Cinematic Discoveries Resonating with the Themes of Pennington's Choice: Cult Guide

Dir: [object Object]

"Battling" Jimmie, a fighter and a dreamer preparing to meet "Killer" Briggs in the prize ring. It is the chance of Jimmie's life, because the winner of the fight is schedule to meet the champion. It is not merely the glory Jimmie is after, but a purse as well, for if he wins the fight he will be in a position to marry Bess. On the afternoon before the fight, "Silent" Billie, a newspaper reporter without a job, presents Jimmie with a lucky coin which has the general appearance of a royal emblem of some art. The emblem was given to Billie by his foster father, Herman Marlex, and eccentric old musician and writer. Marlex catches Jimmie wearing the emblem and he tells Jimmie that the emblem is the key to a throne. He goes on to tell Jimmie a wild story of how twenty years before he kidnapped the heir apparent to the kingdom of Magonia and brought him to this country. He tells Jimmie that Billie is the kidnapped prince. Jimmie is impressed by all this until the arrival of Billie, who tells Jimmie that the story is Marlex's hallucination. The fight is held that night as schedule. In the second round Jimmie receives a blow that knocks him unconscious. As the referee begins to count him out, Jimmie dreams that he loses the fight and returns home. He writes a letter to Bess telling her that he is now broke and that he intends leaving New York and stay away until he makes good. The room of old Marlex is just across the hallway from Jimmie's room. Jimmie hears a noise in Marlex's room. He goes into the hallway and listens. It appears to him that the three emissaries from the King of Magonia are in Marlex's room and are demanding of Marlex that he place the kidnapped prince in their hands. When Marlex learns that the emissaries intent to rob him of the reward he refuses to inform them of the prince's whereabouts. The emissaries bind and gag Marlex and throw him into a closet. Jimmie breaks into the room at this juncture. The emissaries see the emblem upon his sweater front and take him to be the king. He arrives in the Kingdom of Magonia, and tries to explain to King Felix that he is not the prince. The king will not believe him. The arrival of the alleged prince throws Heldone, pretender to the throne, out of favor. Haldone organizes a conspiracy which ripens into a revolt against the king. In the meanwhile Bess is hired by Princess Iona of Magonia, who is visiting the United States. She accompanies her to Europe. The princess meets Billie and convinces him that he is the real prince. Thereupon the princess, Billie, Bess and Marlex leave for Magonia. They arrive at about the time when the revolt breaks. No sooner is their amazement at seeing Jimmie upon the throne over than the revolutionists break into the palace. There is a terrific fight and Jimmie is knocked senseless from a blow from a sword. Jimmie's consciousness returns and he finds himself in the prize ring. He has just been counted out. Right then and there he decides to accede to Bess' request to go into vaudeville with her. They plan to get married at once.

Dir: [object Object]

A young woman tries to find out the reason behind why all of her female ancestors have been killed before they reach their 21st birthday.

Dir: [object Object]

Symbolisms: "The Trap." Scene 1: A bear trap on the ground; a man's hand enters the picture from above, presses down the jaws, shows how they work, and as they spring back into place his hand begins to scatter the leaves over the trap. Scene 2: Close-up of a saloon doorway, showing the swing doors opening in and springing back to place. The movement is the same as the bear trap. "The Bait." Scene 3: A bear trap is shown on the ground covered with leaves. A man's hand enters from above with a leg of meat. He holds it above the trap for a moment then lays it gently on the trap. Scene 4: The saloon swing doors are again drawn back by unseen bands and as they open just wide enough to make a panel in center of picture "Margot, the bait," is shown sitting on the edge of a table, and talking and laughing to unseen people. "The Game." Scene 5: Close-up is shown of rocky background. A puma is shown coming from behind the rocks with a snarl. Scene 6: Close-up of exterior of barroom doors. Camera shows Ed Mitchell, the stranger, halt intoxicated and a man's hand on his shoulder trying to lead him into the barroom. He registers disinclination, laughs in maudlin manner. Man's hand urges him in. Camera then shows Tom, the gambler, with his arms reaching out toward Mitchell; he opens doors and gently pushes Mitchell through. The story opens in a symbolic vein: the bait, the game, the trap. The analogy is drawn between the catching of big game with the usual bait in the trap, and the luring of big game with the bait of lovely but pathetic Margot, victim of a low man whom she believes to be her husband, and who has her in his power through a hold upon her father. The bait is sent into the saloon to fleece "the stranger" with the big roll. He discovers the game, the trap and the bait and a shooting tray takes place. Tom, the gambler, is badly wounded, and his partner in the game, "Old Bill," is slightly injured. Margot, believing Tom dead, escapes with her father. The scene then switches to the big trapping vicinity of which Bruce Powell, the trapper is the big man. He is shown trapping pumas. "Old Bill" and Margot make their way across country. A trap has been laid for game and "Old Bill," stumbling with exhaustion and illness, falls into it. Margot's screams attract Powell, who hurries to the scene. He carries the old man to his cabin where he expires after confessing to Margot that Tom was not her husband. The trapper soon learns to love the girl. Four months later they are happily married when the vultures, headed by Tom, arrive in the community, having exhausted the old fields. The wages have been dissipated and the next check being belated the trappers mutter and rebel against Powell, the paymaster, holding him responsible. Powell draws his own earnings from the bank and by announcing that the money is forthcoming stems the tide of rebellion. The father of Greta, the child of a neighbor, cared for by Margot, spends his hours in the saloon gambling and drinking. Margot, with Greta, goes to the saloon to get the derelict and is discovered by Tom. He follows her to her cabin. Powell has placed his money in his home for safekeeping. Tom makes Margot give him the money while Powell is absent. Arriving home he discovers his loss and attributes the crime to some outsider. The men, hearing of it, are calmed by the arrival of the belated payroll. Meantime, Tom fleeces the trappers of their remaining wages. Powell comes to the saloon and announces that the men are to be paid. Tom recognizes the purse of Margot, which Powell carries, and makes reflections upon Margot's character. Powell threatens to kill him if he finds he lies. In the meantime the trappers have left the bunk house for the paying station. Tom steals the money which the trappers have pooled from their earnings, leaving the big knife of Powell to deflect the blame. Tom then goes to Powell's cabin and demands that Margot turn over the money to him. She promises to meet him later with the money. Mitchell, the stranger, who also comes to the community, overhears the conversation. Margot meets Tom. The scene is witnessed by Powell from the distance. Margot leads Tom to a trap, killing him. The trappers, receiving no money and finding their fund stolen, suspect Powell through finding his knife. They hurry to string him up and find him lifting the dead Tom from the trap. Mitchell suggests that they search the body of Tom. The stolen money is found. Mitchell then looks at the fainting Margot and the stricken trapper. He leads the mob away from the scene, saying that the settlement is between these two souls. Powell's arm goes around Margot in love and protection and they go toward their cabin.

