Curated Recommendations Seeking the Same Brilliance as Hitting Hard...

Dir: Charley Chase

A young married couple volunteer to take charge of several orphans after the asylum has burned down. Of course they find their hands full with their troublesome charges.

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of It's a Bear perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Orlando Winthrop, the studious son of a wealthy Bostonian, distresses his father by pursuing an interest in insects. Inspired by a book advising one to "get the drop on the other fellow," Orlando travels to the family sheep ranch in Wyoming to investigate negative rumors concerning foreman William Cogney. Inappropriately dressed and carrying golf clubs, Orlando is paraded through the town by the ranch cowboys. To their chagrin, Orlando bluffs them in poker, out-drinks them, and rides a bucking bronco. During a hunting expedition, the cowboys attempt to scare Orlando with a stuffed bear. Orlando nonchalantly emerges from the woods followed by a live bear, neglecting to inform them that it is trained. Orlando then frustrates William's plan to destroy a portion of the flock and defeats him in a fight. Mr. Winthrop arrives from the East with Orlando's fiancée, who breaks the engagement upon seeing her betrothed chew tobacco. Orlando is delighted, as he and the town's schoolteacher have fallen in love.

Dir: Richard Smith

Two female candidates for Chief of Police live across the hall from each other, and their political rivalry follows them home, leading to plenty of hi-jinks.

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

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

Hamilton Hill meets Estelle Redding in an umbrella repair shop and rescues her from two thugs soon afterwards. Estelle has hidden in the handle of her grey parasol the formula for "Coalex," an inexpensive substitute for coal which the coal trust is trying to prevent from reaching the market. Edward Burnham, one of the thugs, tells Hamilton that Estelle is a German agent, but the infatuated young bachelor fails to believe the story. Estelle entrusts Hamilton with the parasol, but when Burnham, who is revealed as Estelle's brother, finally snatches it away from him, they discover that the formula has been removed and that she has outwitted them all. Two German agents, posing as representatives of the United States government, nearly obtain the formula from her, but Hamilton, accompanied by Burnham, who has experienced a change of heart, rescue her in time. With the formula safely delivered to U.S. government officials, Hamilton and Estelle turn to more romantic pursuits.

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

As an accountant Philander Jepson was a corking good gambler. He knew Dame Fortune has cast her optics on him at the start of his career and played his hands with corresponding confidence. After plucking a select bunch of cronies for a considerable wad he caressed his rabbit's foot and started on the annual two weeks' tour of the summer resorts. Enter Brunhilda, a young lady of quite some appearance, whose parents regard her as the family jewel and stood watch accordingly. In the eyes of Philander this surveillance was nothing more nor less than a dare. The result was romance. Unfortunately, at just this time Madame Fortune took a much-needed rest and trouble suddenly planted itself squarely in young Jepson's path. Brunhilda's pater discovered all there was to know about his gambling proclivities, and the gamblers suddenly proved that a bartender's foot on a victim's chair out-jinxes the strongest combination of horseshoes and four leaf clovers. When Philander realized what he was up against he determined to make a fresh start. Rather, he commenced to start for, after leaving his former job by request, the best he could land was fifty dollars a week work for ten per. He cast tokens, signs and omens to the winds, and strange to relate, found things were actually breaking right for him. And then, when he took the annual outing and discovered Brunhilda knew all about his changed circumstances, had been watching him all the time from a distance and thought more of him than ever; well, he could only feel thankful that good sense came to him as soon as it did.

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

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

When her two roommates, Maude Raynes and Helen Bartlett, become engaged, Darcy Cole invents a titled fiancé of her own, in part to ward off her friends' nasty remarks about her untidy appearance. Darcy's friend Gloria Green lends a photograph of her cousin, Jack Remsen, made up as a lord for a college play, then transforms Darcy into a stylish beauty. As a practical joke, Gloria's fiancé Tom Harmon agrees to lend his bungalow to each couple for their honeymoon. Darcy pretends to elope with her imaginary lord, played by Jack. The real and pretended honeymooners arrive in succession and are assigned bedrooms by housekeeper Veronica. When Veronica sees Jack remove his makeup, she is certain he is Gentleman Jack, the burglar she has been reading about. Finally, Gloria and Tom arrive and straighten matters out, and Darcy and Jack decide to become real honeymooners.

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

Robert Hervey Randolph receives $10,000 a year because of the inability to locate the rightful heir of a will, who would receive the money if she could be found. Madge Van Tillier jilts Robert because he does not have enough money. While riding in a taxi, Robert rescues chorus girl Imogene Pamela Thorton from her companion Duke Beamer, and takes her home. Pam turns out to be the missing heir, and Robert loses his inheritance. He then gets a job as a taxi driver. Pam receives a large portion of her inheritance from the Ajax Taxi Company. Beamer tries to ruin Ajax, but Robert foils him, becomes vice-president of the company, and wins Pam's love.

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

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

Harry Leon Wilson has written nothing more diverting than this story of the irreproachable English valet who is lost in a poker game to a rough-and-ready westerner and taken to Red Gap ultimately to become its social mentor and chief caterer, and there is sheer delight in the story of how the Earl, brought over to save his younger brother from the vampirish clutches of Klondike Kate, makes the lady his Countess and once more stands Red Gap upon its somewhat dizzy head.

Dir: Reggie Morris

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Unknown Director

The Judge needs a present for his wife's birthday, so Harry suggests a new corset. They go to the shop, but he's so embarrassed to ask the saleslady he hides in a phone booth.Harry goes in, but finds a GUY wearing one, and runs out.They both dress as women to get back in, but Mrs. Rummy gets there and chases him out.