Underground Favorites Mirroring the Impact of My Friend from India:...

Dir: E. Mason Hopper

Young engineer Tom Morley is building a railroad through Imperial Valley. Tom's father also wants the job and tries to persuade his son to give up the work, but Tom refuses. Tom falls for a society girl named Alice Hale, who marries him to bring prestige to her family. Initially, Alice plots against Tom, but Tom wins her over and they work together to defeat those who are plotting to destroy Tom's work.

Dir: E. Mason Hopper

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Prison Without Walls perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Helen Ainsworth, a young philanthropist, who is interested in a prison reform movement, is engaged to Norman Morris, administrator of the Ainsworth millions and the undiscovered "man higher up," grafting through his influence with prison wardens. He is also having an "affair" with Felice, Helen's maid, an ex-convict. Governor Havens sends for Huntington Babbs, prison expert, who enters the prison as a convict, is discovered by Helen and made her secretary upon his release. Morris is jealous of the good-looking secretary and he makes Felice "plant" a necklace which he has presented to Helen, in Babbs' room. Babbs discovers the plot, and Morris, overhearing his plan to visit a certain place in the rough part of the city, for Helen, plans to get him. He orders the gang to murder him. Helen accompanies Babbs (or Conroy, as he is known). Morris learns Helen has gone and reaches the place just as the men have nearly overpowered Conroy. Morris allows the men to escape, but Helen refuses his offer to take her home, preferring Conroy. Infuriated, Morris plans to have the Ainsworth safe burglarized the night of Helen's party. Conroy discovers the burglar and that he is Gilligan, whom he befriended in prison. Conroy sends a note to the Governor by Gilligan. Just as the burglar leaves, the guests of the house enter the library. Conroy is accused, but Helen allows no arrests. She orders Conroy to leave the house. Morris betrays the girl Felice by suggesting her arrest as an accomplice. Morris accompanies Helen to the Governor's office. The Governor requests an interview with Morris and accuses him of being the "man higher up." Morris asks for his witnesses and a door is opened, disclosing Gilligan and the gang, and Felice. Conroy is introduced as Huntington Babbs, prison expert. Morris is staggered. Helen overjoyed. Morris is arrested, but just as he is leaving Felice shoots him. Unconsciously, Helen goes into the arms of the man she loves.

Dir: E. Mason Hopper

Colonel Dabney Mills, whose Southern plantation is heavily mortgaged, makes a trip to New York hoping to borrow money from James Adams, his granddaughter Anna Belle's husband. When the colonel arrives, he learns that Adams's entire capital is tied up in a big stock deal, and that he is therefore unable to lend the colonel any assistance. While Adams is away, one of his business partners entrusts the colonel with $5,000 to retain for his grandson-in-law. Desperate, the colonel speculates in cotton on the tip of an old friend and loses the money. Conscience-stricken, the colonel returns to his plantation determined to take his life, but Adams, successful in his deal, arrives just in time to prevent the tragedy.

Dir: E. Mason Hopper

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Tar Heel Warrior perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

The valet of Lord Harold Varden, on a secret mission to our Government, has been murdered. Dick Holloway, a reporter, detailed to the story, calls on Lord Varden just as the latter feels the effects of poison administered to him. He takes the place of the nobleman when his American cousins come for him, and not only saves his lordship's papers, but captures the spies detailed to get them.

Dir: E. Mason Hopper

Quartus Hembly, a man without a conscience, is the ruler of the town of Copper City, having made himself rich at the expense of his workers. When Donald Keith, a young lawyer, arrives in town, a hidden spring within him is touched after Hembly viciously kicks his dog. Keith refuses to leave town and warns Hembly that he will fight to see that the people get their rights. Keith's only ally is Thora Erickson, the daughter of Hembly's henchman. Keith's opportunity to topple Hembly presents itself when he rescues Bill Wheeler, who, out of gratitude, confesses that it was Hembly who dynamited the log jam years earlier. With the lawyers and the courts in the palm of his hand, Hembly is acquitted, but the townspeople are so outraged that they capture Hembly and tie him to the whipping post. He is rescued by Keith, who forces a full confession for all Hembly's crimes and then allows him to leave town. Keith is then made district attorney, Thora becomes his bride, and Copper City becomes a decent place in which to live.

