Rare Cinematic Gems Exploring the Legacy of Indiscretion: Cult Guide

Dir: Wilfrid North

Wealthy heiress Clover Dean has three suitors: Duke Boris, promoted by her aunt, Bucky Raine, a wealthy idler sponsored by her uncle, and struggling young doctor William Dunn, who is her own choice. Clover's engagement to the duke is to be announced at a dance, but she rebels before the gathering and refuses to go on with the marriage. Clover leaves hurriedly, a shot is heard and the duke found dead. Bucky Raine, discovered wandering about the garden with a revolver in his hand, is arrested for the crime, but his testimony convicts the doctor as the person who had possession of the gun during the shooting. The doctor and Clover are both arrested for suspicion, but a guilty conscience forces Rita, a former sweetheart of the duke to confess to the crime. Clover then has her own way and marries the doctor.

Dir: Wilfrid North

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

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Wilfrid North

Having lost all his funds betting on the races in London, John Peters contemplates suicide; then, overhearing the conversation of two men, he considers a new course of action. He stuns one of them--Kluck--and after changing clothes with him, he makes his way to the United States, where he wins at the races, speculates successfully on Wall Street, and amasses a fortune under the sobriquet "Lucky" Carson. Kluck arrives in America, makes Carson's acquaintance, and begs for his help, which is freely given. Carson manages to retrieve some incriminating correspondence between Kluck and an adventuress, Madame Marinoff, who is threatening him. Kluck accuses him of a conspiracy, and a quarrel ensues when Carson reveals his true identity; but Doris Bancroft, Kluck's sister-in-law, discovers that he is innocent.

Dir: Wilfrid North

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

Inspired by a statue of the infant Christ in the hands of the Madonna, Bernice who lives in a convent in Naples, Italy conceives of a deep passion for babies. Learning that there are infants dying of hunger and neglect in America, Bernice determines to come to their aid. Dressed as a boy, she arrives in New York where destitute, Bernice meets artist Robert Bruce who hires her to pose for a painting of the Madonna. The two fall in love until one day, during Robert's absence, his wife appears and drives Bernice into the streets. Bernice's trials finally end when Mrs. Bruce dies in an automobile accident, freeing Robert to marry his model.

Dir: Wilfrid North

After the sinking of the Lusitania, American James Garrison "Garry" Owen joins the British army and fights gallantly until he is wounded and subsequently discharged. Recuperating in New York, he meets and falls in love with Helen Lloyd, and the two plan to be married after his return from active duty with the American forces in France. Helen's brother Albert, fighting in France under Garry's command, panics and deserts his post, and Garry is forced to report him. At the court-martial, Albert is sentenced to death, but when Company D is attacked, his heroic actions save the day and he dies a hero. Meanwhile, Helen is abducted by German officer Friederich von Emden, whose submarine transports her to his headquarters: Madame Arnot's chateau in Belgium. Von Emden captures Garry and orders him to attend a banquet celebrating the German's forced marriage to Helen, but an old servant named Sonia poisons most of the German guests. Garry kills von Emden, then escapes with Helen to the Allied lines.

Dir: Wilfrid North

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

Jack Duncan returns from the war in France to his wife and baby and learns that his job as a draftsman at the Loring Steel Mills has been taken. Given work in the machine shop, Jack becomes the prey of Red agitators who want him because of his popularity with soldiers. The Reds cause Jack's discharge just when his house payments come due, and when they convince him of the injustice of his situation, he joins their ranks. After learning of plans to burn the factory and Loring's home, and start a riot in the town, Jack is won over by a socialist's arguments advocating mild reforms. At a meeting of workingmen, Jack praises Americanism. He warns Loring and, with soldiers at a nearby camp, quells the riot. After a woman agitator kills her comrades and then shoots herself, Jack arrives home to save his wife from an attack by a Red ringleader. Jack is then made a foreman at the mill.

Dir: Wilfrid North

The Kid, a sprightly young girl of seventeen, is overjoyed at receiving an appointment on the staff of the New York Herald, through the influence of Joe Hazard, the star reporter, who has brought her up as his daughter. To arm properly for the battle of life, Joe tells her the story of how her mother's downfall was brought about. Her mother, he tells her, was betrayed by a man named Dunster in her home town. Joe had befriended her and when her child (the Kid) was born, and the mother died and Joe had decided to bring the child up himself. With a final warning to beware the pitfalls of the city, Joe takes her to the Herald office to begin her career. Soon after, when the price of meat shows an alarming rise, the Herald assigns the Kid to unearth the cause. While on the hunt for particulars, the Kid sees Robinson, one of the large cattle owners of the west, who has come to this city for a business trip. She follows him. waits while he has his shoes shined and then, when turning a corner, loses him in the crowd. Hurrying home, she assumes the disguise of a bootblack and obtains a position at the stand where she left Robinson. True to her expectations, Robinson appears that day, and while shining his shoes she obtains a clue. That day, Robinson's wife, a charity worker, is murdered while riding in her car, and the murderer makes his escape. Sometime later, the Kid manages to obtain a position in the office of Robinson and secures evidence which connects her employer not only with the manipulation of the meat market, but also with the murder of his wife. She arranges to have two detectives hide in the room next day to get further evidence of his connection with the murder, but they overhear a conversation which convinces them that Hidalgo, manager of Robinson's cattle enterprises, is the real murderer and he is taken into custody. The Kid obtains a warrant for Robinson for his connection with the rise in meat, but Joe Hazard, recognizing Robinson, tells the Kid that he is her own father, Dunster, under an assumed name. Dunster also learns that the Kid is his daughter and begs leniency. She finally secures his freedom, but when he comes to claim a daughter's love, she turns to Joe, who has been her "Daddy" for all these years.

Dir: Wilfrid North

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

Sweet Kitty suffers the cruelty of her adopted aunt and uncle in Scotland, until taken to England by her guardian, Lord Inglehart, where she falls in love with his son. Learning that through a former escapade of his father the girl is his sister, the boy denies her love and she returns sadly to Scotland and slavery, only to have it all explained when her uncle is taken ill and confesses that the real daughter of Lord Inglehart died and she, Kitty, was adopted in her place to secure allowance from his Lordship. David and Kitty let us draw a veil. the man she still loved, the father of her babe, had been redeemed.

Dir: Wilfrid North

Leslie Brennan, an heiress, suddenly discovers that she is almost penniless, and faces the ordeal of making her own living. Before learning this condition of affairs she had become dazzled by the society manners of a cold-hearted fortune hunter, but becomes disillusioned when she discovers that he is attracted solely by her supposed wealth, and goes at once to earn her livelihood in the City of New York. There she studies typing and makes friends among the lowly. She secures a position with a brusque preoccupied young chemist, who is in the midst of a great discovery of value to the government. How Leslie becomes aware of the machinations of a foreign spy, how she saves her young employer's secret to the government in a series of encounters and how she comes to learn that he has fallen in love with her and that he is one who is really worthy of her, is told in a series of compelling scenes.

Dir: Wilfrid North

Amos Brandt is a miser, but his children don't know that he's actually very wealthy. His daughter Lola has been proposed to by both wealthy Richard Denton and not-so-wealthy George Gray, and decides to choose love over money and accepts Gray's proposal. Denton then invests in a company that defrauds the public, and just as he's facing criminal charges and bankruptcy, he learns of Amos' real wealth and decides to rob him. However, things don't go quite the way he planned.