The Essential Watchlist that Capture the Essence of Powder: Cult Guide

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Lord Loveland in England is besieged by his creditors and consults his mother as to what he should do. He is advised to go to America and marry an heiress. He plans to sail on a certain ship, but at the eleventh hour changes his plans and departs on another vessel without informing his relatives of the change. Meanwhile, In England, his valet, annoyed at not having been paid a year's wages, impersonates Lord Loveland. At New York's most expensive hotel Lord Loveland discovers he has but forty cents in his pocket. He goes to bank and presents his letter of credit, but the bank determines that he is a bogus Lord and will not honor the draft. Disgusted, Lord Loveland returns to his hotel, where he finds he has no credit. He is ejected and his baggage is held in lieu of the bills he has already accumulated at the hostelry. Lord Loveland is alone in a strange world and with forty cents in his pocket. He applies to a friend for aid, but the friend, thinking the card presented is that of the bogus Lord Loveland. refuses to even see the visitor. Disheartened and disgusted, the nobleman betakes himself to Central Park, where through the thrilling rescue by Lord Loveland of a mongrel puppy, he forms a fast friendship with one Bill Willing, a likable old man out of work. Willing takes Lord Loveland to a cheap hotel where his forty cents is more than sufficient to procure two beds. In the morning he takes the English peer to a restaurant where in payment for meals, Willing draws artistic signs which advertise the day's tempting viands at Alex's restaurant. Lord Loveland, attired in evening clothes and monocle, has no trouble in getting employment as a waiter. He hopes thus to earn sufficient funds to pay his passage back to the dear old British Isles, but Tony Kidd, an enterprising New York reporter, learns of the monocled waiter and writes a story for his paper. Crowds come daily to Alex's restaurant to be waited on by this unique garcon. Among them is Leslie Dearmer, a woman playwright with whom Lord Loveland had become acquainted on shipboard. There is an explosion in the kitchen and the guests flee panic-stricken from Alex's restaurant. Lord Loveland becomes a hero when he extinguishes the blaze and causes the guests to return to their tables. Later, he loses his job through the apparent affection he has for Izzy, who is Alex's daughter. He takes up with a 10-20-30-cent troupe of theatrical players with whom he plays minor parts. Miss Dearmer seeks out the manager of Lord Loveland's troupe, intending to sue that individual for the use of one of her copyrighted plays. She calls and is surprised when her gaze meets that of the British nobleman. To her, the Lord relates his plight and she engages him as her chauffeur. The nobleman falls head over heels in love with his fair employer. The two are out for a spin when the Englishman summons up courage and declares his love. So ardent does he become in his proposal that he fails to heed the path his automobile is taking. The machine leaves the road, crashes into a tree and both occupants are thrown violently from their seats. When consciousness returns, Miss Dearmer is in Lord Loveland's arms, and the two plight their troth. The tide of Lord Loveland's fortunes have turned, By a combination of circumstances, he becomes recognized as the real Lord Loveland and he is restored to the position which is rightfully his. Henceforth, all is love and happiness and the nobleman has no desire again to see dear old Britain's shores.

