Editor's Top Picks Following the Footsteps of One Thousand Dollars:...

Dir: Kenneth S. Webb

After growing up in the West with her father, Drina Hilliard travels to New York to surprise her mother Marie, whose profitable Fifth Avenue millinery store has provided the means for Drina to go to college. Arriving while Marie is vacationing in Atlantic City, Drina discovers that Marie greatly overcharges her customers, then splits the profits with the women whose rich husbands or lovers pay. When Marie returns, she tries to get Drina to marry Colonel Lambert, an old rounder who pays the bills for a dozen women's hats, but Drina, attracted to Blair Carson, who drove bandits from their New York-bound train, refuses the colonel. After Drina sees Blair with Zelie, a showgirl the colonel has cast off, and realizes that Marie is ill and on the verge of bankruptcy, she nearly accepts the colonel's proposal, when Blair appears and confesses his love. Marie vows to run her store legitimately, and the colonel and Zelie console each other over their losses.

Dir: Kenneth S. Webb

Ruth Hamilton, from a wealthy aristocratic family, cares little for society or its conventions and refuses the proposal of William Barton, a socialite of her parents' choice. While giving some poor children an outing on a beach, Ruth meets John Martin (Miles?), a young nouveau riche with no social standing who is snubbed by the aristocratic circles, and begins to visit him secretly. When Ruth visits John to show off a new costume, her father arrives to seek his financial aid. Ruth escapes, but she is observed by Barton, who informs her father. Hamilton insists that Martin marry his daughter, but Ruth refuses to be compromised by her father. Later, however, she consents to marry John, discovering that he really loves her.

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

Dir: Kenneth S. Webb

Wealthy but bored Phyllis Blake and several of her like-minded friends come up with a plan to relieve their boredom--they start a business called "The Adventure Shop", which will provide its customers with thrills and excitement. Their first customer is wealthy pickle manufacturer Josephus Potts, who wants to cure his son Josephus Jr. of his addiction to thrill-seeking. Phyllis takes Junior to a gambling den and then a meeting of an anarchist organization. These have no effect on him, so they take it to the next step--introducing Junior to the city's dark underworld, with its killers, blackmailers, and other criminal types. The real adventure comes when she and Junior are kidnapped and held for $50,000 ransom--an activity that was not on the itinerary.

Dir: Kenneth S. Webb

A woman struggles to overcome a cabal of blackmailers, but learns that the boss of the blackmailers is none other than her own father.

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

Dir: Kenneth S. Webb

Two pairs of newlyweds are riding on a bus when the wives notice the strong resemblance between their husbands. Mrs. McGuire realizes that a police detective's car is following the bus and hatches a plot with Mrs. Williams to switch their husbands' identities long enough for Pinkey to escape from the police.

Dir: Kenneth S. Webb

Impulsive flapper Elizabeth Winthrop, rebels against her parents and moves to New York after breaking with her fiance, Clayton Webster. Hugo Von Strohm, a wealthy playboy, procures Elizabeth a job as a chorus dancer and secretly pays her salary. After he tries to seduce her, Elizabeth sees through his kindnesses and returns to her parents and Clayton.

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

Dir: Kenneth S. Webb

Rosa Roma, an aspiring singer, is signed by backer Ogden Ward on condition that she not fall in love, appear in public, or use her own name. But she meets composer Griffith Ames, falls in love with him, and stars in his new opera. When Ward upbraids her, Rosa tries to satisfy her contract by means of a ruby necklace, which he has been secretly trying to obtain through devious means, but the rubies are stolen. Ames is accused of the theft, but the culprit finally confesses, and Rosa is reunited with Ames and her rubies.

Dir: Kenneth S. Webb

Young Nell loses her job and home and her father is sent to prison. She joins the Salvation Army and tries to redeem him when he comes out bent on continuing his life of crime.

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

Dir: Kenneth S. Webb

A bank clerk forges a check to help his girlfriend's father. He's found out, but instead of being arrested he becomes a member of a gang of forgers.

Dir: Kenneth S. Webb

Margherita, an Italian girl, comes to America to avenge the murder of her fiancé by the mysterious Cardi.