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Dir: Albert Capellani

Sir Anthony Gregson, Bart., a wealthy mine owner, is unpopular with his employees, because of his unreasonable temper and lack of sympathy. Sir Anthony has one son, Aubrey, a lovable young man, who has angered his father by refusing to follow the latter's dictation in the matter of his marriage. Sir Anthony also has a twin brother, whom he has not seen for years. The brother, who has humble associates, is known among them as "Blink." Blink is married to a gypsy girl, known as "The Tearer." Sir Anthony makes a sea trip to benefit his health. By chance the yacht anchors off the coast where Blink has his hut. Sir Anthony accepts his brother's invitation to call on him, and while at Blink's hut he has a stroke of paralysis, and dies. Blink changes clothes with Sir Anthony, and taking advantage of his striking likeness to the other man, impersonates him. He proceeds to the yacht, taking "The Tearer" with him, pretending she is Miss Gibson, his trained nurse. Blink, as Sir Anthony, sails homeward with his "trained nurse." The first thing he does is to call on Mary Priestly with Miss Gibson. Miss Gibson tells Mary that she wishes to marry Sir Anthony, but will not take this step without first getting the consent of Aubrey. Sir Anthony (Blink) is apparently reconciled to his son and gives him his consent to marry Mary. Aubrey, of course, gives his consent in return. The troubles in the mines have reached a climax. The men have struck because of small wages and unsafe equipment. The men are enraged against Sir Anthony. To quell the disturbance, Blink, as Sir Anthony, agrees to look over the mines and investigate. This he does, taking Aubrey and Miss Gibson with him. After he investigates, he orders that new and safe equipment shall be bought, and that the miners' wages shall be raised. All this while Gouger, the friend of Blink in his former life, has been trying to see the man he thinks is Sir Anthony. Having found Sir Anthony dead in Blink's hut, he thinks that Sir Anthony has killed Blink and eloped with "The Tearer." Gouger is eager for revenge. He finds "The Tearer" and says that he wishes to have an interview with Sir Anthony. "The Tearer" (Miss Gibson), frightened for Blink's life, keeps putting Gouger off. At last, however, Blink (Sir Anthony) agrees to see him. Aubrey, Mary and Miss Gibson are in the room. To satisfy Gouger it is necessary for Blink to disclose his identity before Aubrey. This, of course, satisfies Gouger. Aubrey does not mind, as he has grown to love Blink. Blink again marries "The Tearer" for appearance's sake, and Aubrey marries Mary Priestly.

Dir: Albert Capellani

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

The daughter of an Arab sheik falls in love with a French naval officer, thus breaking the strict rule of social law of her people, as well as her religion. She follows him to France, where, torn between her love and her devotion to her own tribe, she seeks to resolve her dilemma through dangerous means.

Dir: Albert Capellani

Orphaned Mimi (Alice Brady) is taken in by a drunken innkeeper and becomes a maid. She meets Rudolphe (Paul Capellani), heir of a upper-class family, who rescues her from the unwanted advances of a drunken hotel guest. They fall madly in love, but Rudolphe's uncle, M. Durandin, wants Rudolphe to marry a family friend, Madame De Rouvre, and writes Mimi a letter, telling her that she is ruining Rudolphe's life. Musette and Marcel, friends of Mimi, also try to break up the romance by introducing Mimi to other men, and Rudolphe becomes jealous and leaves her. Shattered, Mimi declines in health and eventually throws herself into the river but is rescued and taken to the hospital. Realizing it is only a matter of time before she dies, she drags herself back to the room where she and Rudolphe were happiest. Rudolphe is there and she dies knowing that he loves her.

Dir: Albert Capellani

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of La vie de Bohème perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Marguerite Gautier, known as "Camille" on account of her fondness for camellias, is queen of the underworld. She has a wealthy lover in Count de Varville, whom, though he supplies her with plenty of money, she does not love in return. Her affections are set upon Armand, a young lawyer from the country. She suffers from her excesses, and the doctor warns her that she must change her mode of living, but she laughs at his advice. Armand's love for her renews her interest in life, and she goes with him and lives quietly in the country. But their happiness is short. Camille has had to sell her jewelry and horses in order to pay her debts, and, learning of this, Armand becomes suspicious. Armand's father, hearing of his son's attachment for Camille, demands that the woman should abandon Armand. For the sake of Armand's young sister, Cecile, Camille agrees to sacrifice herself and returns to her former life with Count de Varville. But Armand's love for Camille will not be suppressed. They meet again. He begs Camille to go away with him. She refuses. Armand accuses her of loving de Varville. The two men meet and quarrel. There is a duel, and Armand wounds de Varville. Armand learns that Camille always loved him and that her aim was to please the father by preserving Armand's family's good name. In the end Camille dies with a smile on her lips and expressing her love for Armand.

Dir: Albert Capellani

Laura Murdock is a young actress. Her husband, a drunkard, is killed by a fall. Laura goes to New York to get an engagement, and finds herself blocked at every turn by the petty jealousies and politics of the profession. Willard Brockton, a wealthy broker, has been asked to finance a production and has refused. He meets Laura and becomes interested, furnishes the producer with money, demanding in return that Laura be given the best role in the piece. Eventually Brockton claims the customary reward of such assistance, although Laura holds out as long as possible. The following summer she goes to Denver for a stock engagement, and falls in love with John Madison, a newspaper writer. He cannot afford to marry, and Brockton, who comes west to take Laura back with him, sneers at the idea of his marrying the luxury-loving Laura. Laura promises to wait, however, and Brockton promises Madison that if Laura returns to him he will let Madison know. Laura returns to New York, and Brockton's influence prevents her from getting an engagement. She reaches the end of her resources, and not hearing from Madison submits to what she regards the only course open, a renewal of her relations with Brockton. Brockton dictates a letter to Madison which Laura promises to mail, but she burns it instead. Madison finds gold and hurries to New York to marry Laura. He discovers the facts of the situation, and Laura confesses that she burned the letter Brockton had promised to send. Deserted by both men she becomes desperate, and tries to fling herself into the dissipations of the night life of Broadway. She is disgusted, however, and attempts to end her life in the river. She is rescued and taken to a hospital. Madison is notified, and learns also of the fight she made to remain true to him. He hurries to her side just in time to let her know he understands and forgives, and she dies in his arms.

