The Definitive Watchlist Seeking the Same Brilliance as Love in Mor...

Dir: Rex Ingram

Hector Brown, affectionately nicknamed "Humdrum" by the residents of Norwalk because his life is so monotonous, wants to marry Alicia Boothe. Humdrum's brother-in-law Ed Danforth spends all of his money on get-rich-quick schemes, however, so the young bank clerk is forced to support the entire Danforth family. After Danforth and bank president Carlos Tanner rob the bank in which Humdrum is employed, the bank is forced to close, and Humdrum goes to San Francisco to look for a job. In his absence, Alicia inherits a large sum of money and travels to the city to find her fiancé. There she meets Tanner, who takes her money, promising to invest it for her. Having been double-crossed by Tanner, Danforth tells Humdrum the truth about the bank robbery and goes to the police. Humdrum catches the steamer on which Tanner is about to depart, holds the crook until the police arrive, and returns to the Norwalk bank with the stolen funds. He and Alicia marry following his appointment as president of the bank.

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.

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

Dir: Rex Ingram

Melodrama of a young Italian lady induced to emigrate to New York where her patron abandons her. Her brother then follows, to avenge her dishonor, using a dagger belonging to an artist, who is incriminated.

Dir: Rex Ingram

Julian Randolph, a dishonest attorney whose specialty is furnishing phony jurors, is offered a judgeship if he clears Clifford Nordhoff, the brother of powerful politician "Boss" Nordhoff, of a murder charge. With the aid of his usual tools, Randolph succeeds and is given a position on the bench. Here he is expected to obey the commands of the men who secured his appointment, but Ranoldph falls in love with Laura Nelson, a girl of upstanding social position, and resolves to follow the straight path. He breaks off with Roxana Frisbee, an adventuress who had assisted him in his shady schemes, and refuses to hand down a decision in favor of the political machine. In the end, Randolph upholds justice, wins Laura as his wife, and has the gratification of seeing Roxana also go straight.

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

Dir: Rex Ingram

Opera goers had never heard such a "Carmen" as Lorelei, the American girl, who had come to Mexico City, almost unheralded, and captivated the town. Francisco De Sarpina, governor of the province, coveted the girl, and with his power was able to sweep aside all opposition. Marion Leslie, an American sculptor, had rejoiced when he secured the commission to supply frescoes for one of the local cathedrals; he could be near Lorelei, his betrothed, during the grand opera season. Rance Clifford is the American consul and his sister, Isable, lives with him at the consulate. When Clifford files a telegram that promises to lead to an investigation of Sarpina's action the American is arrested and thrown into jail. Isable Clifford had at one time relieved the family of Pietro, the jailer. In their distress and thus gained the gratitude of Pietro and his wife. Isable hears of her brother's imprisonment and bribes Pietro to provide Clifford with means of escape. The Cliffords and Leslie are friendly and when Clifford escapes, he goes to the cathedral, to find shelter until he can plan the next move. Isable has consented to pose for a head of the Madonna and Lorelei is needlessly jealous. Lorelei arrives, demands admittance, and during the brief interval Leslie employs to hide Clifford, Lorelei's jealousy is set aflame. Sarpina discovers that his prisoner has escaped. He elicits from the jailer a confession that involves Isable. The cunning Mexican devises a scheme to play upon Lorelei's jealousy by forging a note to the opera singer that implicates Leslie and Isable. The forgery fires Lorelei's jealous passion, and she divulges Clifford's hiding place. Leading the Mexicans to Leslie's home she enters to find Clifford and his sister with Leslie. The situation is explained and Leslie directs Clifford and Isable to a nearby hiding place from whence they ultimately escape to safety. When the Mexicans enter Leslie's home, and find the singer and Leslie the only occupants, Sarpina demands that the whereabouts of his prisoner shall be disclosed. Sarpina's men seize Leslie and torture him when he will not betray the American refugees. Lorelei is a witness to the scene and when she can no longer bear seeing her betrothed punished, she tells where Clifford and Isable may be found. Leslie is ordered to jail, to be shot next morning. When Clifford and Isable cannot be found (because they have fled) Sarpina tells Lorelei that his vengeance will fall upon the head of her sweetheart. Surrendering herself to Sarpina is given as Lorelei's only method of saving Leslie's life. Lorelei dines with the Mexican brute and agrees to render the tribute demanded of her. First, however, Sarpina must deliver to her passports for two and instruct his executioner that only blanks shall be fired at Leslie in his pretended execution at sunrise. Five minutes alone with her betrothed is allowed Lorelei. Returning to Sarpina's apartments Lorelei, during a struggle with the Mexican, stabs him dead. Morning breaks, and Lorelei goes, passports in hand, to the place where her sweetheart lies prostrate upon the ground, cold in death. Shocked beyond human endurance, the singer falls upon the breast of her betrothed.

