The Auteur's Selection In the Shadow of Sackcloth and Scarlet: Cult...

Dir: Henry King

The only remaining members of New Orleans' proud but poor Creole family are Lucie De Montrand, her brother François and their aunt, Tante Jeanne. Two men are in love with Lucie: James Morgan, a wealthy plantation owner whom her aunt wishes her to marry, and the impoverished Robert Orme, whose love Lucie returns. Desperate to win the favor of the town vampire, François gives her the jewels that Gaspar La Roche, an old antique dealer, had earlier given to Lucie. Then, when Lucie fails to wear them as the queen of the Knights of Consus Ball, Gaspar refuses to believe that she is ignorant of their whereabouts. If she marries him, he suggests, she may keep the jewels, but otherwise, she must return them immediately. Lucie learns from Corinne, the cook, that François has taken the gems, whereupon she visits his sweetheart and demands their return. As she walks home, Gaspar insults her, but she is defended by François and Robert. In the confusion, the gun that Gaspar had pointed at François is discharged and the antique dealer is killed. Repentant, François abandons the vampire and assumes his position as the head of the family, while Lucie, through the mediation of Father Moret, finally is allowed to marry Robert.

Dir: Henry King

Old Captain Ward, who hates society, lives in the hulk of his ship with his granddaughter Sally, whom he prevents from meeting people. Because Sally's mother died in childbirth without revealing the name of Sally's father, the captain continually vows to avenge her death. When Sally finds Teddy, a lame dog, she smuggles it aboard, but it runs away, and she follows it to a beautiful house belonging to the famous Judge Gordon. Hugh Schuyler, the judge's young friend, and Sally fall in love. After the captain chases Hugh away, Sally attends the judge's party, dressed in fine clothes which the judge bought, but the captain finds her and takes her away. When the judge visits the captain and confirms his suspicion that Sally is his daughter, the captain attempts to kill him. Sally intercepts a blow, and awakens to find that the judge has proven that he secretly was married to her mother, but because of illness, had lost contact with her. Sally accepts Hugh's proposal, and they sail away with the judge, the captain, and Teddy and his family.

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

Dir: Henry King

Shouts of joy and the clapping of many tiny hands welcomed the arrival of the big birthday cake. For this was Little Mary's birthday. To celebrate all Mary's little friends had been invited and the big event which preceded the supper and the cutting of the cake was a performance of Cinderella and the affair of the glass slipper. Little Mary forgot to leave at the hour of 12, and when she was called away by the fairy she dropped her glass slipper on the stair. Of course, to every one's amazement, when the Prince went looking for the owner of the slipper, the only one whom it fitted was Little Mary. The party and the excitement was all over, and, as an added help to recuperate from the strain of starring. Little Mary the next day went auto riding with the chauffeur. But fate then took a hand in the story of Mary's life. Captured by Gypsies and later escaping in the midst of a battle royal amongst the tribe she finally made her way to the hut of a crabbed old man, but she finally overcame his crabbedness by her cute and winning smile. Unknown to Little Mary, her benefactor was in reality her grandfather, James Andrews, who had taken his money to this backwoods place because of his son, Dr. Andrews, who had married against his wishes. The chauffeur, wild with anxiety, finally located Little Mary in the cellar, where she had gone to help the old man, who had fallen while miserly counting his money. Would they be able to reach the city in time? They faced a hard task, but Little Mary had known harder work when she had starred in Cinderella.

Dir: Henry King

Harry Mason is called home by wire, but when he arrives, he finds that his wife Ruth has just died in childbirth. Thoroughly shaken, Harry refuses to look at the baby, and after locking the door to the room that Ruth had prepared as the nursery, he departs for Europe, leaving little Martha in the care of her grandfather, Colonel Mason. In an attempt to escape his grief, Harry travels throughout the world, but the spirit of his wife continually distracts him, and he finally decides to return home. Unaware of her father's identity, Martha, now a charming and spirited little girl, befriends Harry and soon convinces him to unlock the nursery door. On the bureau, he finds the letter his wife had left him years earlier, requesting that he care for their child in the event of her death. Realizing his blindness, Harry takes Martha to his heart.

