Cinematic Discoveries Resonating with the Themes of Saving the Fami...

Dir: Phillips Smalley

Lydia Jansen is a faithful and loving wife, though unknown to her husband, a customs inspector, she has become addicted to smoking opium. In the parlance of the underworld this devil's brew is called "hop." Her own father, a politician in the city in which they live, is the head of an opium importing gang, which is the principal medium whereby the addicts obtained their supply of opium. Lydia's craving for the drug is so great, and her desire to conceal the habit from her husband so strong, that she is embroiled in a series of blackmailing attempts by her maid, who is affianced to the stevedore through whom most of the opium is landed from the vessels by which it is smuggled. Her attempts to satisfy her craving for hop, at a time when the government is closing in upon the smugglers, excites her husband's suspicion, and of course he thinks another man has entered her life, and it is only through an almost superhuman exercise of willpower that she finds the strength to conquer her appetite and confess to her husband the terrible habit which she had formed, and thus relieving the terrible suspicion which had grown like a hunting nightmare into his very life. The shock of finding that he himself had contributed to his own daughter's downfall causes the father's suicide and the capture of the entire opium smuggling gang.

Dir: Phillips Smalley

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

K is a mysterious man who settles into a small town and becomes a beloved figure there. However, when the life of his rival in love suddenly depends on K's previously unsuspected abilities, his past life is revealed.

Dir: Phillips Smalley

In 1840, while California is ruled by Mexico, American settlers are in constant danger from Mexican marauders. After a band of Mexican soldiers led by American renegade George Granville kill the parents of Leonardo Davis, he vows vengeance and begins a career as a masked highwayman who terrorizes the Mexican offenders. Because Leonardo gives his plunder to those Americans who have been robbed, and he protects the women, children, poor, and helpless from attacks, he becomes known as "Captain Courtesy." At the San Fernando Mission, Leonardo falls in love with Eleanor, the orphaned ward of Father Reinaldo. For Eleanor's sake, Leonard renounces his mission of vengeance and joins the California Riflemen. When Granville learns about a cache of gold hidden at the Mission, he organizes an attack. Leonardo crashes through the stained glass window on his horse and rides to General Stephen Kearny's troops encamped in Los Angeles, who then rout the Mexicans. When Granville boldly admits that he slew the Davises, Leonardo fights him, but Eleanor persuades him to spare Granville's life.

Dir: Phillips Smalley

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

When Betty arrives from the Convent to visit her uncle's family they are careful to hide all the extreme low-necked gowns and other worldly things lest they shock the devout convent girl. Instead of shocking, Betty finds them fascinating and they install in her a desire to learn more about the fascinations of the world. When Jim Denning proposes to her, she says she loves him but she must see the world first. Angrily he leaves her as she sits beside the fireplace, whose dreamy flames inspire her to tempt a knowledge of things unknown to her. Out into the world she goes, where she sees and learns many things but with pangs and heartache. At a vital moment when she is about to faint dead away, the faithful Jim arrives and catches her in his arms. Betty awakens to find it has all been just a dream, and faithful Jim has no problem convincing her of the full meaning of a home and that the world and its false promises are not for her.

