Hand-Picked Alternatives Movies That Echo the Spirit of Peacock All...

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

Margaret MacLean, who has been saved from life in a wheelchair by the miracle of medicine, vows to devote her life to caring for crippled children. She becomes a nurse in the children's ward of Dr. MacLean's hospital, but after the beloved doctor's death, his son Bob returns home from abroad and decrees that he is closing the ward and that Margaret's little charges must leave the hospital. Furious, Margaret quits her job and storms out, with Bob in pursuit. As he rushes across the street, Bob is struck by a car and must be hospitalized. During his convalescence, he realizes that he is in love with Margaret and decides to have a home built for her and her patients. Unable to locate Margaret, Bob hires detectives, who find her and bring her to the home. There Margaret finds that all her dreams have come true as she sees her little charges happily living in their new home and gladly accepts Bob's proposal of marriage.

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

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

A poor hat-check girl loses her job and is forced to get a job as a dancer at a roadhouse. There she falls in love with the son of a rich businessman. The boy's father, believing her to be after the family's money, determines to embarrass her and show his son what she really is.

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

Senator Wright and foundry foreman Richard Wallace lobby hard in Washington for passage of a war preparedness bill, which Congress finally enacts. Foreign spies Keron Theris and Orlin Dagore tell their governments that it will be at least two years before the United States is ready to fight, though, thus guaranteeing the success of an immediate invasion. Richard, however, called in by the president, presents him with a plan through which American industry could arm the country almost instantly. The president puts the plan into action, and Theris and Dagore quickly revise their opinion and warn their governments against an invasion of the United States.

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

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

Ambrosia is a sweet little girl of tender heart and loving disposition, who lives near to nature in fancy and ideals. Her mother dies, and she is sent to an aunt in the city, whom Ambrosia calls "Aunt Grouchy," to be reared as her own child. The aunt is of dignified and austere disposition, far different from Ambrosia's dead mother, and the atmosphere is a decided change from the freedom of country life and the tenderness of mother love. Ambrosia makes friends with the boy next door, and these two greatly enjoy their romps and play together. Ambrosia's cousin is in love with a poor young man, and her mother objects to his attentions, desiring for her daughter an advantageous marriage, regardless of the girl's wishes or thoughts of love. "Aunt Grouchy" is a disciple of Hindu mystics, and consults the "Swami," seeking his aid. The "Swami" practices hypnotism upon the daughter of "Aunt Grouchy," influences her to send a note breaking off the affair with the young man, and finally kidnaps the girl and holds her for ransom. Ambrosia and the boy next door discover where the girl is being held prisoner and inform the police. While the kidnappers' den is being raided, the "Swami" is at "Aunt Grouchy's" in the act of collecting the ransom money, under guise of a tribute to the Buddhist's god, but when the Secret Service men arrive and arrest him, his true character is exposed. The raid is accomplished at a critical moment, the girl is saved from harm, and when "Aunt Grouchy's" eyes are opened she realizes her past shortcomings. Conquering her proud disposition, she gives her sanction to her daughter's marriage to the poor young man, and Ambrosia lives happily ever after.

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

Famous romance writer Hartly Poole retreats to the country for inspiration. There he meets ardent admirer Justina Chaffin, who is about to marry a fortune-hunting scoundrel. After Justina and Hartly fall in love, she discovers her fiancé's deception and flees to Hartly's cottage. Seeing her car parked in front, the sheriff accuses Hartly of abduction, but all is resolved when Justina and Hartly exchange vows.

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

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

In the late fifties John Hogue, his wife and daughter, Dora, are living in a little cabin on the edge of civilization, directly in the path of the great caravans of Mormons as they made their way from the States to their community in Utah. One of these caravans, under the guidance of Elder Darius Burr, a power among the Mormons, passes the Hogue cabin and Tom Rigdon, a youthful convert to the newer religion, is impressed by Dora. His interest in the girl is shared by Burr, but with different motives. The Indians raid the Hogue cabin and the family is forced to join the Mormon party despite the fact that Dora's father and mother have many misgivings. Arrived in Salt Lake City, the Hogues are taken aback by the presence of the Avenging Angels, the peculiar group of masked men who seem to have unlimited power. Hogue is an industrious man and soon becomes quite prominent. Burr, coveting Dora, induces "The Lion," head of the church, to insist that Hogue take a second wife and gains his permission to win Dora if he can. Meanwhile, Tom and Dora have become more and more attached to each other. Four Angels intercept them and separate them, Dora being taken into a room adjoining the council chamber. Hogue is brought in and forced to marry a woman he has never seen and Dora is told by Burr that the only way she can save her father is by marrying him. Ignorant of the fact that he has actually been married, Dora decided to comply in order to save her father. When Hogue's second wife is brought to the house by the Avenging Angels, Dora's mother kills herself. Hogue, Tom and Dora then try to escape, but are caught by the Angels and the girl is taken to Burr's household. Hogue is taken out to the desert to die of thirst, but makes his way back to the settlement, killing one of the Angels and donning his peculiar uniform, in which he is safe from molestation. When Dora is brought before the council to be married, she declares she cannot marry Burr because of her past sins, and she is condemned to die. Tom is spirited away by an Avenging Angel who also unlocks Dora from her prison cell and flees with them, with Burr in pursuit. Getting Burr aside, the Avenging Angel takes him to the spot where the fugitives are hiding, and reveals himself as Hogue. Burr is sent out into the desert to die, just as he has condemned Hogue to do, and the three make their escape from the dread community.

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

Stage actors Della and Julian, while playing a series of one-night-stands, miss their train and the troupe on it. They move into a hotel. A fight breaks out.

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

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

Joan runs away from home and becomes a cashier at a restaurant, but quits when the manager attempts to make love to her. She meets Louie, with whom she was once friendly, and he forces her to steal for him. She is caught and sentenced to a state reformatory.

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

Living with her drunkard father in the North Woods mountains, Betty Yarnell is shunned by the villagers whenever she ventures out to pick up her father from Abner Grimp's saloon, and her only friend is a little lamb. In debt to Abner, John Yarnell signs a note turning over his daughter to Abner in return for unlimited drinks. When Abner goes to the cabin to claim Betty, revenue officer Ralph McGibbon arrives from the city and rescues her. Abner sends his Indian partner Dark Cloud, but Ralph rescues Betty again, although he is badly beaten up. Betty nurses Ralph, and even sacrifices her lamb to prepare broth for him. The sheriff decides to auction off Betty to the highest bidder. Abner demands that she be turned over to him, but Ralph fights him and manages to win Betty.

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

Count Oudoff, a fortune-hunting European nobleman, marries a wealthy American widow and brings his new wife and her pretty young daughter Lianne back to Paris. When word gets around that Lianne stands to inherit a good deal of money when her rich grandmother passes away, every gold-digging nobleman in Paris sets his sights on her, but she's waiting for a special "prince" to sweep her away. When her distant cousin Basil arrives from Amerca on a mission from her grandmother to investigate the young girl's situation, Lianne believes that she might have finally found the "prince" she has sought.