The Definitive Guide Deeply Connected to Love Letters: Cult Guide

Dir: Roy William Neill

Two wives, one rich, one poor, each find themselves tempted by romantic seducers, and each faces the dilemma of remaining true to the husband who neglects her or of falling into the arms of another.

Dir: Roy William Neill

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

French scientists are developing a secret weapon, a gun that uses the mysterious powers of X-ray and ultra violet rays, called a "Ray Rifle." Miss Dalton played the girl that would protect it from German spies.

Dir: Roy William Neill

Marcella Duranzo finds it increasingly difficult to support herself and her ailing father on her earnings as a clothing store fashion model, she accepts an assignment from Lois Underwood, the bored wife of millionaire Robert Underwood. For $1,000, Marcella agrees to live in Reno for a time under Lois' name; meanwhile, the restless wife may accompany her lover, Count Louis Le Favri, on a yacht trip and still sue her husband for divorce. Robert, however, visits the fashionable Reno hotel in which Marcella is registered and soon learns the truth. In Reno, Robert's son Bobby becomes seriously ill, and when Marcella nurses him back to health, Robert falls in love with her. Lois, who has found a new lover in Jack Porter, is about to sue Robert, naming Marcella as the co-respondent, when the jealous count, posing as Jack's chauffeur, drives himself, Jack and Lois into an oncoming train. Marcella then consents to marry Robert.

Dir: Roy William Neill

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

A poor girl determines to right the wrong done to her father, and will let no one stand in her way.

Dir: Roy William Neill

Trixie Darling, a leading chorus girl in the musical comedy number "Chicken, Chicken, You're Some Pickin'," refuses Broadway Benham's seductive wine parties and luxuries. Instead, she marries John Collins, an awkward Westerner, who, she is surprised to learn, is a multi-millionaire with a huge orange grove in California. John, overhearing jealous dancers say Trixie married for money, decides to test her. He takes her in a rickety Ford to their "home," a shack, where he throws things, raves, and makes her fix his breakfast at five. When Benham brings the troupe to town, he easily convinces the disillusioned Trixie to appear, but John carries her off the stage. Gertie Brown, John's jealous former sweetheart, starts the Committee on Public Morals to get rid of Trixie. When Trixie interrupts their meeting and has a hair-pulling fight with Gertie, a dislodged kerosene lamp starts a fire. After nearly losing her life saving Gertie, Trixie awakens from unconsciousness to find herself in John's mansion, now accepted by all.

Dir: Roy William Neill

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Flare-Up Sal perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Young Gloria O'Connell falls in love with her neighbor, James Oliver. She is sent to a small town to stay with her three spinster aunts, while James becomes a newspaper reporter and arranges to write a story on the town and its large old-maid population. James pursues overweight "Hippo" Harger, a rival for Gloria's affections, and challenges him to a duel. When James' newspaper story appears, the disgruntled old maids hunt down the author. In a fit of anger, Gloria decides to marry "Hippo," but James rescues her at the office of the justice of the peace. The youthful lovers continue their relationship with their parents' understanding.

Dir: Roy William Neill

Catherine Bush, a lowly office worker, uses her attractive personality and her perseverance to lift herself to a high place in society, eventually becoming Lady Catherine.

Dir: Roy William Neill

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

New bride Winnie Davis wants to buy her husband Elmer a birthday present, but she can't because he insists that all household expenses be charged to him, and she doesn't want him finding out what she's buying him. She decides to make money by using the family car as a taxi, puts on a "chauferette" uniform and soon is attracting many new customers--mostly male. Matters become more complicated when a jealous former suitor of Winnie tries to ruin her husband by putting financial pressure on Elmer so Winnie will come back to him..

Dir: Roy William Neill

When Mark Reid, a young man seeking his fortune in the gold fields of California, discovers Mike O'Hara attempting to jump his claim, he becomes violent. However, the Good Samaritan intervenes and prevents him from injuring O'Hara, Reid, ashamed of his behavior, offers his adversary a share in the mine. Hearing of their good fortune, Morrison, a promoter from San Francisco, makes the partners an offer they cannot refuse. Reid goes to San Francisco to conclude the deal; while there he meets Morrison's niece Barbara and the two fall in love. Morrison learns of their engagement just as he is about to strip Reid of his profits in a bogus stock deal. The news fails to deter him and Reid loses all his possessions, believing that Barbara was an accomplice in her uncle's scheme. Returning to the gold fields, Reid discovers that O'Hara has staked another successful claim and the two men renew their partnership. Reid rises in the financial world and is about to crush Morrison, when the Good Samaritan intervenes once again, bringing Barbara to Reid's house where his better instincts prevail.

Dir: Roy William Neill

Heiress and orphaned Alicia Lea, is being forced into a marriage for money, goes to visit her friend Rosa Vargas, who is married to a rich planter in Santiago, Cuba. Rosa's husband Don Luis Vargas is a revolutionary, hostile to the government headed by the president and his brother Don Mariano Calderon, commander of the army. When Alicia visits the fort with the Vargases, the garrison mutinies, and Don Mariano's troops attack. Alicia is captured by Mariano but treated well, and, after she begs Mariano to spare Vargas' life, she is allowed to return to America. Later, in New York, Alicia meets Mariano, exiled from his country for allowing the political prisoners, including Vargas, to escape. Mariano and Alicia fall in love.