Masterpiece Selection that Capture the Essence of Miss Innocence: Cult Guide

Dir: Harry F. Millarde

Eugene Lenoir weds the sister of Major Warfield. The couple dies not many months after the marriage, but there is much animosity between the two families. Gabriel Lenoir inherits his brother's estate, and he makes the nurse, Nance Wilson, swear to kill the baby that was born to Eugene's wife shortly before she died. But the nurse takes the infant to be raised in a New York tenement instead. After the girl is grown, the nurse tells the Major of her existence. Warfield brings her back to Virginia under the name Capitola Black. When the United States declares war on Germany, Herbert Grayson comes to town to ferret out a gang of spies. Capitola decides to help her country, too, and she discovers that Gabriel Lenoir is one of the conspirators. She is almost killed but Grayson rescues her and reveals that Lenoir stole Capitola's fortune when she was a baby, and the villain gets his just rewards for his wrongdoings. The estate is returned to Capitola, who is attacked by one of Lenoir's accomplices that she locks up in the cellar. As Grayson is about to enlist and leave for the front in France, he asks for Capitola's hand in marriage.

Dir: Harry F. Millarde

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Unknown 274 perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

The arrest in America of a foreigner for evading military service in his native land results in his daughter becoming "No. 274" in an orphanage. She is later adopted by a couple who plan to sell her into matrimonial slavery, but she wins the love of a rich young man, who marries her. Later she is reunited with her father through playing a violin, to which she has clung through all her misadventures.

Dir: Harry F. Millarde

Former miner Daniel Slade becomes a wealthy investor and runs for political office, ultimately becoming the governor of his state. Daniel's wife, Mary, is unable to adjust to a life in high society, often embarrassing him in the presence of his colleagues. Temptation arrives in the form of Katherine Strickland, the daughter of a prominent senator, who takes Daniel away from his old-fashioned wife. However, Daniel eventually realizes how much he loves Mary, and he returns to her.

Dir: Harry F. Millarde

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

Rudolph King becomes engaged to Martha Thorne, the niece of John Chandler, when he and Chandler form a pork-and-bean producing partnership. The two hold a house party for Pell Kingston, who buys pork and beans for the United States Army, to negotiate a contract. To convince Martha of the merits of kissing, the shy Rudolph asks Pell to kiss her in the dark, and when she responds favorably, Rudolph claims the credit. Martha discovers that Pell, to whom she is attracted, actually kissed her, but things become confused when Mrs. Irene Chandler also demonstrates an interest in Pell. After several amatory mix-ups, everything is cleared up, and Pell and Martha leave the party together.

Dir: Harry F. Millarde

A village schoolteacher, unaware that Eben, the village carpenter, is in love with her, marries a surveyor and has a son, David. Eben, distraught at losing her, goes away, and he returns years later to find that David, now an orphan, is running away from his cruel foster father, the squire. Eben befriends David, and when the town is destroyed by a storm the two escape harm. An epilog shows David 25 years later as a successful businessman, happily married, helping to rebuild the town. (SILENT)

Dir: Harry F. Millarde

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

Robert Dunning commits suicide after he is ruined financially by a crafty Wall Street broker. Marcia Dunning vows revenge for her husband's death, and becomes a roulette operator in a gambling house where the broker's son often visits. She uses a magnetized finger ring to cheat the son, who then robs his father and causes the man's financial ruin. When Marcia learns that her daughter has secretly married the broker's son, she appeals to the gambling house partners to return the young man's losses. One partner refuses; another partner, who is in love with Marcia, stakes his share of the business against the others and loses. Marcia stakes herself against the winning partners, is prevented from using her magnet ring, but wins everything nevertheless. Marcia returns the stolen funds for the sake of her daughter, and then marries the partner who loves her.

Dir: Harry F. Millarde

Annie Laurie is betrothed to Donald McGregor just before he leaves Scotland to fight the Germans in France during World War I. At home, Annie discovers a man washed up on the shore and cares for him until her father, fearing that she and the stranger, Lieutenant Hathaway, are falling in love, turns him out of the house. When Hathaway recovers, he returns to the front where he befriends Donald, while Annie becomes a Red Cross nurse. Both men are wounded in a charge and hospitalized. There Annie, though still torn between the two, eventually decides to honor her vow to Donald and marries him.

Dir: Harry F. Millarde

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Town That Forgot God perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Lieut. Ralph Harrison is in love with Major Marston's wife, who pretends to love him. Harrison's mother implores Capt. Jim Craig to intervene to save her son from dishonor. When Craig visits Mrs. Marston, Harrison appears, precipitating a quarrel during which Harrison is wounded in the shoulder. Craig then leaves, and the major discovers Harrison. The major kills Harrison, and places the blame on Craig. To avoid a scandal, Craig runs away. Madge Summers of the Secret Service tracks him down and the two fall in love, but Craig is arrested and taken back to the army post. Further evidence of his wife's infidelity causes the major to go mad. He murders his wife and confesses to Harrison's murderer. Cleared of dishonor, Craig finds happiness with Madge.

Dir: Harry F. Millarde

Bonnie is the object of a brutish bully who likes to spend his time at her foster father's saloon. Arthur, a playwright has come to town after the woman he loves, has married another man for his money. Arthur marries Bonnie to protect her from the bully, meanwhile, the other woman has become a widow and now wants Arthur back. She arranges to put Bonnie in a compromising position with another man; her plan almost succeeds, but Arthur and Bonnie's strong bond of love cannot be broken.

Dir: Harry F. Millarde

A marital misunderstanding between iron manufacturer Perry Risdon and his wife Olive occurs when her extravagant spending forces him to devote all of his time to business, which she interprets as neglect. Millionaire Ned Beckwith, Olive's former suitor, sees the developing breech and attempts to use it to his advantage by secretly forcing a bank to make Perry repay an $80,000 loan within 24 hours. When Beckwith agrees to Perry's loan request on the condition that he divorce Olive, Perry knocks him down. Olive, vacationing alone in Pasadena, gets word of her husband's straits and sells her jewelry to raise $30,000. Beckwith replies to her request for the rest by inviting her to his apartment that night. Deeply troubled, Olive goes and is saved from Beckwith's seduction when Beckwith's mistress, Marta Holmes, calls Perry, who arrives and fights Beckwith. Marta then kills Beckwith and drowns herself, while the Risdons are reconciled.