, the Marquis d'Aubeterre, learns that the family is penniless and journeys to America to earn a living for himself and his sister Helen. The Countess d'Este secures him a position in the home of Lathrop, a millionaire, and the young nobleman instantly falls in love with Lathrop's pretty daughter Marian. Supposing that Charles is after her fortune, Marian avoids him and becomes engaged to the wealthy Rudolph Miller. Charles changes her opinion of him, however, when he and Marian are locked in an old tower, and, after swearing that he will only marry her when the two are equally wealthy, he makes a daring escape. Unknown to the Lathrops, Charles backs Marian's brother Frank in a financial venture, as a result of which the two young men become rich. Marian discovers that Rudolph is unfaithful, and with the "golden wall" of wealth that had separated them now obliterated, she and Charles wed.

Dir: Dell Henderson

Among the younger members of the select families of the "Avenue," are Pete Milholland, a "good fellow" and sportsman, and his fiancée, Alice Gardner. Only once have they quarreled, that was when Pete disgraced himself by coming upon the polo fields intoxicated. This was good cause, and we now find Peter staring blankly ahead of him with the returned ring in his hand. Still in a stupor from drink, Pete instructs his butler that he is leaving for Europe and staggers out of the house. He finds himself on the shores at Coney Island, in a garb not his own. During his wanderings in the amusement park, Pete comes before the entrance of the "Turkish Dream." Partially attracted by the pretty dancer and chiefly in need of sleep, he smuggles himself into the place. He has come at the psychological moment, for the proprietor, Mooney, and his daughter, Tessie, the dancer, are in a quandary. Their orchestra, the pianist, has left them. Pete steps into the breach, much to the jealousy of Jan, the boatman, Tessie's ardent lover. As time passes Pete decides to return home, taking with him Tessie and her father. The jovial Irishman and his daughter dislike the idea of leaving their "kind," but with the arrival of the automobile they agree to go. Tessie is taken care of by Pete's aunt, who would rather do most anything than come in contact with the belle of Coney Island. Her arrival causes consternation in society circles and it is realized by Pete that she is not suitable for him, but he is determined to marry her, as Alice, according to the papers, is going to become the wife of his friend, Tony Graves. During her stay at the Milholland mansion Tessie notices how Pete controls his feelings when Alice approaches, and how Alice's heart nearly breaks when the two girls meet. Alice and Pete finally come face to face, and Pete learns that the newspaper report of Alice's marriage to Tony was false. He takes her in his arms, and thus they are discovered by Tessie. Summoning all her strength and forcing a smile upon her face, Tessie tells them that she lied and does not love Pete at all, and returns her ring. Pete is overcome to think that he was on the verge of falling into the trap set by this young "vampire," while Alice is overjoyed at the unexpected turn of events, though secretly feeling that Tessie is making a great sacrifice. After Tessie's return to her kingdom on the beach, "The Turkish Dream," true love steals its way into her heart as it had done to Alice and Pete, and soon Jan proves to be her ideal of a husband.