Hidden Genre Gems In Alignment with the style of Out of the Darknes...

Dir: George Melford

A young New York society man makes a bet that he can rob a house and get away without being caught by the police. Shortly after making this wager, he overpowers a professional burglar in his own house, and instead of giving the man up, decides to use him in winning the bet. However, the house that he attempts to rob is the home of the Deputy Police Commissioner, with whose daughter he is in love. The succeeding complications, which arise out of this altogether original situation, are due to the Commissioner's willingness to accept graft and the professional burglar's inability to restrain himself when tempted to steal a valuable necklace. The final result is a happy conclusion to the very troubled love-story.

Dir: George Melford

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

Ailing King Leopold sends his daughter Princess Alexia of Osia to a exclusive American girls' boarding school as a commoner, so that she can know the meaning of true freedom. When she meets young millionaire Bob Carewe, they fall in love, but Alexia is summoned home because of a conspiracy of the king's advisers threatening to replace him with the Duchess Sylvia. When Bob reads of Osia's financial difficulties, he goes to help with a loan, though he realizes she cannot marry him if she is ever to rule. When the king dies suddenly, it causes a rebellion among the people. Although Bob bravely fights against the conspirators and nobly helps a bleeding rival for Alexia's affections, the duchess is proclaimed queen. She orders Alexia's arrest, but Bob, using one of the conspirators as a shield, escapes with Alexia to the border, now they are happily free to marry.

Dir: George Melford

Gambler Harvey Arnold is forced to leave San Francisco and winds up in a small country town that is in the midst of a reform movement. He marries local girl May Fielding, who has no idea of his profession. When she finds out, he promises to quit, but it turns out that his profession wasn't the only secret he was keeping from May.

Dir: George Melford

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

Fed up with his son's wild lifestyle, James Grayson, Sr. disinherits Jimmy and throws him out of the house. Through Grace Van Dyke, a chauffeur, Jimmy gets a job in a garage, and he and Grace's father Andrew invent a revolutionary automobile engine. It will take months to get the patent, however, and Jimmy must pay back a $10,000 debt almost immediately. To get the money, he enters a transcontinental car race which has a large cash prize, and which Grace also has entered. Just as Jimmy is about to win, however, he learns that Andrew is also deeply in debt. As a result, he lets Grace pass him and finish first, so she can get the money for her father. At the finish line, Jimmy is arrested for not paying his debts, but then, far ahead of schedule, the patent rights arrive for the engine, as well as a royalty check that more than covers what Jimmy owes.

