The Auteur's Selection In the Shadow of Not So Long Ago: Cult Guide

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A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

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A little girl is kidnapped by the Mafia in revenge for her father's help in capturing one of the mobsters. She is presumed dead, but in reality is spirited away to Italy, where she is raised as the daughter of a kindly couple. When she is betrothed to the cruel padrone, she disguises herself as a boy and stows away to America, where she finds herself once again in the clutches of the mobster who originally kidnapped her. But this time luck and her own pluck are with her, and the tables are soon turned.

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

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Dora and her mother decide to go to Europe to find a wealthy husband as their funds are diminishing. Much to her mother's disapproval, Dora falls in love with a penniless nobleman, Julian Beauclerc. His marriage proposal is eventually approved after he inherits millions and is appointed attaché to the British embassy. When he discovers important defense papers entrusted to him have disappeared, he suspects Dora of stealing. Julian's brother Henri stumbles upon the papers and, sniffing them, recognizes the perfume of the Countess Zicka. With this evidence, Henri charges the countess with spying, thus mends the faltering relationship between Julian and Dora.

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Nora O'Brien leaves Ireland to visit her brother in America. On the trip she suffers a concussion, and soon is mistaken for another Irish girl named Nora who is on her way to visit her aunt in the US, Mrs. Watson, who has not seen her niece in many years. Nora, still somewhat dazed from her injury, is taken to the Watsons' home, and when Mrs. Watson's son Jack returns from college, he falls in love with her but cannot express it to her because he believes she is his cousin. Complications ensue.

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

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An account of the life of Jesus Christ according to the New Testament, told as a series of tableaus interspersed with Bible verses.

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(Reel 1) Beamish McCoul joined the Irish insurrection and had become a leader in the movement when he was arrested and placed in Wicklow Jail. His property was confiscated by the authorities. When his followers learned of his imprisonment, they perfected a plot for his escape, which involved a rope, a fast horse and a boat to carry him from the country. Arrah Meelish, the prisoner's foster sister, volunteered to carry the idea of their plot to him. She approached the armed sentinels and begged permission to kiss her brother farewell, as the next day would bring about his execution. While kissing him a note was slipped from her mouth to his without being detected by the wardens. Later the guards were seized and Beamish made his escape from the prison, hurried to his sweetheart, Fanny Powers, bid her farewell and left for France. Four years Beamish spent in reckless exile, and, unable to endure it longer, returned to Ireland. He learned that Fanny was still true to him, having refused Colonel O'Grady, the magistrate, and her legal guardian. Beamish, on his arrival, quickly gathers together his old friends. He robs Michael Feeney, collector of the Government Clerk's Office, of his gold and banknotes and of his free pass across the mountain, because they had confiscated his property. Arrah, who has promised her hand to Shaun, a postman, secretes her foster brother in her barn and informs him of her imminent marriage. Beamish gives her as a wedding present a number of banknotes, which he robbed the collector of. Feeney, who is also a suitor for Arrah's hand, tells her that he suspects Shaun is the man who had robbed him. She is surprised and tells him she has plenty of money, at the same time showing him the banknotes which her foster brother gave her. These are recognized by the collector, who says nothing. The following day Shaun and Arrah are wed in the old barn in which Beamish is secluded. Major Coffin, an English officer, brings Colonel O'Grady information that a rebel had made a bold robbery and was at present secreted in Arrah's barn. They set out at once for her house, in company with Feeney, the informer, Fanny and soldiers. The gaiety is stopped and the searching party begins its work. Beamish makes his escape through a window, and. grasping a branch of a tree nearby, lowers himself to the ground and hurries away. Arrah is accused of harboring the rebel as Feeney had found McCoul's coat, which contains the mountain pass. Her husband takes the blame of Beamish's robbery, and says the coat is his. He is arrested and taken to prison. (Reel 2) Beamish goes to the place where he is supposed to meet his sweetheart. He is greatly distressed at not finding her there. As he sits in solitude, a messenger arrives with a letter from Fanny, saying that she had been at Arrah's cottage and knew all. He replies, stating that he has left for Dublin to visit the Secretary of State and secure, if possible, a pardon for Shaun. Fanny returns home and announces to Colonel O'Grady that she is now prepared to become his wife, but before their marriage he must obtain a pardon for the release of Shaun, who is ignorant of the whole affair. The colonel consents to do his best. Arrah is now seen at the prison, hopefully awaiting a word from her husband. Feeney enters Shaun's cell, accompanied by Fanny. Feeney starts to heap insults upon Arrah, and although Shaun's hands are tied, he pounces upon him, causing him to cry out for help. The guards order Feeney from the place. Fanny tells Shaun that she is going to denounce her affianced husband in order to save the postman from unjust punishment. Arrah, at this time, comes to the door and falls into her husband's arms and confesses that it was Beamish she had concealed in her barn. Everybody is ordered out of the room as the guards conduct Shaun into the courtroom to await trial. The verdict handed down is to the effect that Shaun must die the following day. (Reel 3) Beamish McCoul arrives at the Secretary of State in Dublin and proclaims his identity with a written confession of the affair. Colonel O'Grady arrives a few minutes later and the secretary hides McCoul behind the curtains, while O'Grady makes a plea for Shaun's release. The third person to put in an appearance is Fanny Powers, and the secretary conceals the Colonel in another place about the room. During her interview, the two men, each unconscious of the presence of the other, finding it impossible to restrain themselves longer, slip from their hiding places and confront the young woman. The old secretary reunites Beamish and his sweetheart, writes a pardon for Shaun, which he hands to the colonel, and the three depart on their missions. Meanwhile Shaun's hour approaches. Arrah climbs to the battlements of the castle in the hope of seeing her husband for the last time. Shaun discovers a loose stone in his cell, and with almost superhuman strength, breaks the barred window, thereby effecting his escape. Feeney meets Arrah upon the battlement and tries to induce her to forget Shaun and become his wife. She refuses. He is infuriated. In the meantime Shaun is stealthily climbing up the ivy on the outside of the jail, and when he reaches the top he enters into a fierce struggle with Feeney, who is finally overpowered and thrown into the waters below. At this moment the colonel, Beamish and Fanny arrive with Shaun's pardon. Beamish asks Shaun to pardon him for all the trouble he has caused him, which is joyfully granted, and the story ends showing Shaun placing his arms about his wife's neck.

