Masterpiece Selection Resonating with the Themes of Mr. Opp: Cult G...

Dir: Lynn Reynolds

Clay Burgess, a rover, returns to his home town to find his father, a banker, dead and his property in the clutches of "Big" Dave Dawley by means of a fake will. The real will is possessed by Ben Davis, who works on Della Bowen's ranch outside of town. After visiting Ben and promising Della that he will return to marry her, Clay recruits the help of a gang that have been fighting Dawley's henchmen for control of the town. After a series of adventures, including a brutal fight in which Dawley is killed, Clay and his men exterminate the rival Dawley gang. The wandering cowboy then retrieves his property and marries Della.

Dir: Lynn Reynolds

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

Inconsiderate millionaire John Benson, philanthropist Oliver North, courageous Langdon Crane, wealthy idler Robert Curtis, and Lydia Benson are among the passengers on an ocean liner that is sunk by a German submarine. Carried away by the currents to a tropical island, the castaways endure hardships which bring out their true natures. Benson becomes kind and considerate underneath his gruff exterior, North exhibits a meanness and smallness, Crane turns into a coward and slacker when he is confronted by hard work, and Curtis develops into a dynamo of activity whose strength and consideration prompt Lydia to fall in love with him. Finally, they are rescued and all return home, where Lydia and Curtis are married.

Dir: Lynn Reynolds

With his invalid mother, Chet Wells rents a piece of property from Deacon Todd for the purpose of demonstrating Chet's ideas of "scientific farming." Major Burke and his daughter Emily are near neighbors. Emily is engaged to marry a wealthy young neighbor man. Her neighborly kindness to poorly Mrs. Wells brings her into frequent association with Chet, and the young people become fond of each other without openly expressing their mutual regard. Chet is unable to make the farm pay, and when Deacon Todd demands his rent, the young man cannot pay. During the argument Mrs. Wells arises from her bed and the excited conversation between Todd, the sheriff, and Chet gives her such a shock that she falls to the floor, fatally stricken. Chet swears vengeance upon Deacon Todd whom he blames for hastening his mother's death. Finally compelled to vacate, Chet sells his chattel and goes away to seek his fortune. Deacon Todd moves into the house Chet has vacated and an enmity develops between Major Burke and the miserly old deacon, climaxing when the major sends a charge of shot in Todd's direction because he discovers the deacon letting his cows into the major's corn. Todd disappears the night that Chet returns. Suspicion is directed toward Chet because threats he had made to "get even" with the deacon. Major Burke is conscience-stricken when he sees a flock of buzzards hovering over a nearby swamp and fancies that the dead body of his "victim" is the attraction for the vultures. Taking assiduously to drinking for the purpose of quieting his conscience the major is overcome by the stuff and sleeps. Chet enters the major's house to call upon Emily and hears the major talking in his maudlin slumber, revealing the facts in the shooting of Todd. By the same method of transmission, Emily has learned from her own father's lips that truth of "the deacon's demise." When officers come to Burke's house and accuse Chet of the crime the young man admits that he is guilty and tells the officers to search the swamp for Todd's remains. Chet's heroism in submitting himself as a victim to her own father's action greatly stirs Emily's latent admiration, and forgetful of her obligation to marry another, the girl easily surrenders her heart to Chet and proceeds to help him out of his dilemma. Chet is locked in the rickety neighborhood jail and Emily releases him, giving him opportunity to decamp and begging him to take her along to be married. Thus matters arrive at the conclusion of the film, but the exact manner in which the story ends is not revealed. Suffice it to say that the "surprise finish" changes the whole nature of the story from tense melodrama to boisterous farce, ending in the "biggest laugh" ever produced by a moving picture.