Dir: George Melford

Ram, High Priest of the Temple of Delhi, urges his people to throw off the British yoke. Word of the uprising reaches General Kimber who is in command of the troops at Calcutta. Summoning Captain Arlington and Lieutenant Shannon of the famous Sixth, he orders them to proceed to Delhi with their troops. Arlington and Shannon are rivals for the hand of Dora, the commandant's daughter. Although secretly betrothed to Surrada, the beautiful native girl employed as Dora's maid, Arlington is filled with jealous rage upon discovering that Dora loves his rival. The captain has tired of Surrada but fears to cast her off because of the scandal she may create. Shortly afterwards, Arlington and Shannon reach Delhi where they succeed in restoring order. The High Priest Ram, however, lays his plans for a general uprising and on Sunday, May 10, 1857, the famous massacre at Meerut, which started the nationwide mutiny, commences. Thousands of English men, women and children are slain. Ram and his followers make their way to Delhi. At the sight of the priest, the Sepoy troops turn upon their white officers and slay them. At the first sign of danger, Arlington flees. Shannon, however, rallies the white troops. The soldiers are finally compelled to make a stand about the arsenal. The women and children beg Shannon to slay them, should the natives prove victorious. Knowing the terrible fate which must befall them should they fall into the hands of the Sepoys. Shannon consents. The women and children are placed in the magazine of the arsenal, while Shannon makes preparations to destroy the building in event of defeat. The soldiers are beaten back. The victorious natives rush into the arsenal to capture the women inside. Shannon lights a fuse leading to the powder stored in the building. The awful explosion which follows rends the walls asunder, bringing death to the hundreds in the building. Arlington makes his way back to Calcutta where he informs General Kimber that Shannon and his men have been slain by the natives. Believing her sweetheart dead, Dora is grief-stricken. Arlington attempts to console her but is spurned. By a miracle, Shannon has escaped death in the explosion which destroyed the arsenal. Slaying a native, the lieutenant disguises himself in the man's clothes. After many days he reaches Calcutta. Dora is overjoyed to see her lover alive and uninjured. Fearing lest his cowardice be revealed, Arlington implores Shannon to keep silent. The latter consents. General Kimber marches upon Delhi with his entire army. A few days after her father's departure, Dora decides to follow. Accompanied by a bodyguard of natives, she sets out for Delhi despite Surrada's pleas. The treacherous natives, however, deliver the girl into the hands of Shah, king of Delhi. Inflamed by her beauty, the king decides to make her the queen of his harem. Overwhelmed by the fate which menaces her mistress, Surrada slays the man guarding their room and escapes from the palace. The native girl makes her way out of the city to the British encampment. While she informs General Kimber of his daughter's plight, the murder of the guard is discovered. Dora is thrown into a dungeon to await torture and death. Kimber, Arlington and Shannon are horrified upon hearing Surrada's awful news. Shannon and Arlington beg to be allowed to go to the girl's rescue. Because of his seniority in rank, the honor falls to Arlington. Accompanied by Surrada, the man hastens towards the city gates. The two arrive a moment too late and are locked out of the city tor the night. Unwilling to return to camp, Arlington and Surrada enter the Temple nearby where they determine to hide for the night. There the captain sees the great diamond which forms the eye of the idol Brahma. Filled with greed, Arlington forgets his mission and unknown to Surrada, pries the jewel from its resting place. Umballa, a servant in the Temple, sees the thief at work, and is knocked unconscious after a struggle with the Englishman. To hide the jewel, Arlington returns to camp where he announces his failure. Unable to sleep, Shannon strolls beyond the lines. Learning of Arlington's failure upon his return, the man denounces him as a coward. Later, the thief wraps the diamond in a cloth and gives it to Surrada. He tells the native girl that it contains his mother's jewels. The following morning. Ram, Umballa and a number of natives arrive at the camp and inform General Kimber of the theft of Brahma's eye. Having promised that the sacred edifice should not be molested, the British commander vows to find and punish the offender. Umballa sees Shannon. Mistaking him for his assailant the native accuses the lieutenant of the theft. Circumstances point to Shannon as the vandal. Kimber orders him to his tent. Shortly afterwards, the British troops make an assault upon Delhi. While the attack is going on, Surrada suspecting the truth, comes to Shannon and gives him the package. Heart-broken because of her lover's deception, and fearing the curse of Brahma, the girl suicides before Shannon can interfere. The lieutenant sees that the British are being repulsed. He rejoins his men. Calling for volunteers Shannon announces his intention of blowing up the city gates. Accompanied by three men, the lieutenant crawls to the gates where he plants several sacks of powder A few moments later, the huge doors are torn from their hinges by a terrific explosion. Led by Shannon, the British enter the city and sweep all before them. King Shah hears this news with dismay. Furious, he determines to wreak vengeance upon the daughter of the British commander. Dora is tied to the muzzle of a loaded cannon. After lighting the fuse the natives flee. The maddened rebels make a last stand in the city streets. A number of them surround Arlington. Facing death, the man's courage comes to the surface. Six of the natives fall by his sword. A spear thrust through his breast brings Arlington low. Attracted by a woman's screams for help, Shannon and his men dash into the palace courtyard. The gallant soldier sees his sweetheart's awful danger. Slashing her bonds, Shannon pulls Dora aside. An instant later, a terrific roar appraises the fainting girl of the awful danger from which she had been rescued in the nick of time.

Dir: George Melford

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

Anna Granger's husband commits a fraud at the bank where he works and is condemned to pay the penalty of a jail sentence. In the hope of proving his innocence she goes to work, under an assumed name, for the President of the closed bank. This man is now indicted himself, though unjustly, and employs detectives who finally unearth a letter positively establishing the guilt of Granger. In spite of everything, Anna remains faithful until she learns that the theft her husband committed was to get money for another woman. Then comes a sudden climax which puts an end to a situation which she could not possibly endure.

Dir: George Melford

Foster sister of the Duchess d'Aubeterre, Madeline, marries Jean Renaud, a French soldier, and has a daughter named Adrienne. Five years later, on a battlefield, Renaud is entrusted by the Count de Moray with jewels and papers proving that Adrienne is his heir. After Moray's death, Renaud gives everything to Madeline and then returns to the battle. Lazarre, who had followed Renaud, then goes to Madeline and demands the jewels. Madeline's refusal awakens Adrienne, but Madeline quiets her by saying that her father is home. When Madeline still refuses Lazarre's request, he stabs her. Later, Adrienne tells the neighbors that her father had just been with her mother. Renaud is sentenced to prison for life, after which the Duchess adopts Adrienne. Many years later, Adrienne re-encounters her father and eventually the true murderer is revealed and Renaud is pardoned.

Dir: George Melford

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

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: George Melford

Two people working in the same department store pretend to be aristocracy at a fancy resort, intending to pull a wealthy spouse, but end up falling in love with each other instead.

Dir: George Melford

A young man joins the French Foreign Legion and is sent to Algieria, where he becomes a target for hatred by his commander. However, the commander has a change of heart when he realizes who the young man is.