Masterpiece Selection that Capture the Essence of Los calaveras: Cu...

Dir: Maurice Campbell

Carver Endicott, a young sophisticate, is rejected by his fiancée for being too foppish and dull. When she feigns an interest in his father, Carver attempts to disgrace his family name by working as a farmhand and later as a busboy in a hotel. However, the newspapers only praise him for his self-sacrificing principles; and finding that he cannot bring shame to the family through menial labor, he takes up with a notorious actress. But when this maneuver also fails, he returns to his former fiancée, who has no further complaint about his being an inexperienced dullard.

Dir: James W. Horne

Young clubman Bob Gilmore is called by telephone to his home, where his parents are giving him a birthday party. He overhears one of the male guests make a slurring remark about his mother's appearance, and punishes him right there, throwing the entire gathering into an uproar. Later in the evening he assumes guilt for a check which had actually forged by his foster father, in order to save the mother's feelings, but obtains a written confession from the guilty man for future use if necessary. Learning that he had been adopted from a foundling asylum in infancy, Bob decides to go to New York to see if he cannot learn his real name, which he understands begins with "Mor." He disguises himself and enters many homes, attired in evening clothes, and is soon known to the police as "The Midnight Man." In the meantime he has come into contact with members of the White Circle gang, and has many close physical encounters with them.

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

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.

Dir: James W. Horne

In the Australian outback, a young woman falls for a dashing bandit known as Stingaree, who is actually a wealthy Englishman cheated out of his fortune by his greedy brother.

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

Dir: Malcolm St. Clair

A dancing instructor gets involved with a newly rich family.

Dir: James W. Horne

A series of remarkable attempts are made upon the life of Don Louis, who is stopping at the Grand Hotel. About to retire, he finds a cobra coiled in his bed. Later, a strangler's cord swishes through the air and encircles the Spaniard's neck. The man escapes death by a miracle. The third attempt occurs when a huge chandelier suspended directly above the table at which Don Louis sits, crashes down. Unnerved, the Spaniard begs Hilton, one of the hotel detectives, to spend the night with him. A few hours later, Hilton is found bound and gagged. He tells of a mysterious visitor who overpowered him and kidnapped Don Louis. No trace of the culprit and his victim can be found. Renee, daughter of Valdez, the cigarmaker who supplies the hotel with his wares, informs Hilton that her father has disappeared. The sympathetic detective accompanies the girl home. The two hear strange noises in the curing house back of the cottage. Investigating, Hilton comes upon Valdez and Don Louis. The latter is buried neck deep in the ground. Hilton, attempting to interfere, is overpowered by Valdez, who appears insane. The man informs him that years before, Don Louis had him kidnapped, after which the scoundrel stole his wife. The woman later died in want. From the hour he learned the truth, the wronged man lived only for revenge. His story told, Valdez kneels beside the don's head and slowly shoves a cobra toward the man's face. Frances Ballou, summoned by Renee, arrives just in time to save the don's life. Hilton tells her the story while liberating Don Louis. The terrible ordeal has revealed to the latter the depths of his infamy and he slinks away. Her heart touched. Frances resolves to keep the matter from the police.

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

Dir: James W. Horne

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Henry Edwards

A millionaire bets £25,000 that he can earn his own living for six months.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Don't Weaken! perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Jerome Storm

Ne'er-do-well Homer Cavender ventures to the city from Mainsville in an effort to find fame and fortune. Both elude him, and after clerking for two years, Homer returns home for a vacation. Impressed by his flashy clothes, the townspeople assume that Homer has achieved success. Attempting to win Rachel Prouty from his rival, Arthur Machim, Homer continues the deception by announcing that his employer, Kort and Bailly, has dispatched him to enroll stockholders for a proposed new plant to be built in Mainsville. Machim discovers the sham and denounces Homer as a crook. Meanwhile, Homer returns to New York, convinces his employers of the merits of his plan and comes home triumphant, with a proposal for both the new plant and for Rachel's hand in marriage.

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.