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 His Robe of Honor perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Rex Ingram

Guido Capanelli is an adventurer, his good looks and courtly bearing helping him through many successes. He has gained entrance to the best society, incidentally making the acquaintance of Princess Dione, whose father. Prince Paul Ragosin, is in feeble health. Prince Ragosin has expressed a wish that Princess Dione shall marry Feodor Strogoff, and on his death bed gains the promise from Dione that his wish shall be gratified. Feodor allows Guido Capanelli to be Dione's greatest source of sympathy in the hours of her grief, and in consequence, Guido so ingratiates himself with the Princess that she marries the adventurer, regardless of her pledge. Previous to Prince Ragosin's death Dione became interested in Katerina Vlasoff, a girl who is a street vendor of crude images and daughter of Peter Vlasoff, a drunken beast. When the girl returns home one evening without having made a sale all day Vlasoff sends her into the streets, threatening her with harm if she does not return with money to buy him wine. Katerina is accosted by Guido Capanelli, and; submits to his advances that she may have money to take home. She is so humiliated that she is glad to take her brother's advice to visit Princess Dione, the friend of everybody who is poor and in distress. Touched by Katerina's story, Princess Dione sends the girl to a convent, having gained Prince Paul Ragosin's consent to thus befriend the outcast. After Dione and Guido are married, Katerina returns from, the convent to make her home with her benefactress. Guido, under threat of exposing Katerina, demands a renewal of their relations and the deceitful couple start at once to plot against Princess Dione. When the Princess falls ill, they appoint themselves her nurses and in neglecting to administer medicines properly create a comatose condition that closely resembles death. The Princess is buried and Guido and Katerina establish themselves in control of her lands and fortune. When Dione had married Guido she received a book from Feodor Strogoff with an inscription in effect that he would always stand ready to befriend the woman he loved, but had discarded Slim for another. After the Princess is entombed, Feodor visits the sepulcher and discovers that Dione is alive, having simply been in a trance. Convinced, by what she herself witnessed of the treachery of her husband and Katerina, the Princess goes with Feodor to Rome, for the purpose of biding their time for vengeance. Guido and Katerina visit Rome and Guido becomes enamored of a famous beauty who has become the toast of the town. The woman is slow to accept Guido's advances, but finally tells him that a famous ring that has been buried with the Princess Dione will be the price of her affection. When Guido returns to the sepulcher to rob his wife's corpse, he finds the coffin empty. As he turns away from the tomb, he sees what he believes to be the ghost of the Princess. The apparition drives him insane and he runs to a nearby cliff and throws himself into the ocean. Katerina returns to the street from whence she came and Princess Dione and Feodor find happiness in marriage.

Dir: Harley Knoles

Jim McDonald, the foreman of a shipbuilding plant and head of the labor union, strives to combat the anarchistic propaganda being put forth by Klimoff, the leader of a Bolshevik gang whose goal is to disrupt the country with strikes and anarchy. Despite McDonald's efforts, a strike is called, resulting in chaos. McDonald's child is knocked down by runaway horses abandoned by their striking driver, and dies. Mob scenes take place in America, as well as in Russia. Eventually, the unrest is quelled with an armistice called between Capital and Labor for a year, during which time wages are to be increased to reflect the cost of living, and leaders are to work out a common plan for their mutual advantage. The strikers now realize that they have been pawns of the Bolsheviks and call off the strike, agreeing to the plan.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Chalice of Sorrow 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: Edward LeSaint

When famous opera singer Elinore Duane undergoes an operation on her throat, she has a series of ether-induced visions. In one, she is transported to ancient Rome where she appears as a much-admired woman in love with Paul, a young heretic, and at odds with Lutor, the high priest. To save her love, she poisons Lutor with her ring. After several other visions which involve variations on this love triangle, Elinore awakens to discover that Lutor is actually her doctor, Sascha Jaccard, and that Paul is the son of a friend who has come to visit the recovering prima donna.