Rare Cinematic Gems Sharing the Atmosphere of Pay Day: Cult Guide

Dir: Mrs. Sidney Drew

Jimmy fusses around with the unconventional Maida until his wife gets home, and then goes back to being a good and faithful husband while his wife smiles to herself at his small digressions from the straight and narrow path.

Dir: Mrs. Sidney Drew

Jimmie Wickett and his wife both try their hands at flirting with others. In each instance the ardor of the chase is speedily dampened by too much conscience, the solidifying effects of middle age and the fact that they love each other more than anyone else.

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

Dir: Mrs. Sidney Drew

Amy Spencer is engaged to artist Heath Desmond, a nature-worshipper who shuns organized religion. James Bartlett, a minister in love with Amy, influences her against Heath, and they break up. Cousin Kate Curtis, a novelist whose views on love are considered by her relatives to be unconventional, is called in to smooth matters over. She meets Heath on the train, and the two, not knowing each other's identity, apparently fall in love. Kate takes refuge in Heath's house in a storm; Amy arrives; and Kate, to Heath's dismay, confesses that she was only indulging in a flirtation. Bartlett arrives and successfully proposes to Amy, and Heath and Kate are reunited.

Dir: Mrs. Sidney Drew

Henry tells a little white lie to Polly, then must tell another to protect the first, and so on, until he has wrapped himself in a web of falsehood too tight to unravel.

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

Dir: Mrs. Sidney Drew

Jimmie gets interested in an actress who was a former sweetheart, with the emoting lady finally deciding to cure him by pretending to reciprocate and, in so doing, recites to him a long speech of romantic flavor, intermixed with free love doctrines from her next play. Jimmie gets alarmed when he finds himself apparently accepted, and beats a hasty retreat back home to wife and babies.

Dir: Mrs. Sidney Drew

Some days after her husband's initiation into a Masonic Lodge, his wife demands to know the secrets of the great fraternal organization. Henry tells her that he is not privileged to reveal these secrets, but Polly insists that he promised never to keep any secrets from her. Finally, he confides to her the secret word of his Lodge. And so he gives away the initiation rites to Polly - his riding of the mythical goat, the solemn initiation with its mystic signs, etc. He swears her to secrecy but she naturally tells her neighbor all about the Masons so that the entire town is laughing at his holy revelations. On his return from the lodge meeting, Henry tells her that he is permitted to remain in the organization on condition that she pretends that the secrets he had revealed to her were all a joke.

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

Dir: Mrs. Sidney Drew

Jimmie Wickett's marital life becomes monotonous. At a dinner one evening he becomes infatuated with the charming Mrs. Chase. He invites her to lunch on the following day. Both are to keep the engagement a secret. Jimmie comes to the breakfast table the next morning dressed as a dapper youth. Mrs. Wickett, suspecting, comments laughingly on the effect that Mrs. Chase has had on her husband. Jimmie admits that he is taking Mrs. Chase to luncheon. Fine, says Mrs. Wickett. Mrs. Chase is late with her appointment. The luncheon develops into a boresome affair. Both return to their respective households contented with their respective mates.

Dir: Mrs. Sidney Drew

Jimmie thinks women have no business on the golf course. One day, Polly brings her friend Angela to the golf club. Jimmie and Angela instantly fall in love. Jimmie is delighted to discover that Angie has no interest in golf. They get married, and during the honeymoon, Angie tells Jimmie it would be cruel of her to let him go golfing all alone. So she accompanies him, much to Jimmie's dismay. (He has been "bunkered.") Angela tells Polly she has taken up golf because Jimmie loves it, and she wants the marriage to be successful. Angela's hands soon get calloused, and her nose begins to peel. When she realizes what is happening to her, she begs Jimmie to go golfing without her.

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

Dir: Mrs. Sidney Drew

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.