Rare Cinematic Gems Sharing the Atmosphere of Intrigue: Cult Guide

Dir: John S. Robertson

Gossip spreads quickly throughout a small New England village when Betty Taradine extravagantly entertains wounded Colonel Preedy, billeted at her home. After a bank official suggests that Betty, deeply in debt, raise money on the life insurance policy of her husband, who left years earlier because of her extravagances, Betty sends herself a telegram announcing her husband's death. Preedy's aide, Captain Peter Rymill, in reality Betty's husband, arrives, and falling in love with her again, agrees to keep his identity secret. Although Betty flirts with Preedy to irritate Peter, Preedy really loves Betty's friend, Penelope Moon. One night, Preedy sneaks into Betty's bedroom to steal Penelope's picture, and hides in the closet when Peter enters seeking reconciliation. Peter then hides under the bed when Reverend Ambrose Liptrott, who loves Betty, and his spinster sister Tabitha, arrive to investigate rumors. After Peter and Preedy explain themselves, Preedy confesses his love to Penelope, and Peter and Betty are reunited.

Dir: John S. Robertson

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

A young man with little means wants to marry a rich girl, and thinks up a scheme to get rich.

Dir: John S. Robertson

Prudence, a young society woman and aviatrix, is forbidden to continue flying by her fiancé Hewitt and her father. In defiance, she stages her own kidnapping, but Hewitt discovers the ruse and arranges a real abduction to teach her a lesson. His plan backfires, and the kidnappers rob him and capture Prudence. In order to save herself, Prudence pretends to join the gang. In an attempted robbery of Hewitt's house, the police surprise the thieves, but Prudence escapes to her own house where she is reunited with her family and fiancé. Hewitt and her father, in their relief at Prudence's homecoming, relent and allow her to continue her aeronautical pursuits.

Dir: John S. Robertson

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

The people of Thrums ostracize 12-year-old Grizel and her mother, known as The Painted Lady, until newcomer Tommy Sandys, a highly-imaginative boy, comes to the girl's rescue and they become inseparable friends. Six years later Tommy returns from London, where he has achieved success as an author, and finds that Grizel still loves him. In a sentimental gesture he proposes, but she, realizing that he does not love her, rejects him. In London, Tommy is lionized by Lady Pippinworth, and he follows her to Switzerland. Having lost her mother and believing that Tommy needs her, Grizel comes to him but is overcome by grief to see his love for Lady Pippinworth. Remorseful, Tommy returns home, and after his careful nursing Grizel regains her sanity.

Dir: John S. Robertson

To prove his theory that environment rather than heredity determines a man's character, Dr. Burnell adopts young Richard, the son of an imprisoned crook Morgan. Upon graduating from college, Richard proposes to Virginia Denton, but several days before the wedding, Morgan appears and threatens to reveal himself as Richard's father unless the young man aids him in a number of robberies. Through Robert Hargraves, Dr. Burnell discovers Richard's part in the crimes and starts to believe that his theory is incorrect. When Morgan decides to rob the Denton home, Richard arranges with Dr. Burnell to trap them in the act, but it is Virginia who discovers the two rifling the safe, and she immediately breaks the engagement. After the police arrive, however, Morgan reveals that Richard is actually Dr. Burnell's son, kidnapped by Morgan at an early age. His name cleared, Richard marries Virginia.

Dir: John S. Robertson

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

The eldest daughter of a poor preacher, Penelope Penn leaves her country home to seek her fortune in the big city. Taking a room in a boarding-house at 39 East, Penelope futilely searches for work as an actress until she secretly accepts a minor part in the chorus. Napoleon Gibbs, Jr., Penelope's fellow boarder, defends her good name against the criticism of other boarders who are scandalized by the girl's late hours. Penelope, having understudied the leading lady of the show, finally gets an opportunity to fill her role and scores a complete triumph. Napoleon, eager to congratulate her, waits backstage where he sees the stage manager escorting his new star home. When she arrives back at the boarding-house, Penelope explains to the crestfallen Napoleon that she has no interest in her stage manager. Napoleon then seizes upon the opportunity to propose, and is accepted.

Dir: John S. Robertson

Phyllis Ashbrook hosts a party in the Adirondacks for her fiancé Roger Mason and their engaged friends, John Manning and Anita Webb. In a climbing expedition, Phyllis and John are separated from the others by a storm and seek refuge in a cabin. To save her reputation, Phyllis' parents insist that she marry John immediately, after which they may obtain a divorce and marry their respective partners. After the ceremony, John leaves for China to provide grounds for divorce, but upon discovering that he has mistakenly taken his new wife's suitcase, he returns to his apartment, where he finds Phyllis. Anita and Roger arrive and confess their devotion to each other, and when John and Phyllis realize that they, too, are in love, the divorce plans are abandoned.

Dir: John S. Robertson

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

Exotic Russian actress Lisa Parsinova tires of her glamorous life on the New York stage and returns, under her actual identity as Lizzie Parsons, to her small New England hometown. But she is pursued by a young man who is in love with the famed Russian alter ego.

Dir: John S. Robertson

During World War I, Washington, D.C. society girl Nancy Craddock decides to enlist in the Food Administration on the theory that "eggs will win the war."

Dir: John S. Robertson

Mary Malloy works as a scullery maid in a hotel. She meets reporter Bob Norton, who soon falls in love with her. When Mary learns that one of her friends is to be evicted, she pawns an old silver goblet with her family crest in order to get money to forestall the eviction. The pawnbrokers, realizing how valuable the goblet is, hatch a scheme to use Mary as a patsy while they substitute fake pearls for the real thing. Bob, however, becomes suspicious.