Top-Tier Alternatives In the Shadow of Human Collateral: Cult Guide

Dir: Alexander Butler

In Alberta, Canada, a Cornish emigrant unmasks a rustler posing as the girl's "blind" father.

Dir: Edgar Jones

A mail-order bride arrives at a Maine lumber camp but doesn't like her prospective husband.

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

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

Lord Dawlish is made the heir of an eccentric English millionaire, who cuts off a nephew and niece, living in America. Dawlish is engaged to Claire Edmont, an actress. Dawlish offers half his inheritance to the niece, and when she refuses to accept he goes to America to persuade her. Claire follows, but not having received the letter regarding the inheritance she marries a man she meets on the boat. Dawlish meets Elizabeth as Bill Chalmers, his family name, and as Bill she learns to love him, but she discovers his identity, and things work to a rapid conclusion.

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

Dir: Edward LeSaint

When famous opera singer Elinore Duane undergoes an operation on her throat, she has a series of ether-induced visions. In one, she is transported to ancient Rome where she appears as a much-admired woman in love with Paul, a young heretic, and at odds with Lutor, the high priest. To save her love, she poisons Lutor with her ring. After several other visions which involve variations on this love triangle, Elinore awakens to discover that Lutor is actually her doctor, Sascha Jaccard, and that Paul is the son of a friend who has come to visit the recovering prima donna.

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

"Two-Bits," the price men used to pay for a haircut, isn't much money in these days with old Mr. H.C.L. at our heels, but one "Two-Bit" piece surely changed the life events of Jimmy Mason. Jimmy couldn't get an orchestra seat to see the wonderful lady in tights so he invested "Two-Bits" and went to the gallery. There he found a seat beside a wonderful girl. He sat to the finish but didn't see the show; her eyes blurred everything commonplace, and then they became acquainted when she accidentally jabbed him with a hatpin. The next night he asked her to go with him to an orchestra box. But Alice wouldn't listen. But she would go to the "Two-Bit" gallery. And they went often, but Jimmy always suffered the fear that Faulkner, his boss, would see him and think him a terribly cheap sport. But Alice told Jimmy not to waste money on seats in the orchestra. And so it went. Finally the blow falls when his employer sees him and Alice exiting from the gallery. Hope is gone when he is called before the boss the next morning and asked how long he had been patronizing the gallery, but all is well and the sun shines again when "the old man" approves and proves it with a promotion. Jimmie dashes to Alice's house and tells her about the promotion and what he thinks of a certain girl. Then Alice tells him that all along she had a definite idea in preferring 'Two-Bit Seats." You are entitled to one guess. You're Right.

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

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

Coaxed by sharpers, who seek to profit by his rustic innocence, the boy from the small town goes to the city with them and become, innocently enough, a successful swindler, but he learns of the deception and returns home, too ashamed to seek his old sweetheart. The crooks return to try a blackmail game, but Ernie's eyes are opened now. He cleans up in whirlwind fashion.

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.

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

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

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: Bruno Ziener

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.