The Auteur's Selection Complementing the Tone of I Am the Woman: Cu...

Dir: Francis Ford

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Francis Ford

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

As a baby, John Ermine is stolen from a wagon train by the Crow Indians and is adopted by Chief Fire Bear. John grows to manhood, ignorant that he is a white man until his parentage is disclosed to him by Crooked Bear,.

Dir: Francis Ford

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Francis Ford

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

Lumberjack Gaston Olaf is newly arrived in the lumber camp of Havens Falls, but it isn't long before he finds himself coming to the rescue of the lovely Rose Havens, who is being pursued by the nasty Lefty Red. Impressed by Olaf's actions, lumber boss Dave Taggart hires Olaf to be foreman of his band of rogue lumbermen. Taggart, however, has his own plans for Rose, and not the same kind that Lefty had--he's after a valuable stand of wood on Rose's property and hatches a scheme that will allow him to not only get the wood but the land it stands on and Rose's safe in the bargain. while ensuring that both Rose and Olaf remain unaware of his plan.

Dir: Francis Ford

While visiting Egypt, Mrs. Graham steals a famous jewel called "The Eye of the World" from a mummy's sarcophagus and returns to the United States, planning to use the gem as collateral for a loan. Kah, the priestess in charge of protecting the tombs of Egyptian nobility, is soon on her trail , determined to retrieve the gem. Mrs. Graham's lovely daughter, Betty, agrees to marry a suitor for money to prop up her father's failing business. When the bridegroom is murdered on the couple's wedding night, and the body disappears, Phil Kelly decides to lend a hand in solving the crimes.

Dir: Edward LeSaint

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

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: Francis Ford

Ralph Avery and Robert Young, who are partners in a munitions factory, are both in love with Molly Carson. When the government investigates their company for stealing secret wartime plans, Ralph hides the evidence in Robert's desk, which leads to his conviction for treason and a twenty-year prison sentence. While Robert is incarcerated, Ralph steals one of Robert's formulas and becomes wealthy. He also marries Molly, who gives birth to a daughter named Lucille. As a grown woman, Lucille learns what her father has done from her mother, whose dying wish is that Lucille make amends to Robert, who eventually is able to take the formula to Europe to aid in the war effort.

Dir: Francis Ford

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

Episode 1: "The Leopard's Mark" "Peg o' the Rine" opens with a prologue depicting the arrival of a circus in a small town, the detraining, selection of the location, erection of the tent and the preparation of all of the paraphernalia for the exhibition of the show. As the hour of the performance approaches, we are introduced to Peg, known as Peg o' the Ring, an aerial performer; Flip, her guardian and supposed father; Pierre Durand, an athlete, her lover; Big Bill Barnen, who runs the show; and Polo, an athlete and tumbler, preparing for their work in the ring. As Peg and Durand go to their dressing rooms Big Bill Banen meets Flip and tells him that he would like to see him before the day is out. In his office in one of the circus wagons Barnen tells Polo, his henchman, that for certain reason he would like to have Flip out of the way. Polo is agreeable. When Flip comes in Barnen sends everyone else out of the office and brings the conversation around to Peg. He is the only one in the circus who suspects that she is not Flip's daughter. After telling Flip that he is getting too old for the circus stunts, he suggests that he might keep him if he will tell him who Peg really is. Flip refuses and comes very near being throttled by Barnen. Flip leaves the wagon after telling the manager that he holds his whole future in the palm of his hand. Barnen resolves to get Flip out of the way, and tells Polo to pull a horse whip when Flip is in the ring that night doing his big jump, Polo obeys his orders implicitly, and Flip is fatally injured in his jump. Realizing that his hours are numbered he calls Pierre to him and starts to tell him who Peg really is. All unknown to them Big Bill Barnen is listening to them. "Years ago," says Flip, "we were in winter quarters. La Belle, the wild animal queen, had been feeling depressed for some time. I was nothing to her but a friend, but she was all the world to me. I was the only one in the circus who knew that she was secretly married to Dr. Lund, owner, but for reasons of his own the doctor had decided that the marriage must be kept a secret. It was this fact which made La Belle so downhearted. I tried in every way to cheer her up, but I knew in my heart that there was another woman in the doctor's life. I loved her too well to tell her, but I never had the courage to tell her of my love. I had watched over her like a child, and I cautioned her frequently against taking such chances in the cage with her wild animals. And that very night, it was the opening performance of the season, the big cats jumped on her, and before the trainers could get into the cage she had been dangerously hurt. How dangerously, none of us knew at the time. They took her into my tent, and she lay in my arms weeping. The first episode ends at this point with the question, "Who is Peg?"

Dir: Francis Ford

During the Civil War, a young man joins the Union army. His sweetheart's brother, on the other hand, joins the Confederate forces. During a battle the Confederate is captured and brought to the young Union officer, who recognizes him, and later allows him to escape. For that action he is tried for treason, convicted and sentenced to hang. All that remains now is for President Abraham Lincoln to sign his death warrant.

Dir: Wilfred Lucas

Brian O'Farrell (Snowy Baker), is an English 'new chum' who takes a job at an Australian cattle station. He is teased by station hands because of his appearance (including spats and a monocle) but he soon impresses them with his skills at riding and boxing. The station manager, John MacDonald (Wilfred Lucas), takes O'Farrell to Sydney to meet his daughter Edith (Kathleen Key) who is working in the slums. Edith is kidnapped by criminals after witnessing a crime but O'Farrell rescues her. It is later revealed he is the owner of the station.