The Definitive Guide Inspired by the Vision of Marse Covington: Cult Guide

Dir: [object Object]

Big-hearted Prue, living in the slums, and Danny O'Maddigan, a reformed crook, want to buy a birthday cake for Prue's 75-year-old grandmother. They live across the hall from Ellen Rutherford, the destitute widow of Steven Rutherford, Jr., who was disinherited by his father, a wealthy candy manufacturer. Prue, who works at the candy factory, gives Ellen the money that was meant for her grandmother's cake so Ellen will be able to care for her son Bobby. Frustrated over the loss of the money, Danny steals the price of a cake from the factory's safe, leaving the safe's door open in his haste to depart. Danny's former gang arrives and cleans out the safe, and Danny is convicted of the crime and sent to prison for four years. While Danny is in prison, Bobby is struck by his grandfather's car and slightly injured. Stricken with remorse, Mr. Rutherford effects a reconciliation with his daughter-in-law and promises to use his influence to bring about Danny's release from prison.

Dir: [object Object]

Standish, an artist, finishes a painting of the Madonna. His wife, Mary, acted as model, and when the Connoisseur and the Parishioner inspect the picture, the former tells Standish that he recognizes in the model a one-time paramour of his. The Connoisseur and the Parishioner buy the painting and after their departure Standish upbraids his wife, who tells him that she believed herself legally married to the Connoisseur. Standish refuses to accept her explanation and ejects her and their baby son. Mary leaves her boy on the steps of a monastery, and seventeen years later, just before becoming a monk, he receives permission to see the world. He wanders into a gay café and succumbs to the charms of Beauty. The other inmates of the place, Lust, Rum, Avarice and Passion are dancing around him when the proprietor enters. It is Mary, his mother. She recognizes him from the crucifix which he wears and which she left with him when he was a baby. Without revealing her identity she persuades him to go back and later when he has become a priest, a bedraggled old woman (his mother) enters his church. She recognizes him and just before she dies her son gives her absolution.

Dir: [object Object]

Unnerved by the superiority of John Cook, the new president of the Securities Company, Wall Street business leader Amos Merrill begins to speculate with the trust funds in his control, ultimately losing all the funds. Amos, faced with discovery and disgrace, lies to his daughter Hope that Cook has ruined him; soon after, Hope meets Cook and conceives a plot for revenge. In the meantime, Cook has protected the frail Merrill from prosecution and paid back his debt after sending him away on a vacation to recover his health. Hope, knowing nothing of this, marries Cook and makes his life unbearable, finally conspiring with his business rival Gerald Hastings to ruin her husband and gain control of his funds. When Amos returns from his vacation, he is stunned at what Hope has done and reveals that his lie has resulted in a terrible mistake. Hope begs forgiveness from Cook and they go West together to begin a new life.

Dir: [object Object]

David Langford, a member of the firm of Keegles and Langford, hardware merchants, has a violent quarrel with his partner, and kills him. Ned, Mr. Keegles' son, who has been expelled from college, returns on the night of the murder, and is suspected of the crime. He leaves for the west, where he becomes known as "Dakota." "Texas" Blanca, a Mexican, and John Duncan blacken the name of "Dakota" by unjustly accusing him of cattle stealing. Later, "Dakota" aids a young girl named Sheila during a thunderstorm, and he subsequently learns that she is the daughter of Langford, the murderer of his father. In revenge he forces her to marry him, and then she leaves for the Double R ranch, which her father has purchased. "Dakota" becomes implicated in a number of other diabolical plots, but emerges triumphant, and the climax of the drama shows him and Sheila living happily as man and wife.

Dir: [object Object]

As Danny Rowland, a tramp, and his partner Dominie, an ex-minister, trudge wearily past the Winnicrest mansion in Tennessee, an old servant called Uncle Alex rushes up to Danny and welcomes him home as his long-lost employer, Richard Castleman. Amused, Danny assumes the role, and he and Dominie are clothed, fed, and generally treated like royalty. The beautiful Jean Logan, who had believed with the rest of the neighborhood that Richard was lost at sea, greets her returning sweetheart with a passionate embrace, and Danny soon falls in love with her. Dr. Harry Chilton, Richard's cousin and rival in love, maintains that Danny is an impostor, but Danny defeats him in a fight and banishes him from the estate. When Danny announces his intention to marry Jean, Dominie is shocked and tells her everything. Forced to confess to the sheriff, "Danny" reveals that he is indeed Richard, earlier robbed of his clothing and money by a crook named Danny Rowland, who died on a voyage to Australia. Relieved, all of the parties--with the exception of the jealous doctor--are reunited.