Dir: Lynn Reynolds

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

Lorenzo Todd, in his childhood had been strictly dealt with; in his youth the girl he loved deserted him; and, growing into manhood, he became morose and grouchy. The only ones he cared for were Dudley Phillips, his youthful rival for the love of the girl Phillips married; her daughter Virginia; and his own son Warren. Virginia and Warren were betrothed and Warren was sowing his last "wild oats" before settling down and becoming a partner in his father's business. Dudley objected to Warren's pranks, while Todd liked the idea of his boy displaying a little "ginger." Finally, Warren was sued by a chorus girl for breach of promise and Dudley declared that he should never marry Virginia, while Todd declared he would not allow Warren to marry her. When Warren told his father that he still intended to make Virginia his wife or leave home forever, Todd told him to go and when he left Todd's soul shriveled even smaller, and he became more of a grouch than ever, until his heart was actually affected and the doctor ordered him to go to Arizona. While he is snowbound in a trapper's cabin at Christmas, a little boy makes him rejoice in the realization of God's great works, and touches the spring that opens his shriveled soul. Fate restores Warren to his father, and Dudley, having heard of Todd's predicament, takes Dorothy with him; there is a general reunion. Warren thoroughly cured of his wildness, completes the pact that he and Virginia had made: and the boy, who had been the cause of Todd's rejuvenation, starts life as a millionaire.

Dir: Lynn Reynolds

Failing to hear from her brother Jimmy after his departure for the Klondike, Barbara Henderson goes in search of him. Arriving in the frozen North, Barbara learns that her brother has been murdered and vows vengeance. Because the town's small hotel is filled to capacity, Barbara accepts an offer of lodging from old Tully Winkle in return for her keeping house for him and his prospecting partner, Cort Dorian. Barbara and Cort fall in love, but Barbara refuses to marry Cort until she solves the mystery of her brother's death. From various sources she learns that Jimmy's disappearance was preceded by a shoot-out between him and prospector Laberge over Seattle Lou. Barbara then makes the acquaintance of Laberge, who tells her that Cort shot Jimmy. Barbara insists upon fighting a duel with Cort, who fires into the air and is wounded by Barbara's bullet. Just as the shots are fired, Tully appears with the news that Seattle Lou has just arrived in town with her new husband, Jimmy Henderson.

Dir: Lynn Reynolds

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

Lawrence Percival Van Huyler, a society fop, protests against the necessity of living up to his snobbish family's blue-blooded traditions. His fiancée, Alicia Vanderveldt, abandons him for Richard Barnaby, who ridicules the pampered Lawrence and brags of his own daring exploits in foreign countries. While the Van Huyler estate is undergoing renovation, Lawrence uncovers a box containing a confession written by the family's founder, Peter Van Huyler. In it, the patriarch admits that he was actually an Irishman of humble birth who made his fortune engaging in piracy on the high seas. Delighted, Lawrence takes a construction job and adopts a fighting attitude, challenging those who had previously made fun of him. After learning that Richard's tales of derring-do were borrowed from a book, Lawrence exposes him and regains Alicia's love.

Dir: Lynn Reynolds

Daws Anthony, a boy of 16, is cared for by three old men: Judge Morgan, Roger Appleby, and Caleb Talbot. One day, Northerner Ray Preston comes to their Southern town and proceeds to buy some of the judge's property. He also succeeds in breaking up the romance of village belle Carolyn Dillon and Wallace Turner. When traces of oil are discovered on the purchased property, Preston, at the suggestion of Major Dillon, consents to sell a half-interest in the land to the townsfolk for a large sum of money. Daws is suspicious, however, and undertakes an investigation, only to discover that Preston has oiled the land to swindle the town. Threatened with tarring and feathering, Preston returns the money and leaves town, thus removing all obstacles in the path of Carolyn and Turner's romance.

Dir: Lynn Reynolds

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

Rejected by the army because of his petite size, French dress designer Andre Leriche conceives the idea of designing a gown that will aid his country. His employer, Madame Felice, sells the gown to Mrs. Mortimer Reyton, a middle-aged woman who is gradually losing the love of her husband. The gown so transforms her that, in honor of their wedding anniversary, Reyton buys three ambulances for France. Mrs. Reyton then sends the gown to her cousin Natalie. The garment so inspires Englishman Neil Cunningham that, to win Natalie's love, he returns home to enlist. In France, Neil proves himself a hero and, while leading an attack on a German stronghold, saves Andre's father, the mayor of the town, from death. Thus, the gown made a reality of Andre's dream to serve his country.

