The Auteur's Selection In the Shadow of Itching for Revenge: Cult G...

Dir: Reggie Morris

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Eduardo Notari

A crime drama in the Gennariello-series. The police detective in Naples that is confronted with modern gangsters and crime events.

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

Dir: Hal Roach

An American book salesman (Lloyd) is persuaded to go to the kingdom of Thermosa to impersonate the Prince. He is greeted by a peasants' revolt before the real prince shows up to claim his throne and princess. The revolution succeeds, and the American is elected president of the new republic.

Dir: Unknown Director

The Judge needs a present for his wife's birthday, so Harry suggests a new corset. They go to the shop, but he's so embarrassed to ask the saleslady he hides in a phone booth.Harry goes in, but finds a GUY wearing one, and runs out.They both dress as women to get back in, but Mrs. Rummy gets there and chases him out.

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

Dir: Noel M. Smith

Paradise Alley is a street in a tough neighborhood in which every inhabitant has a grudge against every other one. Consequently the street is a constant battle field. Ruler of the street is the Big Boss. His slumbers are disturbed by the tumult and he appears at the door of his house and yells an order. Instantly the street is cleared. The Boss then goes to a beanery where a beautiful girl presides over the cash register. Around the corner a cop sleeps undisturbed by the constant fighting. As the Boss disappears, the combatants resume their fight. A "man of Mystery" gets in the way of several thrown vegetables and determines to stop the fracas as the Boss did. He goes to the restaurant, borrows the Boss' hat and goes out on the street. He is mistaken for the Boss and the fighters again disappear. The man of mystery then returns the hat, steals the Boss' cigar and disappears. Two or three harmless urchins come forth and play craps. The cop wakes up, seizes them, calls the patrol wagon and the urchins are hustled off to the lock-up. At the far end of the street is a mission. James, our hero is one of the congregation. He sits with wide-staring eyes. The minister gets nervous under his gaze and others the congregation grow restive. It is finally discovered that James has painted the eyes on his eyelids, thus enabling him to appear awake, while he is really sound asleep. He wakes up and in walking out, steals the poor-box. Outside he finds the Boss beating two crooks for stealing. James hurries back and replaces the poor-box. The pretty cashier sees this and extends her sympathy. A fat man is thrown out of the beanery. James and the man of mystery get into his clothes and go in to eat. James hides inside the suit and the man of mystery feeds him. The ruse is discovered and James is put to work in the kitchen. He manages to almost wreck the place. The Boss conspires with the mystery man to rob the restaurant. The Boss passes out the money from the cash register, but James accidentally gets it. The proprietor discovers the loss and pursues the man of mystery. James is required to still the noise of a German street band. He proves a target for all the vegetables thrown at the band. He acquires a soldier's uniform and puts them all to rout. He also helps regain the stolen money of the proprietor and thus proves himself a hit with the girl.

Dir: Lloyd Ingraham

While walking along the street one day, Arthur P. Hampton, an impoverished young doctor, and his chums, Stub Masters and Johnny Stokes, are persuaded to part with their last remaining funds by tag day solicitor Mary Jane Smith, with whom the doctor promptly falls in love. Doc's friends then hit upon a get-rich-quick scheme. Knowing that his Uncle George has promised a large sum of money upon his nephew's marriage, they persuade Doc to send out fake wedding invitations naming Mary Jane as the blushing bride. Uncle George, elated at the good news, writes to Mary Jane's aunt, Angelica Burns, an old sweetheart, to invite Mary Jane and Angelica to be his guests on an ocean voyage. Meanwhile, Mary Jane pays a visit to the doctor's office and, upon seeing the wedding invitations, becomes so flustered that she trips and sprains her ankle. Doc comes to her rescue and then begs her to pose as his wife. She agrees, but at ship-side, Stub and Johnnie confess all to Uncle George, who flies into a rage until Doc announces that he and Mary Jane have chosen a wedding at sea.

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

Dir: Malcolm St. Clair

A dancing instructor gets involved with a newly rich family.

Dir: Charley Chase

A young married couple volunteer to take charge of several orphans after the asylum has burned down. Of course they find their hands full with their troublesome charges.

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

Dir: Noel M. Smith

Introduced in a very novel way, we find the villain wooing the heroine, much against her own and father's will. Trapped and captured by the villain and his confederates, the father is bound and gagged until such time as he give in to the villain's demands. The hero arrives, ignores the villain and becomes a target for his anger. Being forced to drink with the villain, the hero does so, and surprises the villain by spitting explosives. His bluff does not hold good for long, and again the villain and he are at war, Finally, with the aid of a bear, they sign an armistice, and the villain goes to his work of studying figures. Hero unintentionally interferes with this, and the armistice is all off. Finally on the "bull-fight " holiday, a temporary truce is reached, and everything goes well, with the hero and the girl, until the hero is called upon to kill the bull, which he does, to the surprise of the villain, who gives orders that the bomb should be set right way to kill the father. The hero and heroine after a thrilling fight with the villain and his confederates, rush to the father's rescue, The three escape from the shack and take refuge on the hero's sea-craft - while the villains, rushing the shack, arrive inside in time to be blown to pieces with it.

Dir: Ralph Ince

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.