Dir: Phillips Smalley

Katherine Bradley, known as "Kit," is an orphan and heiress. At an early age she is placed in a fashionable and select seminary for young women. Kit, by means of her fascinating daring, her unlimited cash, and her lovable personality, enlists the cooperation of all the girls in any affair which she undertakes. She so impresses the principal of the school with her open-heartedness that she is given permission to drive her car from four to five o'clock each day. The story opens on the day of the annual play given by the young women of Miss Smythe's Select Seminary. The question passes from mouth to mouth, "Where's Kit Bradley? She's our leading man." A search is instituted which results in finding a note in Kit's room saying that she has taken her car out for a drive. The principal is horrified that her charge should be out without a chaperon, and determines that such an action shall not be repeated. In the meantime, Kit, speeding along the country roads far from home, has an accident. A tire is blown. Kit is perplexed. Then a handsome young man comes along and offers assistance. She accepts it, and promises to meet him on the next afternoon. This arrangement is not carried out quite as Kit planned. Arriving at school very late in the evening, she finds it necessary to enter through an open window. Quickly slipping into a kimono to cover her street clothes and getting into bed. Kit faces an indignant principal who enters her room, with a story of a nerve-wracking toothache which keeps her awake. The next afternoon when Kit would take her usual spin, Miss Smythe reminds her that she must take a chaperon. Kit takes her, but makes the ride so hazardous that the chaperon, when told that the car is not the kind that can go slowly, is glad to be left by the wayside, while Kit takes a spin and returns for her. Kit keeps her tryst. Among the trees she and Cameron enjoy a picnic luncheon, but while this meal is in progress a passing tramp sees Kit's classy new roadster, likes it, and takes it. Cameron takes her in his car and on the wayside they pick up the outraged chaperon, who believes not a word of the little story and hurries the culprit to Kit's guardian. To save herself, Kit announces that she is engaged to the artist, and this is confirmed by Cameron. Brought before the guardian, he recognizes in Cameron an old-time friend, gives his consent, and after reciting a passage from the will of Kit's father that her fiancé must not see her for six months after the engagement, disappears in time for Kit and Cameron to become really and truly engaged. The idea of not seeing her newly found fiancée for six months, is not to Kit's liking, besides, she is just a bit jealous, for he is an artist. So Kit persuades her guardian to take her to a performance of Elsie Janis in "The Fair Co-Ed." From the production she obtains an inspiration that determines her future course of action. Kit changes clothes with a servant and enters Cameron's studio as a slavey. Toddling back and forth in the performance of her menial duties of serving and dusting, she keeps an eye on Cameron and notes those who are constantly coming and going. They are stylish; they are beautiful; they are cultured. Then, too, there is in the studio a fascinating blonde model. Kit must change her tactics and be some or all of these things. She will be beautiful. For surely he, with his artistic temperament and taste, will most appreciate that quality. She, too, will be a model. As Carlotta, the Queen of Italian beauties, she agrees to pose for Cameron. And then, just for the sheer joy of it, and because in Miles Smythe's select school she had learned the art as "leading man," Kit arrayed herself in all the paraphernalia of an up-to-the-minute "chap." She visits the studio and by flashing unlimited coin and even boasting about the large sums she has "on" her. Kit proceeds to win the affections of the beautiful blonde who has been flirting with Cameron. Cameron has seen through the little disguises all the while, but now that he is confronted by a "man," he feels licensed to treat him as a man. He smokes a vicious cigar, blows smoke in Kit's face, and presses her to drink with him. This is too much; she will reveal her identity at once, will or no will. "Guardy," passing Cameron's studio, recognizes Kit's car standing outside, and without ceremony enters and stands behind the young couple as Kit commences to reveal to Cameron her real identity. He sees the lay of the land and makes to them an unexpected and startling disclosure. There probably never was such a wedding. What an assembling of rarely beautiful girls and brave courtly men; a canopy of unflecked blue mountains standing black against the sky and extending off into misty nothingness and great stretches of green and flowers. Kitty was at last married to Cameron.

Dir: Phillips Smalley

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Betty in Search of a Thrill perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A woman runs a birth control information bureau until police intervene. Though wealthy have access to this knowledge, the poor don't. She defies speaking bans, gets arrested, and wins over her doctor husband and a judge.

Dir: Phillips Smalley

A District Attorney's outspoken stand on abortion lands him in trouble with the local community.

Dir: Phillips Smalley

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

John Wall meets his new sweetheart and takes her to the movies; his neglected wife Anne follows them there. Molly, disobeying her parents, meets her boyfriend at the same theater. A working man with his wife and children, all obsessed with the sordidness of their lives, also attend the movie, as does a dishonorable young man. They watch a film called 'Life's Mirror' in which they see their own lives turned into dramas, complete with possible "final curtains.": Molly, who refuses to listen to her parents, sees her motion-picture surrogate give birth to an illegitimate child after she is abandoned by her boyfriend; Anne Wall, tired of the phoniness of John's wealthy family and friends, deserts him and their children to return to the slums and do charity work for the needy. After the movie, John, sadder but wiser, leaves his sweetheart and goes home with Anne, Molly decides to apologize to her parents, the working man's family realizes that they must look to the future, and the young man promises to lead a more responsible life.

Dir: Phillips Smalley

Homeless Mina Rogers is desperate for a job, is briefly employed as a housemaid for three nurses. When she loses the job, she decides to impersonate one of the nurses to take a job at the home of wealthy invalid Harvey Gorman. There, she comes under the control of Gorman's male nurse Roberts, who, discovering her deception, forces her to aid in his plan to acquire the money that Gorman plans to leave to his ranch foreman Cal Morgan. While Roberts begins poisoning Gorman with arsenic, Mina is instructed to seduce Cal into proposing to her, a plan that fails only because the jealous daughters of the ranch's housekeeper expose Mina's charade. When it is learned that Gorman is being poisoned, Mina is suspected, but a letter is eventually discovered that incriminates Roberts. Dr. Prine, Gorman's doctor, has fallen in love with Mina and, after hearing the story of her miserable childhood, forgives her impersonation.

Dir: Phillips Smalley

Inspired by the true story of immigrant Charlie Stielow who was currently on death row for a double murder. The movie was released 2 years before the conclusion of his case, and was purposely made to sway public opinion about the death penalty.