Cinematic Discoveries Resonating with the Themes of Locked Lips: Cu...

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: Robert N. Bradbury

A simple country girl, brutally mistreated by her stepfather, awakens first the sympathy, then the love, of The Boy. The Spider, who lusts after The Girl, makes a bargain with the stepfather and takes her to the city where, kept prisoner, she is soon broken in health and spirit. Cast out and near death, she is taken in by The Boy. Following the demise of The Spider, The Boy takes her to church, where he prays, and after many hours she is restored to health.

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

Dir: Edgar Jones

A mail-order bride arrives at a Maine lumber camp but doesn't like her prospective husband.

Dir: William C. Dowlan

Pretty Irish lass Pegeen O'Barry lives in a small fishing village on the cost with her kind but alcoholic father and her vicious stepmother Moll. When her father is killed during a drunken brawl, a stunned Pegeen wanders down to the shore in her grief. She is noticed by Sir Arthur Ormsby, an Englishman who just happens to be sailing his yacht up the coast. He takes a liking to her and before long she's moved into his estate. Things are going along swimmingly until Arthur's wastrel brother Guy shows up.

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

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.

Dir: William C. Dowlan

Russian Paval Pavlovitch is married to an American woman when a decree is handed down that nationalizes women between the ages of seventeen and thirty-five as common property of the state for the use of its citizens. Passports are refused for Pavlovitch's family. His old servant takes out a certificate claiming Pavlovitch's wife Anna, and the son of the village priest claims Pavlovitch's daughter. Matters appear bleak for the Pavlovitch family, but a troop of American cavalry arrives and battles the Russian mob in the streets of Saratov. The edict is withdrawn and the Pavlovitch family is happy again.

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

Dir: William C. Dowlan

Judith Wingate has married for wealth, but desires love, while her friend Marion Gregory has married for love, but longs for wealth. Chester Wingate refuses to grant Judith a divorce, even though he is having an affair and Judith has taken wealthy Oliver Sloan for a lover. Marion grows impatient with her husband, inventor Hugh Gregory, who promises her wealth at the completion of his submarine invention for the United States government. Judith invites Marion for a weekend sojourn, with the intention of entrapping Chester with Marion. When Marion rejects Chester's advances, Oliver attempts to win her favor. Judith enters Marion's room hoping to expose her husband, but finds instead her lover in a compromising position. Hugh believes that Marion has been unfaithful, and the success of his invention is little consolation until minister Robert Calvert proves Marion's innocence. Marion returns to the man she married for love with a new appreciation of him, and with a new view of the idle rich.

Dir: William Parke

Bruce Wendell, the son of West Virginia coal mine owner James Wendell, graduates from West Point and prepares to lead a fighting unit to the front during World War I. As his father lies dying, however, he convinces Bruce to remain at home and guard the mine. Bruce's fiancée Ann Blair assumes that he is a coward and breaks off their engagement, but her brother Bobbie remains Bruce's loyal friend. Meyer, a German agent, persuades railroad president Parrish to refuse to transport Wendell's coal, but when Bruce adamantly refuses to close the mine, the spy's men decide to blow it up. While Ann is being abducted by Meyer, Bobbie is buried in an explosion at the mine. Bruce rescues Bobbie and then sends a plea to Lieutenant Parrish to rescue Ann. Meyer and his gang are captured and Ann renews her vow of love to Bruce.

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

Dir: William C. Dowlan

Mary Brenton, daughter of wealthy Anthony Brenton, marries a man her father doesn't approve of, and they become estranged. When she tries to return home, her father refuses to let her in. Her daughter Angele disguises herself as a Belgian war refugee and her grandfather, not knowing who she really is, takes her into his house--and eventually into his heart. However, trouble arises in the form of the Brentons' greedy housemaid, a clandestine German spy ring, and an American agent tracking them.

