The Cult Collection Inspired by the Vision of Poor Relations: Cult Guide

Dir: King Vidor

Beverly Tucker, the daughter of an impoverished aristocratic Southern family, has scraped together her last pennies to put her brother Dal through college in the hope that he will support the family after graduation. However, Dal harbors no such ambition and instead spends his time gambling and drinking in a saloon owned by the town's mayor, Curran. During a raid led by Curran's crusading son Merle, a detective is killed and Dal is accused of the crime. When his case seems hopeless, one of the witnesses finally comes forth to testify that the saloon manager committed the killing and Dal is cleared. After this harrowing experience, Dal reforms and Beverly and Merle marry.

Dir: King Vidor

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

Sculptor Leonard Hunt is urged by his wife Vivian to compete for a million dollar prize competition for a Victory Memorial commemorating the First World War. Sylvia Morton models for Hunt, and they become romantically involved. In an attempt to save her marriage, Vivian persuades him to close the studio and go on a second honeymoon. But Hunt is unable to forget Sylvia, so he leaves Vivian. Vivian threatens to kill Sylvia unless she promises to give up Hunt. Months later, Hunt returns, remorseful and begging forgiveness, saying that Sylvia has married someone else.

Dir: King Vidor

In the reign of King Louis XIII, dashing rogue and libertine Marquis de Bardelys is entranced by Roxalanne de Lavedan. Against a background of knavery and intrigue he sets out to woo and win her.

Dir: King Vidor

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

A young American soldier witnesses the horrors of the Great War.

Dir: King Vidor

A young Irish lass subsisting in a shanty is forced to spend three years in England training to be a proper lady in order to collect her inheritance.

Dir: King Vidor

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

Gritzko (John Gilbert) is a Russian nobleman, and Tamara (Aileen Pringle) is the object of his desire. After a series of misunderstandings and much drama, they fall in love.

Dir: King Vidor

Gifted but neurotic novelist Jeffrey Dwyer is attracted to young, innocent Joan Converse, but neglects her when he meets sultry Inez Martin. After a short, passionate affair, Inez discards Jeffrey in favor of Harry Todd, whom she marries; Jeffrey turns to drink and debauchery and no longer writes. When he realizes the waste and futility of his life, he marries Joan, rents a lodge in the mountains, and writes a second successful novel. He and Joan are happy until Inez, whose marriage has failed, decides that she wants to resume her relationship with him. She rents a lodge near his, and after a sharp conflict between the idealistic and the sensual in his nature, Jeffrey leaves a letter for Joan, telling her that he is deserting her, and goes to Inez. Quickly realizing, however, that his infatuation with Inez is over, he returns to Joan, who forgives him and gladly welcomes him home again.

Dir: King Vidor

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Peg o' My Heart perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Following her marriage to wealthy lawyer Rodney Aldrich, Rose Stanton realizes that he is uninterested in her intellect. She takes up law studies to help him in his work, and when he scoffs at the idea, she leaves him, determined to prove herself an equally-intelligent marriage partner. In New York, Rose becomes a chorus girl, then seizes the opportunity to design costumes for Broadway shows. Soon she opens a salon and is very successful, but realizes that whatever a man's interest in a woman's work, his deepest concern will be with her as a woman. As she is about to sign a Broadway contract, Rodney confesses his admiration and respect for her, and she agrees to return to the career of wife and mother.

Dir: King Vidor

An aristocrat who was raised in Spain returns to the United States and falls in love with a plumber.

Dir: King Vidor

John and Tilly's happy marriage is ruined when Tilly's father finds out about the scandalous past of John's mother. John, unaware of his father-in-law's meddling, thinks Tilly has left him, and he leaves town. Her father leads Tilly to believe that John has died in an accident, and he pushes her to marry someone else.