Essential Cult Cinema Drawn from the Same DNA as Masters of Men: Cu...

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.

Dir: David Smith

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

A hobo hires out as a sheepman. The owner of the ranch is a mysterious individual, who is suspected of being Black Bill, a badly wanted man.

Dir: David Smith

Jim Carvel, whose father Henry, a newspaper owner, has been killed by the local political boss for exposing a theft ring, shoots his father's murderer and escapes to the Canadian Northwest where he befriends Nepeese, daughter of a local trapper named Pierre. Brutal trading post owner "Bush" McTaggart attacks Nepeese while she is alone in her cabin. Pierre arrives home and tries to defend his daughter, but McTaggart kills him. To clear himself, McTaggart blames Jim for the murder, and while a group of Indians track Jim down, kidnaps Nepeese. Jim is rescued by his half-breed friend De Bar while Baree, Nepeese's dog, hunts down and overcomes McTaggart. Freed from McTaggart's clutches, Nepeese marries Jim.

Dir: Wilfred Lucas

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Baree, Son of Kazan perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

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.

Dir: Edgar Jones

A mail-order bride arrives at a Maine lumber camp but doesn't like her prospective husband.

Dir: Alexander Butler

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

In Alberta, Canada, a Cornish emigrant unmasks a rustler posing as the girl's "blind" father.

Dir: David Smith

Allen Spargo, a mining engineer betrothed to Theresa Kane, goes West to make his fortune and is seriously injured in an accident. Kate Leonard falls in love with him while nursing him to recovery. She jealously intercepts his fiancée's letters and writes Theresa that Allen is dead. Paralyzed by grief for a time, Theresa finally agrees to marry her former suitor, Lemuel Antree, but soon after the ceremony, Allen returns. Assuming that she no longer loves him, Allen leaves for the West, but Theresa follows him. Lemuel pursues the couple intending to kill them, but learns that Allen had once saved his life. Since Lemuel believes that his life, in effect, belongs to Allen, he drowns himself to allow the couple to marry.

Dir: David Smith

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

An opera diva touring with her company in South America charms everyone she meets except Johnny Armstrong, who has no use for her or any other woman. When she is taken captive by an Indian tribe, Johnny rescues her. On their way back to civilization Johnny sees a change in her brought about by the experience of being captured and rescued, and he begins to fall for her. However, the closer they get to civilization the more she begins to revert to the arrogant, attention-craving diva she had been. Johnny comes up with a plan he hopes will "bring back" the woman he has grown to love.

Dir: David Smith

Peggy Winston, the boss of a lumber camp left to her by her father, is loved by all the "jacks" of the camp. When Clayton Hargis, the son of a millionaire ship builder visits to contract for the camp's entire output, Peggy, deeply affected by him, rescues him when he falls into dangerous waters, but Clayton remains ignorant of her affection. Peggy accepts the invitation of Clayton's sister to join them in the city, and after trading her corduroys and spiked shoes for silks, blossoms into a beautiful woman. Heartbroken when she sees Clayton's fiancée embrace him, Peggy leaves and lives a week in the city after pawning her clothes. In Peggy's absence, the title to the camp is taken over by a friend of Clayton's. The friend and Clayton, who now realizes that he loves Peggy, search for her at the camp. After the hostile lumberjacks lock them in a cabin and plant dynamite underneath it, Peggy arrives, quells the riot, and saves them. Clayton straightens out the title of the camp, and confesses his love for Peggy.

Dir: David Smith

Having been discharged as the Van Smuythes' coachman for drunkenness, Thomas McQuade has joined the Bed Liners in Madison square. It is freezing cold. Standing beside him is a young man, shabby but neat. They exchange confidences and Thomas learns that the young man has just been discharged from a hospital without a penny, his wife and child having been obliged to return to her mother. He had married against the wishes of his unforgiving relatives. Just then an automobile dashes up Fifth avenue and, when opposite the Bed Line, drops an extra tire. Thomas catches it and returns it to the owner, expecting at least a dollar for the service, but, instead the imposing gentleman asks him mysteriously if he knows the Van Smuythes, and on learning that he does, Thomas is forthwith taken to a palatial house in the Seventies and fed on cold fowl, tea biscuits and wine. While thus pleasantly occupied two women are mysteriously ushered into a side room, where his host, Prof. Cherubusco, the great clairvoyant, tells them that the Chaldean Chiroscope has been successful, for had it not said "By the fifth wheel of the chariot he shall come?" But the professor, learning instead that Thomas is the Van Smuythe's ex-coachman, throws him into the street. So back to the Bed Line goes Thomas, where he resumes his conversation with his new friend. Suddenly a sturdy girl rushes up to him. It is Annie, his sweetheart and maid at the Van Smuythe's, whom he has not seen for a month. She says his old position is waiting for him, but suddenly catching sight of the other man she screams, "Mr. Walter!" And then it appears that she had accompanied her mistress to the great clairvoyant and he had hold her where she would find her sweetheart, and she had also found "Mr. Walter." After paying the car fares home she vows to give her remaining $11.85 to Professor Cherubusco, "the greatest man in the world." Moving Picture World, February 2, 1918