Top-Tier Alternatives In the Shadow of Puppy Love: Cult Guide

Dir: Roy William Neill

After being dishonored by noted artist Fielding Powell, struggling model Paula Lee resigns herself to living as his mistress until a misunderstanding causes their separation. Paula meets and falls in love with Powell's old friend Dr. Melfi, and they marry and are happy until Powell pays a visit to Dr. Melfi and is astonished when Paula is introduced to him as Melfi's wife. His old desires aroused, he forces a promise from her to visit him that night. In his home, he demands that their old relationship be continued as the price of his silence. Paula tries to escape and is struggling with him when Melfi's servant, desiring to avenge his sister's honor, which had been destroyed by Powell, plunges a knife into the artist's heart. Dr. Melfi is summoned and arrives in time to hear Powell confess that he was responsible for Paula's predicament.

Dir: Roy William Neill

Pearson Hunter, a jealous Southern plantation owner, returns home with his new wife Shirley, a Northerner. Shirley's socializing enrages Pearson when he finds her in the company of Alexander Chapman, a drunken wastrel, but after a bitter quarrel, they reconcile. Pearson's younger brother Morgan soon arrives accompanied by his fiancée, Margery Gibson. Shirley befriends Morgan, creating jealousy in Margery, who goes to Pearson for consolation and advice, but instead rekindles Pearson's own jealousy. Later, at a dance in the Hunter home, Chapman reappears uninvited. Morgan, aware of the situation, removes Chapman to the garden where the latter says insulting things about Shirley. Morgan knocks Chapman out, then returns to the house just as Jim Webb, a poor man with consumption enters the garden. Upon seeing Chapman, Webb kills him in revenge of a past conflict, but when a servant discovers the body, Morgan assumes that he is guilty and seeks council from Shirley. Pearson breaks in on them and, assuming a romance between them, despondently goes to the garden where he overhears Webb's confession, which results in a reconciliation among all the parties.

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

Dir: Roy William Neill

In a Western mining town, millionaire Gordon Appleby meets Maida Madison, a civil engineer, and proposes. The two marry and return to Philadelphia, where they are coldly received by Gordon's snobbish family. Gordon's elder brother Mortimer's highbrow sensibilities are particularly offended by Maida's breezy manner, and he determines to break up the marriage. Meanwhile, Maida learns that Gordon's sister Eunice, whose husband is a lieutenant overseas, has formed an attachment to playboy Rupert Fenton. Maida decides to save Eunice when, at a party, she overhears her planning to elope with Rupert to Egypt. Late that evening, Maida follows Eunice to Rupert's apartment, where she is seen by Mortimer, who almost succeeds in convincing Gordon of her unfaithfulness. Maida refuses to explain her presence at Rupert's in order to shield Eunice, who, ashamed, confesses her guilt. Filled with gratitude, the Applebys accept their Western daughter-in-law into the family.

Dir: Roy William Neill

Rita Hackett's father has unscrupulously gained possession of an old southern mansion. The owner, Randolph Manners, is evicted and takes up residence in the training quarters on the estate. It is there when Rita meets Randolph and learns of her father's deeds. Rita disguises herself as a jockey and enters a a race, determined to help Randolph reclaim what is his.

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

Dir: Roy William Neill

Glory Wharton is the granddaughter of Civil War veteran Jed Wharton, who entertains everyone with his war stories, but has a serious drinking problem, which Glory is determined to help him overcome.

Dir: Roy William Neill

Two wives, one rich, one poor, each find themselves tempted by romantic seducers, and each faces the dilemma of remaining true to the husband who neglects her or of falling into the arms of another.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of They're Off perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Roy William Neill

Catherine Bush, a lowly office worker, uses her attractive personality and her perseverance to lift herself to a high place in society, eventually becoming Lady Catherine.

Dir: Roy William Neill

Eileen Rodney believes herself in love with Raymond Moreland, who poses as the leader of an oriental cult, but discovers his duplicity in time to avoid the serious consequences of an elopement. She marries her guardian, John Harland, and is happy until Moreland returns and seeks to reopen the affair under threat of exposure. Moreland is killed, and her husband, as District Attorney, takes charge of the case. Her efforts to recover the love letters she wrote Moreland are nearly her undoing, precipitating an unusually thrilling chain of action.

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

Dir: Roy William Neill

Upon hearing that her parents have been killed in the war, actress Genevieve Bouchette returns to her native village of Deschon, France, and engages in Red Cross work. The Germans capture the town, and when Genevieve refuses to submit to the amorous demands of one of the soldiers, he orders her branded with the "cross of shame." Her sweetheart, Jean Picard, now a volunteer in the French army, is seriously wounded while attempting to deliver important orders to Col. Bouchier, and Genevieve saves his life by telling his pursuers that he is dead. After delivering the papers herself, Genevieve visits her lover in the hospital, but he fails to recognize her, having lost his memory through shell shock. When Jean sees the cross of shame of Genevieve's breast, however, his memory returns, and the two pledge their troth.

Dir: Roy William Neill

Inga Sonderson an artist model and her sweetheart, sculptor Robert Milton, win recognition through the efforts of Daniel Garford, an artist of international fame. One day, upon returning home to find his wife in the arms of another man, Garford becomes so despondent that he loses all interest in his work and turns to opium for comfort. Inga, seeking to redeem her patron, follows him into the opium dens and brings him home. Meanwhile, Milton, seeing his sweetheart return late at night with Garford, misunderstands and in a jealous rage breaks his engagement. Under Inga's care, Garford gradually begins to reform and, regaining his reputation, asks her to marry him. Milton, grief-stricken that his love is wed to another, is about to leave the city when Inga appears and announces that she is planning to marry the man she loves, Milton.