Cinematic Discoveries Following the Footsteps of Serenade: Cult Guide

Dir: Raoul Walsh

When the United States enters World War I, a mother sends her two eldest sons off to the battlefields with a smile, although her heart is breaking. She soon learns that the eldest is missing and the second son is wounded, however, and resolves to keep her youngest at home. The boy, due to the influence of pacifist literature, willingly accompanies his mother on a secret journey to their seaside home, but the father, ashamed that his son is a "slacker," discovers their whereabouts. The three are in the midst of a heated argument when the pitiful survivors of a ship destroyed offshore by a German U-boat come to the house seeking refuge. The mother and son realize the importance of the cause and the son enlists. At Christmas, all three sons come home, the eldest accompanied by his new French bride.

Dir: Raoul Walsh

A boy surrounded by violence grows up to become an infamous gangster.

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

Dir: Raoul Walsh

When notorious bandit Leopoldo Juarez takes refuge in her house, pretty young Mexican girl Carmelita finds herself falling for him, and arranges to meet him at a nearby brook, but falls asleep soon after he leaves. She awakens to find American army officer William Jerome arriving at the house, looking for Jerome. Intrigued by the young officer, she tells him about her scheduled meeting with the bandit. Juarez finds out about it, and forces her to wear his hat and coat. Jerome mistakenly shoots her, is tried for murder and sentenced to be shot before a firing squad. However, everything isn't quite the way it seems to be . . .

Dir: Raoul Walsh

Harold Whitley, a member of New York's idle rich, is upset when the United States enters World War I. Upon learning that married men are exempt from the Selective Draft, Harold urges his fiancée Mary to wed him quickly, but Mary indignantly threatens to break their engagement. At the twenty-story skyscraper that Harold's father is building, Mary meets Jim Kelly, the contractor's son, and is impressed as he rises on a beam. Jim returns Mary's gloves to her Fifth Avenue address, where Harold insults him. At training camp, Jim, enthusiastic about the draft, is promoted to aviation captain, while Harold, who exhibits cowardice as a captain, is released. In France, Jim is knocked unconscious by a shell and nursed by Mary, now in the Red Cross. Jim captures a German raiding party, and after he makes them exchange clothes with allied soldiers, they are shot by their own men. When Mary is abducted by a German prince, Jim pursues on horseback, tumbles over a cliff, swims ashore and arrives in time to rescue her. They then escape in an airplane.

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

Dir: Raoul Walsh

Hearing that the United States has just declared war on Germany, Bill Durham hurries to a recruiting station to enlist, but because he has flat feet, he is rejected. He falls in love with Barbara Knowles, whose guardian, August Myers, unknown to Barbara, is a German agent. When Bill learns that Myers plans to stir up trouble on the border of the United States and Mexico, he catches the train to New Mexico and routs out Myers' gang of bandits. Meanwhile, Myers has sent Barbara back to New York to be married to German spy Carl Vogel. Bill returns East and arrives at the church just in time to dispose of the German bridegroom and marry Barbara himself.

Dir: Raoul Walsh

Karsten Bernick, last of the house of Bernick, whose shipyards are the mainstay of the town, is forced to return home from a Bohemian life to Paris to assume the management of the business which is nearly bankrupt. He breaks an engagement to Lona to marry Betty, her rich half-sister. With her fortune he saves the company and eventually comes to be known as a Pillar of Society. Then a certain Mme. Dorf, an actress, arrives in town and threatens o expose an episode in his history which occurred during his days in Paris. He persuades his brother-in-law, Johan, to take the blame for him. Johan agrees to do so for his sister's sake and then leaves for America with his sister Lona. Mme. Dorf dies and leaves her little daughter to Karsten's care. Karsten really fears to refuse the guardianship and wins new honors as an upright benevolent citizen. In the midst of his security in the community, Johan and Lona suddenly return, the former to clear his name, the latter, who still loves Karsten, to persuade him to establish his place as a Pillar of Society on a foundation of Truth instead of lies. Karsten defends himself vigorously on the grounds that a Pillar of Society must resort to subterfuge and deception in order to protect society which depends upon him. Johan falls in love with Karsten's little protégée, the daughter of Mme. Dorf, and renews his insistence that Karsten clear his name. Desperate, Karsten connives at their departure on an unseaworthy ship, but his plan reacts on himself, for his only child, Olaf, has run away and been discovered on the ship as a stowaway. The ship catches fire and there is a thrilling rescue of the little boy in a motorboat. Karsten is awakened to the truth of his position and at a reception given him by the townspeople as a tribute to their leading citizen, confesses the truth. Thus he learns that the Spirits of Truth and Freedom are the true Pillars of Society and not man, however powerful.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Pride of New York perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Raoul Walsh

Jack La Salle marries South American heiress Blanquetta Del Castillo, and the two settle into a happy life in New York City. Following the birth of their son, Jack, Jr., however, Jack becomes involved in an affair with the notorious Josie Sabel and thereafter ignores his wife. Outraged upon learning that Jack has taken their son to Josie's apartment, Blanquetta files for divorce, the court finally ruling that the boy must live with each parent for a portion of the year. As the time of little Jack's departure from his father approaches, Jack, Sr. declares that he will never return the boy to his mother, whereupon the tortured Blanquetta shoots and kills her faithless husband. The jury, moved by Blanquetta's desire to love and protect her son, ultimately acquits her.

Dir: Raoul Walsh

When spoiled playboy Algernon DePont gets thrown out of Harvard, his father throws him off the family estate. Algernon proceeds to take his butler and drive out West looking for adventure. He finds it when he falls in love with the daughter of a cattle rancher and finds himself the target of a lynch mob.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of I'll Say So perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Raoul Walsh

In the Canadian province of Acadia, young Evangeline is betrothed to Gabriel. But before their wedding can take place, the British imprison the men and send them into exile with their lands forfeit to the Crown Evangeline follows the exiled men in hopes of finding her beloved, but even after he and the other Acadians are released in Louisiana, she cannot find him, always arriving at some locale just after he has departed. But she dedicates her life to searching the continent for the man she loves.

Dir: Raoul Walsh

The life of Sam Houston--soldier, statesman, patriot, and one of the founders of the Republic of Texas--is depicted.