Dir: [object Object]

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: [object Object]

Franklyn Starr, a talented and wealthy young musician, suffers a double misfortune in the sudden loss of his hearing and in the death of his Mother to whom he is deeply attached. He loses his generous, joyous nature and transforms into a gloomy and despondent misanthrope. Sensitive about his deafness, he retires to an isolated home in the country, his sole companion being his faithful servant, and lives the life of a hermit. Wandering in the woods, he is unable to hear the workmen's warning cries and is injured in an explosion, Marjorie Blair, a young society woman, riding nearby, comes to his rescue and aid. Upon his recovery, he and Marjorie have fallen in love and are married. Just when their future looks the brightest, Bobby Delorme, a relative of Starr's, takes advantage of a past innocent flirtation with Marjorie, and creates a situation in which Starr believes that Marjorie has been unfaithful to him. He again becomes embittered.

Dir: [object Object]

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: [object Object]

Captain Delmar resumes command of Tower Post, India, after an absence of twenty years. In his commission is an order to make a secret investigation of some famous jewels, which are indemnity to the English crown and have mysteriously disappeared. The Rajah selim, an Indian prince, while reading the official communication that he is to pay his allegiance to Captain Delmar, relives the past, a past or hatred for the captain who, when a young man, was successful in winning of the heart of Tara, a Harem favorite of the prince. Captain Delmar really loved the Indian girl, and upon being called back to England, resolves to marry her. When he returns to the garden to get the girl, he finds her dead body. Her death is clothed in mystery and the young captain believes that she has been murdered by Hindoo slaves for the wonderful jewels she wears. He proceeds in England broken-hearted, but eventually marries an English girl. It is his daughter, Dorothy, now grown to young womanhood, whom he brings to India with him upon being ordered to the Post. The Rajah has carried out a secret, but hideous revenge upon the girl Tara. It was he who had her stolen from the garden and stabbed her to death. Only the departure of the young English officer at that time had saved him from a similar fate and now that he has returned, as commanding officer of the Post, his revenge again burns deeply. With Hindoo subtlety he covers up his deep designs, giving the usual audience to the captain and his daughter. He places at the disposal of the young English girl some of his own court servants. These servants are headed by Sahan, spy, through whom the Rajah is to carry out his plot. There is a secret passage from the palace to the Post, the trap door entering to the library of the Captain. Through this secret passage the spy carries messages, and at the Rajah's command he cuts the telephone wires, intending that night to steal the Captain and his daughter and bring them to the palace. By burning the bungalow he thinks to deflect suspicion, leaving the impression that they have been burned to death. The Captain, finding the telephone wires cut, has sent Lieutenant Grey, who is the fiancé of Dorothy, to a nearby post to investigate conditions. When the lieutenant returns he finds the bungalow burned and believes, as the Rajah has intended, that the Captain and his daughter have met their fate within it. In the meantime the Rajah has the Captain and the girl in his power. He tells the Captain that he will throw him into a cell and keep Dorothy for himself. The girl, as she sees her father dragged away, almost goes mad. Soma, the present favorite, but who has never won the love of the Rajah, as his heart is with the past, realizes the awful fate that is about to overtake the English girl, but can do little to help her. Fate steps in when the girl loses her mind under the strain, and the superstition of the Rajah places her beyond the earthly pale. The lieutenant has discovered the secret passage. His suspicion aroused, he makes his way to the palace and comes upon his sweetheart and the Hindoo girl. Dorothy regains her mind when she sees her lover. When the Rajah is about to enter, Soma, now the guardian angel of Dorothy tells the lieutenant that if he is to save the Captain and his daughter he must bring help. The lieutenant escapes through the secret passage and sends to a neighboring Post for a small company of cavalry. Meanwhile the Rajah has discovered that Dorothy has regained her mind. He brings forth the jewels that once bedecked Tara. He adorns her with the jewels, has the Captain brought before him and shows him his daughter dressed as a harem favorite. He gives orders to have the beasts, lions of the royal menagerie, starved. Soma has secreted herself in Dorothy's room, with the intention of stabbing the Rajah when he comes. The Captain is dragged forth to the jungle. The Rajah goes to bring Dorothy before he shall give the final order. The young Lieutenant arrives with his company and a battle ensues, as they are denied admittance to the palace. When the Captain is freed through this timely interference, he rushes to save his daughter and arrives just in time, as the arm of the brave Soma is not strong enough to deliver the death she intends. They find upon Dorothy the jewels that are sought by the English government.

Dir: [object Object]

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.