The Essential Watchlist Similar Cinematic Experiences to Il vettura...

Dir: Baldassarre Negroni

Count Bertrand is an army officer who enjoys the utmost confidence of the military leaders of his country but who nevertheless finds time to devote himself also to the interests of several charitable institutions. He and his wife are always among the first to offer their services when some charity fete is planned, and both being splendid riders, are chosen to take charge of a pretentious society circus designed to raise money for an orphanage. In order to stage the production in professional style, they hire Ivanoff, a circus manager, to assist them. Ivanoff gladly accepts their offer of the commission, not only because of the liberal payment promised, but also because of the fact that he is in reality a spy in the pay of a neighboring power and thinks that through association with the count, he will be able to gain possession of some valuable government secrets. He bides his time and finally, by drugging the count, succeeds in getting into his own hands some maneuver plans which had been entrusted to Bertrand. These he delivers to the prime minister of the hostile power, and Bertrand is arrested on a charge of having sold the information to the enemy. He is convicted on circumstantial evidence and sentenced to twelve years in prison. Countess Bertrand is prostrated by her husband's disgrace, but confident of his innocence, sets herself to find evidence which will set him free. Certain clews lead her to suspect that Ivanoff is the real thief of the plans. To find him is in itself a difficult task, for he has disappeared and left no inkling of his whereabouts behind him. Finally the countess hits upon a plan. She will disguise herself, join a circus and seek for Ivanoff among the haunts of circus people. This she does, and it is not long before the famous "Lady of the Mask," a superb equestrienne who never allows her features to be seen, even by her colleagues, is one of the best known performers in the circus world. The masked rider, of course, is none other than the countess herself. The time the circus with which she is connected plays a long engagement in the hippodrome at the capitol of Rugaria, the country which Ivanoff serves. Alexis, the countess's servant, locates Ivanoff's divorced wife, Nadia, and from her they learn that the spy is in the city, living luxuriously on a large sum of money paid him for the stolen plans, and several days later they see him occupying a box at the hippodrome. Ivanoff is struck with the grace of the masked rider and asks for an introduction, which is granted. The countess, never taking off her mask, leads him on until he invites her to take dinner in his rooms. She accepts, and as they are dining suddenly removes her mask and covers him with a revolver. She forces him to give her the plans and his correspondence with the Rugarian officials and is delighted to find that the papers prove conclusively her husband's innocence. Still covering Ivanoff with the pistol, she makes her escape from the house. In her haste she drops one of the documents, but Alexis, the servant, whom she has left on guard at the door, picks it up and jams it into his pocket. Now that she has the precious proofs, the countess loses no time in leaving the Rugarian capital. Ivanoff, however, has not lost his presence of mind and succeeds in getting a warrant for her arrest. He charters a high-powered motor car and starts for the border at top speed. There is an exciting race between his machine and the train which bears the countess. The auto wins, and when the daring woman reaches the frontier, Ivanoff and a squad of military police are waiting for her at the border station. The papers are taken from her and she is hustled across the border into her own country. She returns heartbroken to her home. Several days later, Alexis, who has follower on another train, arrives and gives her the paper which she dropped in fleeing from Ivanoff's house. It proves to be a letter from the prime minister of Rugaria to the spy and conclusively proves the innocence of the count. This letter, turned over to the military authorities, wins a pardon for Bertrand and brings back happiness to the woman who dared.

Dir: Baldassarre Negroni

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

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

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.

Dir: Baldassarre Negroni

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

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

Dir: Bruno Ziener

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Colin Campbell

Zora, a girl of French origin, is raised by a wealthy Bedouin family after her mother Valerie dies while eloping with another man. Zora feels such great longing for the French artist Adrien that she accepts the offer of another artist, Raoul, to take her to Paris with the stipulation that if Adrien rejects her, she must give herself to him. Jan, the chieftain's son who is in love with Zora, follows the two to Paris. There Zora realizes that Adrien does not love her and discovers her real love for Jan. However, she feels bound to honor her pact with Raoul and is about to succumb to his advances when her father appears and recognizes Raoul as the man who destroyed his home years earlier. In the ensuing fight between the two men, Raoul is killed, thus freeing Zora to accept Jan's love.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of La principessa di Bagdad perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Frank Beal

During a raging Montana snowstorm, Doctor Jim Barnes collapses at Esther Anderson's cabin door. Esther offers Jim refuge, but when he discovers that their food supplies are running dangerously low, he braves the journey into town in order to replenish them. On the way, he is overcome with exhaustion and fails to return. Esther, unaware of Jim's condition and abused by her stepfather, joins a theatrical troop and leaves home. Time passes and Jim finally finds Esther, but a vindictive member of her troupe accuses her of having an affair with the manager and Jim believes the accusation. He leaves and Esther goes to New York City where she becomes engaged to a jealous artist, although she still loves Jim. Sam Tuttle, a long time friend, is aware of Esther's continuing love, and so brings Jim to New York City in time to save Esther from an unhappy marriage.

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.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Eva, wo bist du? perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Baldassarre Negroni

Marguerite Gauthier, known as Camille, is a courtesan in Paris. She falls deeply in love with a young man of promise, Armand Duval. When Armand's father begs her not to ruin his hope of a career and position by marrying Armand, she acquiesces and leaves her lover. However, when poverty and terminal illness overwhelm her, Camille discovers that Armand has not lost his love for her.

Dir: Dallas M. Fitzgerald

Confidence artist Flossie Golden attempts to fleece foolish but wealthy James Venable with a breach-of-promise suit. Venable's shrewd attorney, Richard Harding, outwits Flossie by proposing that she marry Venable and live on an allowance of $3,000 per year. Flossie is determined to get even with Harding for ruining her plans. In an attempt to con him, she poses as Innocence Page, but falls in love and marries him instead. Larry, Flossie's former accomplice, endeavors to blackmail her with her errant past, but Harding is already cognizant of the facts and Larry fails.