Top-Tier Alternatives In the Shadow of If I Were King: Cult Guide

Dir: J. Gordon Edwards

Shakespeare's classic tale of ill-fated lovers whose deaths bring peace to their warring families.

Dir: J. Gordon Edwards

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

Elsie Drummond, the "Vixen," a spoiled nymphomaniac, takes pleasure in wreaking havoc on her sweet sister Helen. When Helen becomes enamored of Martin Stevens, a Wall Street businessman, Elsie turns on her considerable charms and woos him away. After Charlie Drummond, Elsie's shiftless brother, steals from Stevens and causes a scandal, Stevens is ruined financially and Elsie promptly leaves him. Through deliberate manipulation, Elsie then steals Knowles Murray, a young statesman, from Helen and succeeds in marrying him. Elsie and Murray move to Paris, forcing Helen to care for their alcoholic father. Six years later, Murray is called to Washington, D.C. and Elsie, now the mother of two children, renews her acquaintance with Martin Stevens, who has regained his wealth and position. As Murray is about to catch Elsie in Stevens' arms, Helen, to protect the children, supplies Elsie with an escape and an alibi. While Elsie continues in her deceptive ways, Stevens, finally wise to the Vixen, marries Helen.

Dir: J. Gordon Edwards

Francesca Brabaut, who married an artist against her father's advice, regrets her decision when her husband Antoine, in debt, sends her to his misanthropic uncle to plead for money. After Francesca refuses the uncle's offer to change his will if she will have sex with him, the uncle, declaring that he has misjudged women, decides to leave money to provide for Francesca and her child but dies of heart failure first. Antoine inherits a castle and title and deserts Francesca. Later, while posing in Florence for an American artist, Francesca meets the artist's sweetheart, American heiress Cecily Blaine, whose mother wants her to marry someone with a title. When Francesca learns that Antoine plans to marry Cecily, she threatens to expose him, but he convinces Cecily that Francesca and the artist are married. Cecily then consents to marry Antoine. After Francesca and the artist are sent to the galleys unjustly for theft, Antoine is exposed. When he tries to kidnap their child, Francesca shoots him, whereupon Cecily marries the artist.

Dir: J. Gordon Edwards

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

After the death of Princess Arbassoff, Lisza Tapenko, a governess in the household of Prince Arbassoff, fills her place in everything but name. When the prince refuses to marry her because of the difference in their social positions, Lisza's former lover, Vassya, urges her to join the cause of the revolution. Smarting under the prince's refusal, she does so and leaves for Switzerland, the headquarters of the revolutionaries. The prince eventually yields to his son's pleas for Lisza's return and agrees to make her his wife. As Princess Arbassoff, Lisza still continues her activities with the revolutionaries, assassinating government officials and leaving a red rose on each of her victims. Torn between her love for the prince and her love of Russia when the revolutionaries order her to slay her husband, Lisza's devotion to the cause triumphs and she dynamites her house, meeting her death along with the prince's.

Dir: J. Gordon Edwards

Lewis Victor of the French Foreign Legion is actually Bertie Cecil, a British nobleman hiding from dishonour for a crime actually committed by his brother. He is loved by Cigarette, a camp follower, but he only has eyes for another. The commandant hates him, and Victor is constantly placed in danger in war-torn Algeria. Then his brother arrives, and with him, a chance to clear his name.

Dir: J. Gordon Edwards

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

When Herodias divorces her husband and marries his brother Herod Antipas, governor of Judea, the prophet John the Baptist protests and is imprisoned. Salome, daughter of Herodias and both niece and stepdaughter to Herod, dances seductively and wins the prize of anything she asks of Herod. The prize she asks is the head of John the Baptist.

Dir: J. Gordon Edwards

After a love triangle results death, St. Elmo falls from grace and is eventually redeemed in this now lost silent film based on the best selling novel by Augusta Jane Wilson.

Dir: J. Gordon Edwards

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

Bara is unusually cast as a nearly virginal nurse and actress. She does manage to get one man to blow his brains out before she reforms and marries an Episcopal priest.

Dir: J. Gordon Edwards

The story tells of the maneuvering, the machinations and the subtle intrigue of Lady Dolly, Vere Herbert's mother, who is anxious to make an advantageous marriage for her daughter. In doing so she eventually schemes away her child's happiness by marrying her to Prince Zuroff. Some time before she was introduced to the Prince, Vere met and fell in love with Lucien Correze, an opera singer, who became attracted to her. Told by her mother that she must sever her friendship with the singer and marry the Russian Prince, Vere heartbroken, leaves Correze, and her wedding to the Prince is a social event. Soon after her marriage Vere discovers that the Prince is harboring his mistress, Duchess De Sonnaz, under the same roof. A scene follows, after which the Prince banishes his wife, together with her faithful German nurse, to a Russian monastery. Shortly after her incarceration she is followed to the retreat by Correze and Lord Jura, the latter a friend of her mother's. Correze entreats Vere to leave the place and go with him. She is about to succumb to his impassioned plea when the Prince enters the room. Words are followed by a duel in which the Prince and Lord Jura are both killed. The Princess, free, marries Correze.

Dir: J. Gordon Edwards

After squandering his entire estate, Roy Schuyler is forced by his creditors to marry wealthy Laura Reid. Her half-sister Ann tries to warn her of Roy's motives, but is kidnapped by Roy and incarcerated in an asylum before she can. Roy then tries to force Laura to sign a document which would accord him control of her estate. When she refuses, Roy, with the aid of Dassori, a traitor from Italy, brings Ann and Laura together. Ann dies and Laura, who closely resembles her, is placed in the asylum in her stead. Laura is finally saved when her cousin Marion bribes a nurse to allow her to escape and Dassori, with moments to live, confesses his part in the crime, thus establishing Laura's true identity. Justice is then served when Roy is driven to his death by his tortured conscience.