Dir: Albert Capellani

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

First feature length French film adaptation of the story of former convict Jean Valjean who is hunted down by ruthless inspector Javert in mid 19th century France. Released in four parts, like a serial.

Dir: Albert Capellani

During the latter part of the reign of Louis XVIII, in France, Ambrose, an aristocrat, loves Jeanne Mailloche, a peasant girl, but is compelled to marry his cousin, Alice de Fontelles, to preserve their respective estates. Jeanne dies soon after, leaving a son, who is kidnapped and raised by a band of ruffians. Alice's son, receiving every advantage, is raised as an aristocrat. Twenty years later, at the time Napoleon was in exile, the young aristocrat, Victor by name, becomes a captain in the King's army. His half-brother, Rabat, son of Jeanne, has degenerated into a criminal, with a price on his head. Strangely enough, they look exactly alike, though neither knows of the whereabouts of the other. In fact, Rabat is ignorant of Victor's existence. The young Captain is told of Rabat's existence by his father when the latter is on his death bed. Victor is engaged to Lucille, the niece of Munier, who is Victor's father's secretary. Munier becomes associated with the conspirators, who are seeking to place Napoleon on the throne of France. In Munier's endeavor to steal the funds of the conspirators, he becomes associated with Rabat, the criminal. Victor is called to the army, and arranges with Lucile for their final adieu at the diligence office. Being unaware of the existence of Rabat. Lucile believes her lover guilty of the murder which she sees Rabat commit at the meeting place appointed by Victor. Rabat's face in the moonlight almost causes Lucile to abandon all faith in Victor. Victor is arrested for the murder, but before his execution, Lucile learns the truth concerning Rabat and forces her uncle, who has acknowledged his connection with the murder committed by Rabat, to intercede. This stays Victor's execution as a murderer, but as Napoleon has returned to power. Victor is arrested as a political prisoner, and ordered to be shot. Victor's release as the murderer has caused the arrest of Rabat for that offense. He is to be beheaded. Both Rabat and Victor's executions are scheduled for the same day. Lucile, knowing of her uncle's part in the actual murder, forces him to intercede with Napoleon, thus saving the life of Victor. Later, Victor meets Rabat, his half-brother, for the first time, and inspires him with the necessary confidence to face his death. Munier escapes from the country and with Napoleon's pardon for his political offenses, Victor and Lucile are happily married.

Dir: Albert Capellani

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

The scene takes place in Paris in March 1793 during the Reign of Terror. The Knight of Maison-Rouge, posing as Citizen Morand, is organizing the escape of Queen Marie-Antoinette. He is assisted in his undertaking by Dixmer, a master tanner who passes himself off as an ardent revolutionary and his wife Geneviève, who also happens to be the Knight's sister. While on mission with her brother, she is saved from arrest thanks to the intervention of Lieutenant Maurice Lindey. Geneviève, who is married without love to Dixmer, falls for the young man, who requites her love. A tunnel is dug between a house rented by Dixmer and the Tower of the Temple but the various attempts to rescue the queen attempts fail. Marie-Antoinette risks the guillotine. Lindey finds himself involved in the plot.

Dir: Albert Capellani

When young schoolteacher Mary Adams is out of the classroom, she dreams of the days when the world was peopled by knights and beautiful ladies in distress. She is so imbued with the spirit of romance that when a strange young man rescues her from a street ruffian, she idolizes her hero, picturing him as a regular Sir Galahad. Mary's rescuer is Jim Anthony, a mechanic with inventive talents. Embittered after his invention is stolen, he becomes a burglar. Knowing nothing of this, Mary falls in love with him and marries him. He's a product of the slums, and in his wandering he has lost track of his mother. When he finally learns that she's living in the Carolina mountains, he persuades Mary to go with him to visit her. He takes with him a bag of jewelry, the plunder gained in his recent robberies. They find Anthony's mother living alone in a hut. The old woman has become a wretched creature. She fails to recognize her son, who asks for a night's shelter for himself and his wife. While unpacking, Mary discovers the jewelry and confronts Jim, who confesses his crime. Horrified, Mary orders Jim from the room, locks herself in, and goes to sleep on a couch in the main room. The old woman finds the jewels and her cupidity leads her to try to kill the man she doesn't know as her son. Mary finds Jim unconscious from his wound and hurries to the village for medical aid. She keeps away from him, and on his recovery he returns to the city and makes restitution of the stolen property. A reconciliation is brought about several years later.

Dir: Albert Capellani

Virginia Lee, daughter of a United States Senator, meets David Starr, a wounded United States soldier, in a field hospital in which she is serving as a Red Cross nurse. Star returns to the trenches and Virginia's base hospital is moved. Starr is again wounded and invalided home. Virginia has lost sight of him. She returns to America; and in Washington, Starr sees her at a ball at the French Embassy. Feeling her too far above him, socially, he goes West, whither Virginia's father takes her, on a business trip, and there a vital drama is enacted.