Essential Cult Cinema Mirroring the Impact of Right to Happiness: C...

Dir: Edward LeSaint

When famous opera singer Elinore Duane undergoes an operation on her throat, she has a series of ether-induced visions. In one, she is transported to ancient Rome where she appears as a much-admired woman in love with Paul, a young heretic, and at odds with Lutor, the high priest. To save her love, she poisons Lutor with her ring. After several other visions which involve variations on this love triangle, Elinore awakens to discover that Lutor is actually her doctor, Sascha Jaccard, and that Paul is the son of a friend who has come to visit the recovering prima donna.

Dir: Georg Jacoby

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Jan Vermeulen, der Müller aus Flandern perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Alexander Butler

In Alberta, Canada, a Cornish emigrant unmasks a rustler posing as the girl's "blind" father.

Dir: Charles Horan

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

While working as a flower girl in Devlin Maddox's nightclub, Nellie Vaughan meets wealthy young Pelton Van Teel and falls in love. Maddox, desirous of using Nellie to blackmail Van Teel, spreads a rumor that she is his mistress. This makes Nellie uncomfortable, and she demands that Van Teel marry her immediately, to which he agrees. Meanwhile, Van Teel has been losing money gambling to Maddox, who threatens to break up the marriage by producing a worthless check that the young husband has written. Venturing to Maddox's apartment for a showdown, Nellie pulls a gun and demands the check, accidentally shooting Maddox when he throws a lamp at her. Maddox plans to charge Nellie with assault, but when the police arrive, his butler, actually a detective employed by the elder Van Teel, exposes Maddox, who is then arrested, clearing the path for the couple's happiness.

Dir: Bruno Ziener

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: William Parke

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Man's Plaything perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Bruce Wendell, the son of West Virginia coal mine owner James Wendell, graduates from West Point and prepares to lead a fighting unit to the front during World War I. As his father lies dying, however, he convinces Bruce to remain at home and guard the mine. Bruce's fiancée Ann Blair assumes that he is a coward and breaks off their engagement, but her brother Bobbie remains Bruce's loyal friend. Meyer, a German agent, persuades railroad president Parrish to refuse to transport Wendell's coal, but when Bruce adamantly refuses to close the mine, the spy's men decide to blow it up. While Ann is being abducted by Meyer, Bobbie is buried in an explosion at the mine. Bruce rescues Bobbie and then sends a plea to Lieutenant Parrish to rescue Ann. Meyer and his gang are captured and Ann renews her vow of love to Bruce.

Dir: Georg Jacoby

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Georg Jacoby

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Eva, wo bist du? perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A woman of the Latin Quarter, who has had numerous love affairs, flees from the wild life of Paris to bury her past in self-exile in South America.

Dir: Georg Jacoby

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Georg Jacoby

Bulgaria at the beginning of the 20 century. A village in Macedonia.Bogdan Stimov is suspected of a murder which he has not committed. On his wife Anna's urgent request he resolves to flee the country. America. Known as Stimens, Bogdan has risen to the position of director of a munitions factory. The First Wold War breaks out. The Italian Eteli incites his compatriots against the Austrian and German workers at the factory. Stimov takes their side and is dismissed together with his friends Max and Friedrich. Eteli's sister Anna is in love with Max. With her help all four obtain the necessary paper and board a Swedish ship. Eteli gets in touch with the captain of an Italian mail-boat which overtakes and detains the fugitives. The captives manage to escape in a boat. They are rescued by a German submarine. Max, Anna and Friedrich go to Germany. In Bukgaria Stimov's estate has been seized by the invaders. One of them wants to marry Stimov's daughter Maritsa against her will. Bogdan arrives on the wedding day. Under his leadership the peasants rise in revolt. Anna is hiding with friends while Bgdan, Maritsa and his son Peter go to Sofia. At the palace Stimov kneels before the King and tells him the story of his life. He is pardoned and joins the army. Peter is an army volunteer and Maritsa becomes a nurse. The Serbian forces have been driven out of Macedonia. Stimov's estate have been into a field hospital. Among the wounded is Max. Eteli appears too and fires at Maritsa. Max and a young soldier jump on him. The bullet hits the young soldier. A doctor unbuttons his tunic to discover that this is a girl in disguise. Etelirecognizes his sister Anna. A military parade. Stimov receives a medal from the King. Together with Peter he returns to his village where they are greeted with joy.