Dir: William C. Dowlan

Hermia Challoner, nicknamed the Madcap, has become so satisfied with luxury that she seeks happiness in danger and excitement. Her friend, Countess Olga Tcherny, introduces her to John Markham, a portrait painter. Although he interests Hermia, she is piqued at his treatment of her. Markham later goes to an isolated island to paint. Hermia, who has a country estate on the mainland, goes aeroplaning and purposely lands on the island. She disables the machine in landing, and Markham, who meets her, tells her that no boat will stop at the island for three days. Olga and others arrive. Meanwhile the aeroplane has been fixed and Hermia flies home. Markham afterwards spends a week-end at Hermia's home. Hidden from sight in a high-backed chair, Hermia overhears Markham tell Olga he starts for Normandy on the morrow. Later Olga tells Hermia she thinks she will take a trip to Normandy, and Olga, who has become rather jealous of Hermia, is surprised and displeased when Hermia tells her that she will accompany her. John Markham goes to Normandy, attired in vagabond clothes, and travels as an itinerant "lightning artist." Hermia is speeding to Trouville, where Olga is staying, and meets with an accident to her auto. She meets Markham and learns what he is doing. She longs with her whole heart to leave her world of sham and become a vagabond also. He finally consents to allow her to accompany him. She purchases a costume and determines to earn her living. She is known as Yvonne Deschamps. Markham passes as Philadin, a lightning portrait artist. Markham, now in love with Hermia, proposes to her in the rose garden at Vallecy, but she laughs and conceals her love for him. In the meantime Olga has made inquiries and is suspicious that possibly Hermia and Markham may have met and are together, so she starts an investigation. Markham and Hermia join a small band of performers and go to the Alencon Fete. While Markham is sketching the villagers at the show and Hermia is playing her instruments outside the tent she sees Olga in the distance, tells Markham and disappears. She knows her reputation will be destroyed if Olga sees her. Olga sees Markham and insists on investigating everything. Although Olga causes much suspense, she doesn't discover Hermia, but is still suspicious and gets her chauffeur to act as a spy. Hermia and Markham, tearful of discovery, leave that night and discover the chauffeur following them. Markham sends him about his business. Then they struggle on through the forest until, exhausted, they discover a hunting lodge. No one seems to be around, so they take possession. The next morning Olga is seen by Hermia and Markham coming toward the lodge. Markham tells Hermia to climb the ladder to the attic and escape through the window. Olga enters, and finding Markham, looks around, but can find no trace of Hermia until she notices the mud on the ladder and feels sure that Hermia is in the attic. She then starts to talk to Markham, inventing tales of the days they have spent together and his vows of constancy. He is too astonished to reply at first and as he is about to do so she fires her gun out of the window. Fearing something awful has happened, Hermia raises the trap door and comes down. Olga is now triumphant. Hermia tells her she has brought down the game and to whistle for the dogs. She tells Olga that she loves Markham and that Markham loves her. When Olga has left Markham takes Hermia in his arms. She if furious at him, and tells him she lied to Olga, that she detests him, and that, now their vagabondia is spoiled, they must part. Their next meeting is in New York at the home of Mrs. Hammond, a social leader, who is giving a party. Private theatricals are to be the feature of the evening. As Hermia enters Olga tells her she hopes she will like the play, as she wrote it herself. Later Hermia is horrified to find the play is a story based on her summer's adventures. Olga spreads the gossip and Hermia, seeing herself the object of scandal, is ashamed and broken hearted. Markham is indignant. Mrs. Hammond, hearing the scandal, questions Markham. He tells her the whole truth and how innocent of wrong Hermia is. Mrs. Hammond is furious at Olga's taking advantage of her hospitality and assures Markham that she will see that the story is denied and that Olga is ostracized from her circle of friends. Markham finds Hermia has left her home and spends weeks trying to find her, all to no avail. Finally, one day he receives a package containing nothing but a tiny bell. He recognizes the bell as being like the ones Hermia wore on her vagabond costume. The postmark is Vallecy and he knows it is a silent message from her, and that she is waiting for him in the rose garden. He hurries with all speed to Vallecy and there finds Hermia in the rose garden where he first told her of his love.