Deep Archive Finds in the Vein of Morgan's Raiders: Cult Guide

Dir: Wilfred Lucas

John Harland is a former boxer turned reverend posted to the town of Kangaroo. He falls in love with Muriel, an orphaned heiress, and discovers that her guardian Martin Giles is embezzling her inheritance. Harland earns the ire of parishioners by teaching young boys to box, and Giles manipulates local opinion to have the bishop remove him. Harland rescues a gentleman from a mugging in Sydney who suggests that he go to Kalmaroo where a criminal gang has driven the church out of the area. Harland preaches, and unexpectedly sees Muriel in the congregation; her property is near Kalmaroo. But her overseer is Red Jack Braggan who leads the gang which violently breaks up Harland's mission - much to the distress of Muriel who regards Harland as too timid - and is in cahoots with Giles. Harland goes to work as a station hand at a property neighbouring Muriel's. Giles arranges for Red Jack to kidnap Muriel so that he might marry the girl and thus prevent her giving evidence against him. Harland rescues Muriel: they leap from the stage coach as it thunders across Hampden Bridge into the Kangaroo River.

Dir: Wilfred Lucas

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Trey o' Hearts perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A crippled old man and his daughter plot to kill a young man they mistakenly believe was responsible for the man's injury. Matters get complicated when his other daughter, who is a twin, falls in love with the intended victim.

Dir: Wilfred Lucas

A real desperado meets Bill in the road and compels him to exchange clothes with him and take his horse, the bandit, known as "Desperate Bill," having received word that the sheriff and a posse are gunning for him.

Dir: Wilfred Lucas

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of You Know What I Mean 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: Wilfred Lucas

A girl, suffering from amnesia, shows up in a logging-camp in the northwest. There are those who know more about who she is than she does, including why she is there, and the helpless girl is soon at the mercy of the lawlessness in this far-flung frontier. Will some gentleman come to her aid?

Dir: Wilfred Lucas

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

An odd belief that the dead can be tormented through their surviving loved ones prompts Dr. Miguel Hernandez to seek revenge against the woman who shunned him through her husband, Matthew Vane, and daughter Mildred. With the help of some old love letters supposedly written by Matthew's deceased wife to another man, the doctor suggests that Mildred is not Matthew's daughter, whereupon the shocked father leaves the young woman with Miguel and departs on a journey. Purportedly testing Mildred to determine her true parentage, the doctor actually imprisons her, allowing her to see no one but the lecherous Ralph Jeffries, whom she loathes. Mildred smuggles a note to her sweetheart, Albert Moreland, who arrives with Matthew to rescue her just as Ralph is attacking her. The doctor's scheme is fully revealed, and Mildred is reunited with her father and sweetheart.

Dir: Wilfred Lucas

In a provincial Spanish town, during the mid-nineteenth century, Manuela is sold as a dancing girl to a strolling musician. In their wanderings, she meets Don Bartolome, who left his poor father Don Luis to become a highwayman. Bartolome falls in love with Manuela and takes her with him after killing the musician. When they meet Osmund Manvers, an English squire, Bartolome wants to use Manuela to rob him, but Manvers rescues Manuela from a gang of drifters and carries her into the country. Later, Manuela stabs and kills Bartolome after he threatens her. Manuela flees and Manvers searches for her. When Don Luis learns about Bartolome's death, he challenges Manvers to a duel. After Manvers refuses, Tormillo, Don Luis' servant, stabs Manvers in the arm. When Manuela offers her life to Don Luis to save Manvers, Don Luis relents, but Tormillo remains frantic. Manvers' valet and friend, Gil Perez, prepares poison for Tormillo, but Tormillo demands that Gil Perez drink first. To save Manvers and Manuela, first Gil Perez drinks the poison, then Tormillo drinks it, after which they both die. Manvers and Manuela are now reunited.

Dir: Wilfred Lucas

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

The train stops on the moonlit desert while the crew tries to cool overheated bearings. Bill's wife sends him to take their Pekingese pup for his evening exercise. Mrs. Jim Frye quarrels with her husband and walks out into the desert in her nightie. Bill himself is clad in romantic pink pajamas. The train pulls out leaving them beneath the winking Arizona stars.

Dir: Wilfred Lucas

Tarzan and Jane are to sail for England. They are attacked by natives and Tarzan is believed to have been killed.

Dir: Wilfred Lucas

Vowing vengeance on Edward Marriott, whom he believes to have dishonored his mother, The Shadow is a highwayman who robs only Marriott. The Shadow attracts the interest of Dorothy Harden, Marriott's fiancee, and finally he captures her. The action includes the kidnapping, by The Shadow's rival, Ben, of Dorothy; The Shadow's capture and escape; and his rescue of Dorothy. All is happily resolved when Dorothy declares her love for The Shadow and Marriott proves to be innocent of injuring The Shadow's mother.