The Global Archive Complementing the Tone of Silk Husbands and Cali...

Dir: Harley Knoles

Jim McDonald, the foreman of a shipbuilding plant and head of the labor union, strives to combat the anarchistic propaganda being put forth by Klimoff, the leader of a Bolshevik gang whose goal is to disrupt the country with strikes and anarchy. Despite McDonald's efforts, a strike is called, resulting in chaos. McDonald's child is knocked down by runaway horses abandoned by their striking driver, and dies. Mob scenes take place in America, as well as in Russia. Eventually, the unrest is quelled with an armistice called between Capital and Labor for a year, during which time wages are to be increased to reflect the cost of living, and leaders are to work out a common plan for their mutual advantage. The strikers now realize that they have been pawns of the Bolsheviks and call off the strike, agreeing to the plan.

Dir: Frank Beal

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Devil's Riddle perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

During a raging Montana snowstorm, Doctor Jim Barnes collapses at Esther Anderson's cabin door. Esther offers Jim refuge, but when he discovers that their food supplies are running dangerously low, he braves the journey into town in order to replenish them. On the way, he is overcome with exhaustion and fails to return. Esther, unaware of Jim's condition and abused by her stepfather, joins a theatrical troop and leaves home. Time passes and Jim finally finds Esther, but a vindictive member of her troupe accuses her of having an affair with the manager and Jim believes the accusation. He leaves and Esther goes to New York City where she becomes engaged to a jealous artist, although she still loves Jim. Sam Tuttle, a long time friend, is aware of Esther's continuing love, and so brings Jim to New York City in time to save Esther from an unhappy marriage.

Dir: Alfred E. Green

Patches, a beautiful girl, lives with her foster-mother Liza Biggs, who dresses her in rags. She is surprised to see Judas, the overseer, give Liza a locket. Jack Merry arrives to purchase cotton from Colonel Silverthorne, a Southern gentleman of the old school, who looks after his dead brother's estate for his niece and nephew, Juliet and Lee. Col. Silverthorne tells Merry that years ago his brother chastised a field hand named Judas, and that little Selma disappeared. Her mother died of grief, while her father had not been seen since, on one occasion, he rowed to a houseboat, and was supposed to have been murdered; and that according to his will, the entire estate was to go to his missing daughter Selma if found within 20 years; if not, the estate was to be divided between Juliet and Lee. That night Judas demands money from Lee on penalty of disclosing the whereabouts of Selma. In the meantime, Merry meets Patches and kisses her hand, exclaiming "May the Princess of Patches have a happy reign." He leaves with Col. Silverthorne, the money for the cotton, and Lee steals it. Lee claims that Waggles, a tramp friend of Patches, is the thief, but Patches believes Judas has the money and he is captured with part of it in his possession. Col. Silverthorne, despite the protests of Juliet and Lee, invites Patches to become one of the family. Years pass. Patches returns from a fashionable school and again meets Merry Judas, who has escaped from prison, also returns, as does Waggles the tramp. Waggles asks Lee where he can find the "Princess of Patches," as he wishes to return a locket which she lost. Lee recognizes the locket as the one proving the identity of Selma, and upon his promise to deliver it to Patches, Waggles surrenders it. This is the locket Judas gave to Liza, and which Patches afterwards secured. Patches, among the daisies, plucks the petals and murmurs "He loves me, he loves me not." "He loves you dearly," exclaims Jack Merry behind her, as he takes her in his arms. Lee is dumbfounded to see Judas, who tells him unless he helps to keep him out of jail, he will produce proofs that Patches is Selma Silverthorne. Lee gives money to Judas and tells Juliet what he has learned; she tells him he must marry Patches. Waggles overhears Judas and Lee and informs Patches. At midnight they secrete themselves on the houseboat and hear Judas tell Lee that he stole Selma, and that the baby clothes he produces are proofs of her identity. The money Lee offers Judas is not satisfactory, and as the two fight, Waggles secures the proofs. They discover the loss, and suspecting someone else is on the boat, light the fuse connected with a box of gunpowder. Lee springs overboard, and Patches confronts Judas, exclaiming: "I know everything and you shall be punished." Judas overpowers the girl and Waggles, binds them, and swims ashore. Patches finally frees herself and releases Waggles. They spring into the water just as the explosion demolishes the houseboat. On reaching the shore, Waggles overpowers Judas, who confesses Patches is the real heiress; and repeats the confession to Colonel Silverthorne a few minutes before Lee and Juliet would have come into possession of the property. Lee, implicated by Judas, disappears and Patches is happy in the love of Jack Merry.

Dir: Maurice Elvey

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

A lady marries a horse trainer but withholds herself until her crippled brother is cured.

Dir: Alfred E. Green

Most of the scenes are laid in a parrot-and-monkey country in South America, a land where "it is always after dinner." The Llano Kid, a Texas bad man, flees there from justice. The consul persuades him to play the long-lost son of a Castilian family, and tattoos a coat of arms on the back of the Kid's hand to make the deception complete. The Kid is taken into the household, trusted and loved by the gladdened mother. For the first time he has a home. The romance develops. And when the time comes to rob and flee he has too much manhood to break the loving mother's heart. The surprise comes when it is revealed that the man the Kid killed in Texas was the real son.

Dir: Robert N. Bradbury

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

A simple country girl, brutally mistreated by her stepfather, awakens first the sympathy, then the love, of The Boy. The Spider, who lusts after The Girl, makes a bargain with the stepfather and takes her to the city where, kept prisoner, she is soon broken in health and spirit. Cast out and near death, she is taken in by The Boy. Following the demise of The Spider, The Boy takes her to church, where he prays, and after many hours she is restored to health.

Dir: Eduardo Notari

A crime drama in the Gennariello-series. The police detective in Naples that is confronted with modern gangsters and crime events.

Dir: Bruno Ziener

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of A Double-Dyed Deceiver perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Colin Campbell

Zora, a girl of French origin, is raised by a wealthy Bedouin family after her mother Valerie dies while eloping with another man. Zora feels such great longing for the French artist Adrien that she accepts the offer of another artist, Raoul, to take her to Paris with the stipulation that if Adrien rejects her, she must give herself to him. Jan, the chieftain's son who is in love with Zora, follows the two to Paris. There Zora realizes that Adrien does not love her and discovers her real love for Jan. However, she feels bound to honor her pact with Raoul and is about to succumb to his advances when her father appears and recognizes Raoul as the man who destroyed his home years earlier. In the ensuing fight between the two men, Raoul is killed, thus freeing Zora to accept Jan's love.

Dir: Alfred E. Green

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.