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

Dir: Henry King

While he digs for gold day by day, "The Easterner," a young miner, gambles by night. A woman of the camps, named Moll, takes an interest in him and tries to break him of the habit that is his ruin. He laughs at her, but after she saves his life he promises to quit playing. Kate Gardner, a girl of the west loves him, and she is turn is loved by Bill Turner, a miner. Turner proves to her that the Easterner loves Doris Wendell, daughter of a wealthy land owner. She, with Moll, is instrumental in saving the Easterner's life when he is about to be lynched by a mob at the command of the jealous Turner. Peter Gardner, her father, covets the Easterner's claim and bribes Dick Weed, the gambling house proprietor, to help him get the claim. They attempt to make him gamble, but he is true to his promise. Later he discovers that Moll is his mother, whose passion for gambling he has inherited. Oby, a half-wit. Haunts the camp. Moll and her son try to live respectably after Doris has broken the engagement because the Easterner refuses to disown his mother. But the passion for gambling proves too strong. Moll rushes out of the house to the Hall of Chance. Her son is inveigled by Weed and Gardner into betting his claim. As he loses, Oby snatches away the tablecloth, jumbling the cards. Gardner, in a rage, strikes him down. His memory returns and he recognizes Gardner as the man who robbed him many years before, and shoots him. Dying, Gardner admits that Kate is Oby's daughter. Reunited with her father, she marries the Easterner.

Dir: Henry King

Richard Chester, a bachelor who has lost everything in a poker game, blunders into the apartment of Nora Ellis, who has just inherited a fortune under the stipulation that she marry immediately. Assuming the name Chester Dick, Richard marries Nora and leaves. Unaware of this marriage of convenience, Charles Renalls, Nora's suitor, later assumes that her wealth is the only impediment to their union and conspires to ruin her on the market. Upon learning of his scheme, Richard ruins Charles. Nora falls in love with Richard, not recognizing her benefactor as her husband of an evening. Hoping to spoil Richard's chances with Nora, Charles tells her that Richard is already married and that he carries his wife's picture in his pocket. To her surprise and delight, Nora discovers that the incriminating picture is her own photograph and that Richard is already her husband.

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

Dir: Henry King

Run out of town when he exposes crooked politician Jarvis McVey in the pages of his newspaper, Burton Grant asks his daughter Sylvia to turn the Daily News over to his dynamic young city editor, Frank Summers. Having inherited her father's journalistic talents, however, Sylvia fires Frank and takes charge of the paper herself, decorating the city room with bows and printing several rather silly "scoops." In the meantime, Frank learns that McVey and the president of the railroad have become involved in a dishonest scheme concerning the city franchise, and when Sylvia hears this, she publishes an extra, stating that McVey should be tarred and feathered. Sylvia's father arrives just in time to prevent the angry townspeople from carrying out her suggestion and then compels McVey to leave town. Grant orders Sylvia to return to school, but she decides to become Mrs. Frank Summers instead.

Dir: Henry King

Iris Lee is reared in the small town of Dalton by her deceased mother's friend, Martha Kane; when she reaches adulthood, Martha's son Jim falls in love with her. When she fails to return his affections, Mrs. Kane treats her so coldly that Iris decides to leave the stuffy little village for the metropolis. On her journey, she accepts a ride with Jack Andrews, but after he attempts to kiss her, she leaps from the car and walks the rest of the way. While singing in the choir of a large metropolitan church, she is discovered by Jack's wealthy father Peter, who recommends her as a soloist. Light-opera star Helen Manning, who has helped Iris to cultivate her voice, quarrels with her theatrical manager, and Iris is offered her position. On opening night, Jack bursts into her dressing room and drunkenly offers to take her home. Distressed, Iris returns to the village, but Jack, who remorsefully has given up drinking for a job in his father's firm, follows her to Dalton. Finally convinced of his love, Iris agrees to marry him.

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

Dir: Henry King

Gregory Thorne and Marta Milbanke are engaged. Their fathers are millionaire ship owners. Gregory's efforts to inject a little excitement into their engagement life are fruitless, but when Mr. Milbanke receives an anonymous letter which threatens disaster to his home and fortune if he permits a shipload of supplies for the Allies to leave the docks the young man sees an opportunity for creating what he longs for and tells Mr. Milbanke that he knows who has written the letter but that he will not divulge the man's identity. Gregory, who suspects Count Hilgar Eckstrom, is told that he must terminate his engagement with Marta. But this is what Gregory wants, so he plans to abduct his sweetheart. Gregory's men clash with Eckstrom's gang, who has also come to kidnap Marta, and the disturbance results in the arrival of the police. Marta by mistake, allows herself to be carried off by Eckstrom's men and is taken a prisoner. Gregory, following, is also made a captive, and the young people are held as hostages. How Gregory outwits Eckstrom and places him and his gang in the hands of the law brings about a startling climax.

Dir: Henry King

Roberta Lee, who is concerned with reforming ex-convicts, convinces her wealthy father to hire ex-robber "Slippery" Bill Dorgan as a gardener in their home. Bill tries at first to reform himself, but soon yields to temptation and steals Roberta's jewels. To avoid publicity, Roberta takes a trip to the country, where she meets Richard Van Stone who, under an assumed identity, is conducting business for her father. Taken with Roberta, Richard unwittingly buys Roberta's own brooch from Slippery Bill, presents it to her, and is arrested for the robbery. When Roberta is kidnapped, Bill rescues her and returns the jewels, after which she drops the robbery charges and marries Richard.