Dir: Lynn Reynolds

When McAndrews was a boy his father took him to Lost Lake for a vacation, and a childish friendship was established between Vaughan and Jude Clark. He now goes to Lost Lake for recreation. Because the hotel accommodations are insufficient, Abner Clark takes Vaughan to his home, where in daily association with Jude the childhood friendship is renewed, and it gradually intensifies. Judge West, sensing the trend of events, charges Vaughan with "trifling" and reminds him that Jude is engaged to marry Dave Bean, a man of her own style. Harrison has induced Jude to pose for him, promising payment of $50 for the service, but the completed picture shows Jude in a pose she had never assumed. When Vaughan sees the picture, the opinion he has formed of the mountain girl suddenly changes. Several of the gossips get a view of the canvas and Harrison says he understood that Jude posed exactly as she was painted. Jude spurned the artist's $50 when she discovered the trick he played upon her, but when her father falls ill and needed hospital attention,, she pockets her pride and calls to get the cash. While she's at Harrison's camp Dave Bean, guided by the village gossips, enters and accuses her of lax morality, punishes the artists, and declares that the mountain girl shall never become Mrs. Bean. When Abner Clark dies, Jude is left without a protector or means of support, but Judge West intercepts her as she is about to leave Lost Lake and installs her at his own camp as full partner with him in his gold prospecting. Vaughan had left Lost Lake heartbroken because he believed ill of Jude. Months later, he writes to Jude that he has reconsidered and asks her to invite him to return. Jude's eager answer is unhappily stowed in Judge West's pocket for an indefinite time, and it is not until they strike gold that the missive is accidentally revealed. Discovery of the letter leads to a speedy understanding.

Dir: Lynn Reynolds

Aaron Whitaker is a seafaring man, owner of the sailing ship Alden Besse. He has promised Jacob Babcock, his first mate, that his daughter Esther shall become Babcock's wife. But Esther is in love with Caleb Tilden, her childhood sweetheart, and her grandfather, in sympathetic interest, advises her to marry Caleb and run the chance of gaining her father's forgiveness. The Alden Besse is at sea when Esther's marriage to Tilden takes place. At about the same time Grandfather Whitaker dies. Jacob Babcock has remained ashore for the purpose of marrying Esther, and when the Alden Besse returns and her skipper finds that his daughter has not married Babcock, his anger is intense. Accidentally he discovers, in Esther's sewing basket, a baby's stocking, and divines the truth. He compels Esther to board the Alden Besse and locks her in a cabin. Then he seeks out Caleb Tilden, and in a fight believes he has killed him. Tilden, however, has simply been stunned and when Whitaker throws him from the wharf his sudden immersion in the cold water revives him and he manages to crawl into a string-piece under the dock, At that moment the Alden Besse is sailing, and Tilden watches her with frenzied interest. He sees Esther as she runs to the stern and attempts to jump overboard. Esther's father drags her back to her cabin and securely imprisons her there. The cook of the craft, Eben Wiggs, is the only man on board who has any sympathy for her. The cook cares for her, even when her child is born. Babcock is sailing on the Alden Besse, and when Whitaker tries to compel his daughter to marry the mate, Esther declares that she will throw herself into the sea before allowing her father to conclude the marriage ceremony. Whitaker, in disgust, abandons his purpose. Later the seamen join in mutiny and kill Whitaker, their leader being Jacob Babcock. In the meantime, Tilden has tried to come upon the Alden Besse by shipping as a sailor in a craft that sailed the same sea the Besse usually did, and has found her lying in Panama Bay. When he attempts to board the Besse, Captain Whitaker thinks he sees the ghost of the man he believes he has killed, and drives Tilden from the ship. Tilden returns home and waits for the return of the Alden Besse. The mutiny has broken out as the ship is approaching her home port. There is a fierce storm approaching at the time, and when it breaks the Besse is wrecked. Tilden heads the villagers who go to the rescue, and is the one who wades into the water and secures a raft upon which Esther and her baby have been lashed by the cook. The reunion follows and the final cruise of the Alden Besse becomes tradition.