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

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Carver Endicott, a young sophisticate, is rejected by his fiancée for being too foppish and dull. When she feigns an interest in his father, Carver attempts to disgrace his family name by working as a farmhand and later as a busboy in a hotel. However, the newspapers only praise him for his self-sacrificing principles; and finding that he cannot bring shame to the family through menial labor, he takes up with a notorious actress. But when this maneuver also fails, he returns to his former fiancée, who has no further complaint about his being an inexperienced dullard.

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Barbara Rand, the daughter of a poor but proud Southern widow, loses her sight after leaping through the window of a notorious roadhouse to escape an assailant. Her sister, Natalie, reluctantly abandons her fiancé, Ned Gardiner, and marries Oliver Landis, who can provide the money needed for Barbara's operation. Unaware that Oliver was Barbara's attacker, Natalie places the blame on his business partner, Howard Pollard, who was with Barbara on the night she was injured. As Natalie holds Howard at gunpoint, her husband arrives and promises to deal with the supposed villain. A struggle ensues between the two men, and Howard falls from a cliff to his death. After Barbara is released from the hospital, Oliver tries to blind her once again by removing her bandages prematurely. Natalie threatens him with a pistol, but Oliver wrests it away from her. He then realizes that he can no longer hide his guilt from Natalie or the police and shoots himself. Barbara has been avenged, and Natalie is free to marry Ned.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of From the Manger to the Cross perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

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Young Victor Morenne is a fisherman in a small Belgian village during World War II, and he has a talent for sculpture. When he's encouraged by a French art connoisseur to leave Belgium for Paris to develop his skills as a sculptor, he takes the man's advice, but before he leaves he tells his sweetheart, Jeanne, that he will return to her. However, while in Paris he falls for the sophisticated Countess de Vries, who is actually a German spy. Complications ensue.

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The Judge needs a present for his wife's birthday, so Harry suggests a new corset. They go to the shop, but he's so embarrassed to ask the saleslady he hides in a phone booth.Harry goes in, but finds a GUY wearing one, and runs out.They both dress as women to get back in, but Mrs. Rummy gets there and chases him out.