The Auteur's Selection In the Shadow of Manslaughter: Cult Guide

Dir: Cecil B. DeMille

Mary Denby becomes a seamstress after her husband Steve wastes their money on booze. Her employer provides her as an escort to accompany millionaire Roger Manning. Her husband tries blackmailing Manning and is later killed by the police, leaving Mary free to wed the millionaire.

Dir: Cecil B. DeMille

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

With her brother killed Sonya is given Turkish captive Mahmud to do the hard work on the farm. After they become fond of each other he strikes a Turkish officer. When peace arrives, his blow costs him his noble lands. She is burned out of her house. They meet again on the road with nothing but each other.

Dir: Cecil B. DeMille

Horace and Ethel Simpson, wealthy siblings touring Europe, fall prey to Russian conmen, one of who plans a marriage with Ethel. The executor of their fortune Daniel Pike, assisted by Grand Duke Vasill, exposes the Russians for what they are.

Dir: Cecil B. DeMille

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

A vision of Joan of Arc inspires an English officer facing a risky mission.

Dir: Cecil B. DeMille

An old sheikh punishes his son Jamil for robbing a caravan by giving his horse to the wronged merchant. The horse is sold to a Turkish general, then given to Christian missionary Mary Hilbert. Jamil takes it from her but then, after falling in love, save her and her father. When his father dies, Jamil must relinquish Mary to become the new sheikh.

Dir: Cecil B. DeMille

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

The father of San Francisco waif Meg runs an illegal liquor club and supports "English" Hal in scheme to blackmail a wealthy girl. Meg is put on probation to Benjamin Merton, father of the girl to be blackmailed. When she discovers her father's plan she reveals all, risking expulsion from her new home and the company of its very attractive son Tom.

Dir: Cecil B. DeMille

Opera singer Renee Dupree is in love with struggling composer Julian who falls very seriously ill. She goes to impresario Mueller for the money Julian needs but is saved from sacrificing her virtue when a jealous lover kills Mueller.

Dir: Cecil B. DeMille

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

Chimmie is sent to Death Valley, California as part of a railroad scheme. He's to pretend to have discovered gold there, then set a new transcontinental record heading East. It doesn't quite work out that way.

Dir: Cecil B. DeMille

In order to help her smuggler kinsmen, a sultry gypsy seduces and corrupts an officer of the Civil Guard turning him into a traitor and murderer.

Dir: Cecil B. DeMille

As the Civil War begins Ned Burton leaves his Southern love Agatha Warren and joins the Union army. He is later protected and saved from death by Agatha in spite of her loyalty to the South.