Editor's Top Picks Sharing the Atmosphere of Mysteries of India, Pa...

Dir: Joe May

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Joe May

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Mystery of the Fatal Pearl and the Sequel perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

The mystery surrounding the temple of Buddha which contains many priceless gems attracts the attention of two adventurers. They plan and eventually steal the holy pearl from the head of the idol. Next morning the theft is discovered by the Brahmins, and the high priest curses the thief, calling on Buddha to wreak vengeance on everyone into whose possession the jewel falls. The thieves hasten to Europe to sell their ill-gotten prize and offer it to Degory Priest, a well-known collector of rare gems, for $10,000. Priest invites one of the thieves, a man named Allen, to stay at his home over night and he will buy the pearl and pay for it next morning. The other man. Walker, decides to keep watch and wait in the grounds of the mansion. During the night, the evil influence of the pearl causes Allen to see strange visions. He has a paralytic stroke from which he dies. Priest, who had a motive for inviting Allen to stay the night, visits his room and finding him dead, takes the pearl. Three days later, Priest meets with a fatal accident while hunting. After his death the pearl is handed over to his son and heir, Charles Priest, who has gotten into financial difficulties and is in the power of a money lender named Lewis. Lewis brings pressure to bear on young Priest who, unable to raise the money and under the fatal influences of the pearl, commits suicide, before doing so, telling his wife to rid herself of the pearl which has brought so much misfortune on his family. She consequently sells it to Lewis. Violet Lewis seeing the beautiful gem in her father's possession, asks to be allowed to wear it for one day only at her coming of age reception. He consents, but as a precaution, has it insured for $100,000. At the reception three Hindoo performers give a show in which the famous William Tell shooting act forms one of the items. Instead of shooting the apple, the Hindoo shoots the pearl out of its setting without destroying it. This supposed accident causes a sensation and a scuffle takes place to find the missing pearl. Finally the manager of the insurance brokers, who is at the reception to guard the interests of his firm, finds the pearl, but on close examination discovers it to be a clever imitation of the original stone. And now the question arises, "Who Has the Genuine Pearl?"

Dir: Joe May

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Joe May

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

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Joe May

Ralph O'Donell owns one of the largest breweries in Chicago. Eventually he marries his sweetheart Helene Berger. When Helene's aunt dies in Europe she become a universal heir overnight.

Dir: Aubrey M. Kennedy

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

Wealthy oil magnate Harry Mangin is in love with his competitor James Murdock's daughter Blanche. Mangin schemes to ruin Blanche's father so that the girl will be forced to accept his attention. However, Blanche loves "Sky Eye" Blake, an aviator at the adjoining U. S. aviation field. When Mangin is driven in desperation to muster his own private air force in order to destroy his rival's oil plants, "Sky Eye" takes to the skies to quell the riot. After several daring escapades, "Sky Eye" captures Mangin and wins Blanche for his bride.

Dir: Joe May

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Joe May

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

Hilde Warren, a famous actress, is impregnated by a convicted murderer and becomes plagued by visions of an extremely gaunt and sepulchral Death. Upon discovering her child is the image of its criminal father, Hilde must decide whether to allow it to live or to kill it and risk the embrace of Death himself.

Dir: Perry N. Vekroff

While in New York seeking work, Cynthia, a young English girl, meets Bruce Crittenden and George Rhode who introduce her to Madame Savarin, a wealthy woman seeking a companion for a sea voyage. She hires Cynthia, and while at sea, Cynthia discovers that Bruce is the ship's purser. Cynthia's father was a famous wireless expert who taught her how to read code, which enables her to overhear a plot to sink the ship and steal Mrs. Savarin's jewels. Soon after, the crew mutinies, and while Rhode and Bruce fight the crew, Cynthia sounds the alarm. As he is attempting to foil the jewel thieves, Bruce falls overboard, and Cynthia swims to his rescue with the jewels strapped to her back. They are rescued by a government patrol boat and taken back to New York where Cynthia and Bruce are married.

Dir: Joe May

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.