Dir: [object Object]

Before the guests arrive for a party in her apartment, Agnes Lambert, a writer of unsalable fiction, starts revising one of her stories because she realizes that it lacks drama and emotion. Later, she begins a romance with Tom Leighton, but although Tom loves her, he is already engaged to Ruth Beresford, who was recently blinded in an explosion. Aware of the impossibility of their affair, Agnes decides to commit suicide, but when Ruth, whose vision has been restored by an operation, discovers that Tom no longer loves her, she frees him to marry his new sweetheart. Tom goes to Agnes, but arrives too late, and finds her dead. Then, guests knock at Agnes' door, ready for a party, and, having just finished revising a story in which she stars as a woman who commits suicide because she wrongly believes that a love affair has failed, Agnes rises from her typewriter to greet them.

Dir: [object Object]

A daughter is grief-stricken by the loss of her father. His male friend becomes her guardian, and she is taken to live with the friend's mother. Time passes and romance blossoms in the girl's heart for her guardian. However, a love rival arrives from the city and catches his eye, and the drama unfolds.

Dir: [object Object]

Shortly after arriving in the West, James Van Dyke Moore, an Easterner fleeing from a soured love affair, has his courage tested when "Ace High" Horton, the town bully, threatens to take over the family mine. Forced into battle, the tenderfoot stands his ground against Horton, an act that impresses pretty Mollie Anderson. One day, Robert Forrest arrives from the East with Verda, his bride, who is Moore's former lover. While Forrest is off inspecting his mines, Verda and Horton become lovers and plan an elopement, but upon Forrest's return, Verda informs him that she is leaving town to escape Moore's advances. Because he has vowed not to reveal anything about their past affair, Moore is unable to defend himself. That night, Forrest sees Verda riding away with Horton and shoots him, but Moore is accused and arrested. Through the intervention of Mollie, Moore is released in time to intercept the couple in the desert. After disposing of Horton, Moore returns Verda to the town, whose angry citizens drive her back into the desert, and then proposes to Mollie.

Dir: [object Object]

When her mother, the operatic idol of Paris, takes her to the United States and dies, Cora goes to live with Marie, a model for artist George Garnier. Although George is engaged to wealthy Helen Van Brooks, who is in love with Carl Wilson, a club-man, George and Cora fall in love. When Cora discovers the engagement, however, she leaves and becomes an opera star. Years later, after breaking his engagement, George visits Cora again, causing Mrs. Van Brooks to entreat Cora to give up George. At a wild party, Cora allows Jose, her long-time admirer, to make love to her, which provokes George's disgust until Marie explains Cora's behavior. When Jose, alone with Cora, attacks her, George and Marie burst in to see Jose, hit by a wine cooler hurled by Cora, fall backward through a window, fall to the street and die. After they learn that Helen and Wilson have eloped, Cora and George are able to marry.

Dir: [object Object]

One day Coventry Petmore leaves his wife and child to go out in the world and fight the social evils of divorce and loveless marriage. Circumstances lead him to the home of Judge Mitchell, where the judge's son, a minister, and his wife Beatrice reside. The minister does not believe in expressing affection to his wife, and Beatrice becomes enamored of her chauffeur Larry Price. Petmore encourages Beatrice to tell the minister that she is running away with Price, then surreptitiously coaches the minister to give a response that Petmore believes will win Beatrice back. The plan backfires, however, and only a rainstorm and car trouble prevent Beatrice and Price from running off. Getting wind of Petmore's role in the affair, the judge has him ejected from the household, and Petmore returns home to discover that his wife has run away with her chauffeur. Petmore's conviction in his theories remains unshaken, however.