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

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Magda, the daughter of Colonel Schwartz, a retired army officer, runs away from her home in Germany, and goes to Paris, hoping to gain fame as an opera singer. Her leave taking breaks her father's heart and brings on a stroke of paralysis, which almost results in his death. After months of careful nursing, he partially recovers, and thereafter, forbids even the mention of Magda's name in his presence. In Paris the years pass, and Magda failing to realize her ambitions, is reduced to abject poverty, and finally, rather than sell her honor, becomes a common beggar of the streets. Then, one day, penniless and starving, she enters a Bohemian café, in the Latin Quartier and sings for the price of a meal. Here she is seen and recognized by an old friend of her childhood days, Karl Von Kellar, who has come to Paris to study law. Learning the pathetic story of Magda's struggles and failure, he takes her to his apartment, and in the course of events she becomes his mistress. After months of happiness, Von Kellar begins to tire of Magda, and then, one day, he is called back to Germany by the death of his father. A few months later, Magda's child is born, but pride prevents her from communicating the fact to Von Kellar, who has apparently forgotten her. Again reduced to poverty, and cast out upon the streets by a heartless landlord, she wanders up and down the highways, singing, her baby clutched to her breast. Later, to save her child from starvation, and with the promise of attaining the goal of her life's ambition, a musical career, she becomes the mistress of Antony D'Arcy, a rising young operatic manager. Years pass, and Magda, now a famous opera singer, known as Maddalina Dall Orto, arrives at the principal hotel in her home city, to attend a big musical festival. At the governor's ball that night, which she attends, as the guest of honor, she is instantly recognized by Von Kellar, who is now a dignified and eminently respectable counselor of state. Meanwhile Colonel Schwartz, learning that the distinguished guest of the governor's is Magda his daughter, is prevailed upon to forgive her, and take her back. With her numerous servants and pets, Magda takes up her quarters in the old home, and bedazzles her bumble family with the wealth of her jewels and the magnificence of her wardrobe. At a loss to understand how she has attained so much good fortune and fame, her father becomes suspicious, and questions her persistently regarding her past life in Paris. Then Von Kellar pays a call, and learns for the first time of his child, now a youngster of seven, attending a private academy in Paris. Magda denounces Von Kellar. When Von Kellar has departed, Magda's father, who has overheard enough to confirm his suspicions confronts Magda and brutally forces a confession from her. In a towering rage, he writes Von Kellar a note, threatening to kill him, unless he consents to an immediate marriage with Magda. Fearing public exposure, and realizing that Magda's position in the world of art, will lend a certain dignity to his political prestige. Von Kellar calls on Colonel Schwartz and heartily agrees to an immediate marriage with his daughter. Alone with Magda, however, Von Kellar refuses to make her his wife, unless she agrees to keep all knowledge of their child a secret from the world. In a burst of outraged pride, she is furiously denouncing him, when her father enters, and learning what has passed between them, promises Von Kellar that he will force Magda to marry him as she is no longer in a position to choose the conditions under which she will become the honorable wife of her child's father. After Kellar has left, Colonel Schwartz locks all the doors, and arming himself with a revolver, threatens to kill both Magda and himself unless she consents to marry Von Kellar at once. She refuses to abandon her child, and as her father slowly raises the pistol to her heart, he is seized with a stroke of paralysis and falls back dead. Flinging herself upon her knees by her father's dead body, Magda sobs out her misery and grief, as the story concludes.

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

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Rhea Woodley's child dies at birth, and the doctor tells Martin Woodley that his wife must never be subjected to such an experience again. This forms the basis of separation between them. Rhea is a semi-invalid, and Martin's virile manhood seeks the physical companionship he is denied and finds it in the person of Maysie, a young cousin of Rhea's, who comes to visit in their home. The breach between the husband and wife continues to widen. A former rejected lover of Rhea's discovers the situation and takes a malicious pleasure in exposing it to Rhea. Rhea offers her husband his freedom, but he will not admit his love for the other woman, even to himself and refuses to be released. As a last resort, Rhea permits the attentions of Welsey, and goes with him to a roadhouse, leaving an anonymous note advising her husband of their destination. Martin and Maysie follow Rhea and her lover and discover them together. Rhea pretends a passion for Welsey until her husband is gone, when she turns upon him in scorn and denunciation. Martin obtains a divorce and Maysie, with a chaperon, takes charge of the household. Rhea goes to a sanitarium, where the doctor, to save her life, hits upon the inspiration of giving her a motherless baby to care for. Martin, going to his wife's room, drawn by the memory of happier days, finds in her diary the record of her sacrifice and overcome by his injustice, breaks with Maysie and returns to find Rhea with the baby, which will have its part in helping to fulfill his dream of home and happiness.