Editor's Top Picks Following the Footsteps of Scarlet Seas: Cult Guide

Dir: John Francis Dillon

The relatives of dying Edward Woodruff, Nina Leffingwell, her brother Frederic, and her cousin Basil, whom she wants to marry, scheme to inherit Woodruff's wealth. Since Woodruff continually calls for an imagined granddaughter, the child of his daughter who died before they could patch up a quarrel which estranged them, Nina gets Doll, a Follies girl, to impersonate the granddaughter, try to endear herself to Woodruff, and thus inherit the money. Doll would then be paid off and the relatives would get the inheritance. When Doll's administrations cause Woodruff to recover, Nina sends for Woodruff's grandson Ned, whom he disowned for marrying beneath him, hoping that Ned will send Doll away. When Ned seems to fall in love with Doll, Nina tells Woodruff that Ned and Doll are secretly meeting in the estate lodge. Woodruff investigates and finds that Doll and Ned are married and have a baby boy. Delighted, Woodruff forgives Ned.

Dir: John Francis Dillon

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

Nancy Worthing, who comes home from boarding school to find that her parents have no time for her, pawns some of her mother's jewels to buy the clothes necessary for entering society. She persuades her father's chauffeur, Phil Ballou, to take her to a notorious cabaret, where a shooting occurs. In the confusion, Phil is arrested as the assailant, and when Nancy's parents learn of the missing jewels, they bring further charges against him. At the trial, Phil reveals that he is the son of wealthy parents who simply wished to earn his own living, and Nancy clears his name by confessing all. Phil and Nancy, united by their ordeals, begin a romance.

Dir: John Francis Dillon

Daphne Trowbridge, an impulsive and obstinate but nonetheless kindhearted young woman, lives with her aunt and uncle on their country estate. Daphne falls in love with Tom Dunstan, but when she learns that Mrs. Trowbridge favors the young man, she deserts him, whereupon he departs for the woods brokenhearted. Because her aunt dislikes Gerald, Daphne accepts his proposal, but on the day of the wedding, she discovers that Mrs. Trowbridge has liked him from the beginning. Furious at her aunt's scheming, Daphne hires the first man she meets, who happens to be a heavily bearded lumberman, to marry her and then leave. Later, however, her hired husband abducts her to his cabin in the woods, where he eventually succeeds in taming her. After he rescues her from two lecherous lumberjacks, Daphne discovers that her husband is Tom, whom she had loved all along.

Dir: John Francis Dillon

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of She Hired a Husband perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

An amusing satire on the simple village maiden who comes to the great city and falls a victim to its alluring temptations.

Dir: Edgar Jones

A mail-order bride arrives at a Maine lumber camp but doesn't like her prospective husband.

Dir: John Francis Dillon

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

George Carter, a revolutionist in South America, is the exact double of Frederick Marston, a famous artist in Paris. Carter is betrayed by a comrade and is sentenced to be shot. He takes a desperate chance and escapes on board a vessel bound for London. In Paris Marston is stabbed by a model because he does not return her love. The wound incapacitates him from painting, and leaves an ugly scar, and he goes to America on a vacation. Highwaymen attack him, inflicting injuries which cause a total loss of memory. The robbers leave nothing in his pockets but the key to his Paris studio, and Marston adopts the name of Robert Anglo-Saxon. Five years later he falls in love with Duska Filson, a noted beauty, and at a dinner given by her he meets Gen. Robero, a South American ambassador, the man who condemned Carter to death. Robero believes Saxon is Carter and writes Saxon a letter warning him that if he marries Duska he will have Saxon extradited to South America and shot. Robero convinces him that he is Carter and Saxon goes to South America to pay the penalty of the crimes he believes himself guilty of. On the boat he meets Rodman, Carter's betrayer. Duska follows Saxon to South America and learns that Saxon has proven his innocence and departed two days before. She sends him a wireless and he has the ship stopped and lands at Puerto Frio, and learns that the revolution has broken out. In fighting his way through the lines he is shot and is placed on board a vessel bound for France by Rodman. Rodman tells Duska what has occurred and she follows Saxon to France. Saxon's mind clears and through the medium of the key which fits the lock of his house his identity is clearly established. Duska learns that Saxon is the world-renowned artist and his a wife who is very ill. When Saxon reaches his home he finds Duska at the bedside of his wife, who has just died. Duska respects Saxon's grief and departs, with her dream of happiness shattered.

Dir: John Francis Dillon

Diana Rosson, a wealthy and beautiful woman, drives to her country home to escape the unwelcome attentions of her many suitors, particularly Trotwell, her guardian's favorite. Arriving in the middle of a raging storm, Diana rushes into the house only to be attacked by robbers. Passing by the house, Dick Webster hears her cries and rescues her, and the two quickly become friends. Diana falls in love with Dick, but his hatred of the rich prevents him from returning her affections. Anxious to win him, Diana tells Dick that she has a twin sister who insists on earning her own living. Dick agrees to deliver a message to the sister and promptly falls in love with the demure young woman, unaware that she actually is Diana. They marry, but when Horace Sciven falsely accuses Diana of stealing a violin, she is taken to the police station, where her husband discovers her true identity. Realizing that her deception was prompted by love, Dick forgives his young wife.

Dir: John Francis Dillon

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

A young lady, who "hates the law" rises from the tenements to society. Financial reverses lead her to commit a series of burglaries as "The Bird". She becomes involved with the detective investigating the burglaries. After she confesses and pays for her crimes, they marry.

Dir: Bruno Ziener

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: John Francis Dillon

A London laundress attempts to rise above her station in order to capture the love of a wealthy young man, thus missing out on the truer love of one of her own class.