Masterpiece Selection that Capture the Essence of Little Miss No-Ac...

Dir: William P.S. Earle

Mary Turner is a young shopgirl who is unjustly convicted of a crime and sentenced to prison. Upon her release, she does everything possible to make the man who wronged her to suffer, always taking care to stray no further than the extremes of the law allow.

Dir: William P.S. Earle

After preaching at a camp revival meeting that charity begins in the home, Littleton minister Hamilton Gregory finds a girl calling herself only Fran on his doorstep and takes her into his home. Fran soon finds that Mrs. Gregory is unhappy because Gregory has no affection for her, preferring instead his secretary Grace Noir. When Fran admits to Gregory that she is his daughter by an abandoned woman, and attempts to have him get rid of Grace, Grace has Bob Clinton make inquiries concerning Fran's past. When the circus comes to town, Fran, in disguise, substitutes for an ill lion tamer, because the circus is her hidden background. Seeing her in danger, Gregory realizes his familial responsibilities and refuses Grace. Fran then marries the superintendent of her school.

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

Dir: William P.S. Earle

Lord Killowen, the landlord of a little village in Ireland, employs Harvey Dowd and his worthless son, Peter, to collect the rents. When Peter arrives at the modest home of Ann, a young lace maker who lives with her aunt and blind grandmother, he makes improper advances towards her, but Killowen, who is motoring through the area, rescues her. Without leaving her a receipt, Peter absconds with the rent money to America, and Ann's family is evicted. Determined to recover her money, Ann follows Peter to New York, where she is befriended by a policeman, who informs her that Killowen has come to America to court the wealthy Eileen Murtagh. Lord Killowen takes Ann to Eileen's home, but the latter, in a fit of jealousy, orders the girl to leave. When Ann returns during Eileen's engagement party, Killowen realizes that he prefers the little lace maker and proposes to her.

Dir: William P.S. Earle

Stewart, an art student in New York City's "bohemian" Greenwich Village, lives next door to his girlfriend Hedda, who wants to be a singer. One night while they are dining at their favorite cafe', wealthy Mrs. Trask comes up to them with a proposition: she knows he is an artist and wants to go to Paris to study and develop his talent, and she will pay all his expenses. He refuses because he doesn't want to leave Hedda, but she eventually persuades him to agree. It turns out that she has an ulterior motive--as does Mrs. Trask.

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

Dir: William P.S. Earle

During World War I, Kervyn Guild, an American citizen who was born in Belgium, is captured with other Belgian refugees by the Germans. Brought before the commanding officer, General Von Reiter, Guild is offered his own freedom as well as that of the other refugees if he goes to London and returns with the officer's daughter, Karen Girard, who actually is his mistress. In the hope of saving lives, Guild consents and is sent to London where he locates Karen. Guild's suspicions are aroused when he notices that they are being protected by the German agents and hunted by the British. His instincts prove correct when he learns that Karen is carrying dispatches to the general. On their journey back, Karen falls in love with Guild and agrees to join the Belgian cause. Before they can escape, the general arrives and demands both Karen and the papers. Guild duels to defend both and fatally wounds the general. In a breach of military ethics, the dying general then gives the lovers his blessings, and grants them a pass to go through the German lines.

Dir: William P.S. Earle

Bill Matthews, foreman for Bethel Steel, works hard to perfect a means for the elimination of waste in steel manufacture. Philip Colt, inheritor of the steel mill, is in love with Daphne Van Steer, whose father is in financial straits. One day, visiting the mill with Philip, Daphne witnesses Bill thrash an insolent workman, and is impressed with his strength though she then snubs him. Bill soon perfects his invention, and coming into great wealth, resolves to become Daphne's social equal by employing socialite May Larrabee to coach him. May schemes to win Bill and his money for herself; however, Bill still wants to marry Daphne and help out her father, a plan to which Daphne finally agrees. Philip's continued pursuit of Daphne ends in a struggle from which Bill rescues her, after which Daphne finally realizes that she has come to really love Bill.

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

Dir: William P.S. Earle

Charmian Page has developed a great affection for the child of Sir Richard. When the child is seriously hurt in a car crash that has killed his mother Lady Beverly, who was on her way to see her lover, Charmian persuades her wealthy father to pay for the operation that saves the child. Sir Richard marries Charmian for his child's sake, but remains aloof towards her for the memory of Beverly. When he learns the truth about his late wife's infidelity, he begs for Charmian's forgiveness, realizing she is the better wife.

Dir: William P.S. Earle

Bradley, who is happily married and loves his family, is called to London on business. There he meets Mercedes, wife of the Spanish Ambassador. The marriage has been forced upon her, and her husband is cruel. Unaware that Bradley is married, she falls in love with him, and he is also infatuated. His better nature finally prevails, and he returns home and is happy until he receives a photograph from Mercedes. On pretext of business, he again goes back to Mercedes, finds there has been a quarrel, and that the ambassador has struck her. She and Bradley go away together, and while crossing the channel, he inadvertently discloses the fact that he is married. Mercedes unwilling to come between husband and wife, flees to a convent, and Bradley, unable to find her, joins an expedition to the forests of South America. Bradley has written his wife that he is a coward. Her health fails and her father takes her and the children for a trip abroad. The children are attacked by an epidemic of fever, and Mercedes, now a nurse, is summoned. She learns the identity of the family, and, when the boy calls for his father, she starts a search for him. After the crisis, Mercedes who has concealed her identity by use of a veil, wins her fight against a renewal of their relations, and warns Bradley, who has recognized her, to keep his wife in ignorance. Recovering from the fever which has now claimed her, she sees the reunited family depart for America, and knows her heart is empty and closed forever to love.

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

Dir: William P.S. Earle

Roger Kendall is sent to Nashville by the editor of his magazine to sign a contract for two cents a word with a woman writer named Azalea Adair. Once there, Kendall realizes that Azalea is very poor and is also the abused wife of Major Caswell, a drunkard who takes from Azalea every cent she earns. Kendall is able to piece their story together by following the movements of a torn dollar bill, which he gives to Azalea's former slave Caesar and which eventually winds up in Caswell's hands. In order to help Azalea, Kendall convinces his editor to increase her stipend to eight cents a word and also to advance her $30. At his hotel, Kendall meets Virginia Rodney, the semi-invalid daughter of a local judge and a good friend of Azalea. Later, Caesar, seeing Caswell violently take Azalea's advance from her, strangles the major. His part in the crime is covered up by Kendall and Virginia's father, however. Now free, Azalea goes to live with Virginia, who becomes engaged to Kendall.

Dir: William P.S. Earle

At a London auction, Princess Sonia bids against her husband, exiled Prince Victor, for a Corot landscape in which incriminating letters Sonia wrote are hidden, but it is bought by Michael Lanyard, who is suspected of being the mysterious, international thief "The Lone Wolf." After Lanyard gives Sonia the letters, she divorces Victor, marries Lanyard, and dies after bearing their daughter Sonia. Years later, Sonia, who thinks she is the daughter of the Princess' maid, is found by Victor, now the leader of an underworld gang of Asian crooks and Bolsheviks. Saying he is her father, Victor brings her to his home, hoping to entice Lanyard to make an appearance. When Sonia discovers the gang's plan to pump poisonous gas into Buckingham Palace and the homes of the wealthy so that Victor would be England's dictator, she tells Roger Karslake, Victor's secretary, whom she loves. Lanyard, who has been posing as Victor's Asian butler, and Karslake, both Scotland Yard agents, capture the gang amid fire and fights.