The Recommended Vault Parallel to the Artistry of Rough Going: Cult...

Dir: Harris Gordon

A man named Chandler, claiming to be a novelist in search of local color, arrives at a town near the Mexican border, where he makes advances toward Jo, a girl living a solitary life on a desert ranch. Manning, a cowboy, suspects Chandler's motives, and his suspicions are strengthened when Chandler is caught cheating at cards. Following a gang of Mexicans to their mountain retreat, Manning learns that Chandler and the Mexicans are smuggling opium across the border. Two gang members are killed in the ensuing fight, but Chandler, wounded by Manning after a chase on the cliffs, escapes to Jo's home, where he denounces Manning as a smuggler. Manning arrives and dispels Jo's misgivings about him by revealing that he is a Texas Ranger, sworn to secrecy. Chandler is allowed to escape, and Manning and Joe are united.

Dir: Unknown Director

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

The Judge needs a present for his wife's birthday, so Harry suggests a new corset. They go to the shop, but he's so embarrassed to ask the saleslady he hides in a phone booth.Harry goes in, but finds a GUY wearing one, and runs out.They both dress as women to get back in, but Mrs. Rummy gets there and chases him out.

Dir: Malcolm St. Clair

A dancing instructor gets involved with a newly rich family.

Dir: Jerome Storm

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Don't Weaken! perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Ne'er-do-well Homer Cavender ventures to the city from Mainsville in an effort to find fame and fortune. Both elude him, and after clerking for two years, Homer returns home for a vacation. Impressed by his flashy clothes, the townspeople assume that Homer has achieved success. Attempting to win Rachel Prouty from his rival, Arthur Machim, Homer continues the deception by announcing that his employer, Kort and Bailly, has dispatched him to enroll stockholders for a proposed new plant to be built in Mainsville. Machim discovers the sham and denounces Homer as a crook. Meanwhile, Homer returns to New York, convinces his employers of the merits of his plan and comes home triumphant, with a proposal for both the new plant and for Rachel's hand in marriage.

Dir: J. Gordon Edwards

William Farnum is Drag Harlan, a tough cowboy vigilante. After learning about a gold mine from a dying man, he seeks his daughter (Jackie Saunders) as well as the gold. He falls in love with her, but the same gang that shot the old man is after the gold.

Dir: Vernon Stallings

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

Krazy Kat is held in jail and Ignatz finally bails him out after encountering "guilt".

Dir: Lloyd Ingraham

While walking along the street one day, Arthur P. Hampton, an impoverished young doctor, and his chums, Stub Masters and Johnny Stokes, are persuaded to part with their last remaining funds by tag day solicitor Mary Jane Smith, with whom the doctor promptly falls in love. Doc's friends then hit upon a get-rich-quick scheme. Knowing that his Uncle George has promised a large sum of money upon his nephew's marriage, they persuade Doc to send out fake wedding invitations naming Mary Jane as the blushing bride. Uncle George, elated at the good news, writes to Mary Jane's aunt, Angelica Burns, an old sweetheart, to invite Mary Jane and Angelica to be his guests on an ocean voyage. Meanwhile, Mary Jane pays a visit to the doctor's office and, upon seeing the wedding invitations, becomes so flustered that she trips and sprains her ankle. Doc comes to her rescue and then begs her to pose as his wife. She agrees, but at ship-side, Stub and Johnnie confess all to Uncle George, who flies into a rage until Doc announces that he and Mary Jane have chosen a wedding at sea.

Dir: Wally Van

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

A series of 12 2-reel episodes, each a separate and unrelated story, relating the adventures of Christopher Race and his high-powered automobile, The Scarlet Runner. Each episode has a different cast, except for the continuing role of Earle Williams. Episode titles are: #1: The Car and His Majesty (1916); #2: The Nuremberg Watch (1916); #3: The Masked Ball (1916); #4: The Hidden Prince (1916); #5: The Jacobean House (1916); #6: The Mysterious Motor Car (1916); #7: The Red Whiskered Man (1916); #8: The Glove and the Ring (1916); #9: The Gold Cigarette Case (1916); #10: The Lost Girl (1916); #11: The Missing Chapter (1916); #12: The Car and the Girl (1916).