Dir: E. Mason Hopper

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

Charlotte Carter, a young songwriter, moves to New York and settles in the city's Bohemian quarter. When Peter Ladislaw, one of her admirers, confesses that he has forged a number of checks and is in danger of arrest, the good-hearted girl promises to help him. Olga Grey, a dishonest schemer, convinces Charlotte to marry wealthy arts patron Gerard Townshend, who has been injured in an auto accident and is near death. Charlotte consents and the two are wed, but following an operation, Gerard recovers. Ashamed, Charlotte confesses that she married Gerard for his money, and he forgives her. Olga and Peter try to frame them for a divorce, but the couple, now deeply in love, rid themselves of the crooks and begin their marriage again.

Dir: E. Mason Hopper

Mynderse Van Dyun, a wealthy old New York aristocrat, has one goal in life, to see his granddaughter Catherine and grandson Pell married; for, although they are cousins, the marriage would perpetuate the family name. Catherine, however, is in love with Paul La Farge and detests her drug-addicted cousin, who seduces and then secretly marries her maid, Nora Duffy. After a son is born to Nora, who dies in childbirth, the infant is taken to the Van Dyun house where, only a few days before, Pell, in a dispute involving drugs, had been thrown from a window by his valet and killed. When the old man refuses to acknowledge the child, Catherine and Paul adopt the baby, leave the Van Dyun house and are married. Five years later, Catherine comes to visit the old man with his great-grandson, and, seeing what a fine boy he is, the old aristocrat is forced to admit that the boy is worthy of bearing his name.

Dir: E. Mason Hopper

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

Boston Blackie, a gentleman crook, and his accomplice, Mary, plan to rob the Wilmerding mansion while Mr. Wilmerding is out of town. Mary is hired as a nurse to Martin Wilmerding, Jr., and after Mrs. Wilmerding has gone to a ball, she admits Blackie, who starts to open the safe. Just then little Martin enters, and he and Blackie play and become fast friends. Mrs. Wilmerding returns with her lover, Donald Lavalle, and when Blackie overhears their plans to elope together with her jewels, he tricks Donald into giving him the jewels by posing as the jealous husband. Through several telegrams, he effects the reconciliation of his little pal's parents but cannot decide whether or not to return the jewels.

Dir: E. Mason Hopper

Social worker John Warfield meets socialist radical Guido Garcia, and together they establish a refuge in San Francisco for life's unfortunates. Goldie Shepard, whose father is an alcoholic, develops an interest in socialism and becomes Warfield's stenographer. Goldie's hatred of the rich increases when her father is killed by an automobile in which society woman Lorraine Van Allen is riding. As a result of the accident, Lorraine becomes a supporter of the refuge. Meanwhile, Warfield's mother dies in England and leaves him a large estate. When Warfield marries Goldie and takes her to England, he is shocked to see her fondness for luxury, and soon decides to donate his estate to the poor and return to San Francisco. Guido, who had been Goldie's suitor, learns of her marriage and murders her, after which he leaps from a bridge to his death. Later, Warfield marries Lorraine, and they convert the English mansion into a children's home.

Dir: E. Mason Hopper

Yano is a small delivery boy for his uncle, who keeps a curio shop in Chinatown. His loves are Tama, his sweetheart, and Bengi, his dog. Bengi is seized by dog catchers, but is rescued by Letty Stanford, for which Yano promises his fealty. Later Letty is kidnapped by Germans because of her war activities, and it is Yano who goes to her rescue and gets her free in spite of his diminutive size. The Little Japanese has paid his debt.