Dir: Wally Van

Episode 1: "Treachery in the Clouds" This picture is a parody on the numerous thrills, perils and mysteries recently perpetrated and must not be taken too seriously. After being run over by a ponderous four-horse-power "1892 Combustible," belonging to Flora Fourflush, an orphan millionairess, Frank Goodheart, a poor but true-hearted young street-cleaner, is carried home in her car. While Frank is recuperating, Sir Simon Blackheart, a ferocious villain and a persistent suitor for Flora's hand, calls, and when his love is scorned, seizes Flora in his arms and endeavors to kiss her. Frank hurls himself upon the rascal and throws him out the door, while she exclaims. "My Hero," but he refuses her hand in marriage, until he has first made his fortune. Sir Simon then sends a dynamite bomb through the mail to the unsuspecting Flora, but Frank is "on the job" and again the villain is foiled. Blackheart carries out a dastardly plan, shortly afterwards, breaks into Flora's hangar, where her trans-Atlantic flier is housed, and steals the aeroplane's engine. On the day of the big race across the ocean, Flora seats herself in her machine and the great ship wobbles up into the air, acting like a dragonfly with a broken wing. Sir Simon enters the grounds, laughing grimly. Flora, meanwhile, now 3,000 feet in the air, suddenly discovers that her engine has been stolen. Frank, watching her through his glasses, realizes the awful truth, and jumping into a balloon, soars upwards to the rescue of Flora. Brave Frank, "steering" his balloon nearly under the falling air machine, grabs the heroine as she passes him and drags her safely into the balloon. Sir Simon witnesses this, and boiling with rage, loads his deadly rifle. With one fatal shot, he bursts the balloon's gas bag, hurling our hero and Flora to earth. Episode 2: "The Treasure Temple of Bhosh" At the finish of the first installment of this series, Frank, the honest young street cleaner and Flora, the beautiful millionairess, were hurtling through the air towards the earth, after being thrown from a balloon burst by the arch-fiend. Sir Simon Blackheart, their hated enemy. By an odd coincidence the balloon basket containing Flora and Frank drops through the glass conservatory of Flora's house, arriving just in time for tea. Flora then decides to take a trip to India to see the Rajah of Chutneypore. Frank accompanies her and on the way they are attacked by pirates, the chief of whom proves to be none other than Sir Simon. Frank is captured, but Flora escapes in the yacht. By the villain's orders, poor Frank, with a cannon tied to his neck, is thrown overboard. Holding his breath, the brave youth picks up the cannon and walks along the ocean bottom to shore and safety. Finding a small boat, he gets into it and rows out to sea. The pirates see him coming and fire upon him. The shell, with fuse burning, drops into Frank's boat. He nonchalantly picks it up and hurls it back to the pirate ship, where it explodes and kills all but Sir Simon. Later, Flora arrives in India, and while visiting the Rajah, is seen by the rascal Sir Simon, disguised as an Indian fakir. The Rajah shows her the famous treasure house of Bhosh, which is in a vault beneath the figure of a huge elephant. While she is inside Sir Simon creeps up and pulls the elephant's tail, causing the ponderous roof to slide down, slowing crushing the helpless Flora. She screams for help, and Frank, who has just arrived at the palace, breaks through a stone wall with his bare hands to rescue her. Sir Simon then prevails upon the Rajah to have the foreigners thrown into the alligator pit. and the terrible vengeance is carried out to the bitter end. The next installment shows what occurred in the alligator pit. Episode 3: "A Race for Life" By performing prodigies of valor, Honest Frank, our hero, rescues himself from the alligator pit where he and the beautiful heroine, Flora Fourflush, have been thrown by order of the Rajah of Chutenpore, unduly influenced by Sir Simon Blackheart, the villain. Safely out of danger himself, brave Frank then rescues Flora by stealing the giant ruby from the treasure-house elephant, and is tracked by his human bloodhounds. Unsatiated by his villainies, Blackheart commands his thugs to capture Frank, and the long-suffering hero is tied upon a railroad track. Flora is warned of his terrible plight and hastens in her racing car, good for ten miles an hour or more, to the rescue of her lover. Sir Simon steals a locomotive and is soon speeding towards the helpless Frank. The poor street-sweeper is struck and run over, but miraculously escapes injury, springs into the engine cab and heaves Sir Simon down the bank. The arch-villain then disguises himself as a child, hunts up our unsuspecting hero and tells him that Flora awaits him in a deserted cottage. Sir Simon little knows that the Rajah and his men are on his track. Flora, meanwhile, has arrived too late to save her lover from the engine. She learns of his escape, and meeting the Rajah, is told that Sir Simon has tied Frank to several cases of dynamite in the cabin and is even now lighting the fuse. Brave as a lioness, Flora rushes to help Frank, followed by the Rajah and his High Priest. They overcome Blackheart, rescue Frank from his perilous position and tie Sir Simon in his place, beside the explosive. All depart to a safe distance and see the villain blown to atoms. Frank and Flora embrace and the Rajah adds to their happiness by presenting them with the huge ruby as a wedding present. END

Dir: Hal Roach

An American book salesman (Lloyd) is persuaded to go to the kingdom of Thermosa to impersonate the Prince. He is greeted by a peasants' revolt before the real prince shows up to claim his throne and princess. The revolution succeeds, and the American is elected president of the new republic.