The Essential Watchlist that Capture the Essence of Skinner's Dress...

Dir: Harry Beaumont

A struggling young composer of genius completes a masterpiece score for an opera, only to have it stolen by a less talented composer who rises to great success with it.

Dir: Harry Beaumont

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

Winthrop Chase is running for mayor on the prohibition ticket in a town where his irresponsible son Wint is infamous for his drunken sprees. Wint is in love with Joan Caretall, whose father Amos is a big political boss. Amos fears Winthrop's power and decides to stalemate him by substituting Wint's name on the ballot for that of his father. The morning after the election, Wint awakens from a drunken stupor and finds himself the mayor. With Joan's support, Wint reforms and begins to clean up the town. Wint's actions earn the enmity of the town saloon owners who induce Hetty Morfee, an old schoolmate, to frame him with a fake paternity suit. At the crucial moment, however, Hetty admits the truth, thus clearing Wint, who is reconciled with his father and wins Joan's love.

Dir: Harry Beaumont

Having followed the road of romance through many countries, Lord Quex finally falls in love with Muriel Eden. After resisting Lord Quex because of his reputation, Muriel finally capitulates to his charms and agrees to marry him. In her heart, however, Muriel still treasures an affection for Caption Bastling, a fortune hunting womanizer, and when Muriel is told of Lord Quex's continuing contact with the Duchess of Dowager, a situation brought about through the scheming of the Duchess, Muriel turns to Bastling and agrees to meet him at her friend Sophie Fullgarney's manicurist shop. There, Sophie, who has discovered Bastling's true nature, exposes the captain by flirting with him as Muriel arrives for her rendezvous. Seeing Bastling faithlessness makes Muriel realize that Quex is the man for her.

Dir: Harry Beaumont

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

Architect Frank Melbury, whose drinking has made him a social outcast, and "Lovey," his derelict friend, are both hungry, so Frank burglarizes Regina Barry's home. He takes food and jewels, but when he overhears Regina telling her friend Elsie of her dissatisfaction with her fiancé Dr. Stephen Cantyre because she desires more out of the ordinary man, he decides to return the jewels. He is confronted by Regina, but she allows him to flee. Frank and "Lovey" then seek the help of "The City of Comrades," a social welfare home for the regeneration of derelicts. There Frank is helped by Dr. Cantyre, and is so reformed that he gets a job as an architect. Regina does not recognize him when they meet again, but he later reveals himself and she rejects him. He then enlists in the Canadian forces and is blinded in the Halifax explosion. Later, when Regina is about to marry Cantyre, she hears that Frank is ill in the hospital. She nurses him and agrees to be his wife.

Dir: Harry Beaumont

Destitute, Hazel Farron is offered employment and comfort from bakery owner David Rogers. When Rogers' bakery slips into debt, he collapses from exhaustion and anxiety, forcing Hazel to turn to former admirer Geoffrey Stanhope for financial aid. Stanhope consents in return for a night alone with Hazel, but when she arrives at his hotel room for the appointed tryst, she discovers Stanhope waiting with Rogers and a minister so that Hazel can marry her employer.

Dir: Harry Beaumont

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

Upon observing the adoration that track star Culver Covington receives, his friend, J. Wallingford Speed, decides to impress Helen Blake by also posing as a sprinter. Meanwhile, when Roberta Keap decides to retire to her Western ranch while awaiting her divorce, Speed, Helen and various friends accompany her while her husband Donald takes up residence at the neighboring Gallagher ranch. A rivalry springs up between the two ranches, and Helen persuades Speed to challenge the Keap homestead in a footrace. Matters become serious when Roberta and Mrs. Gallagher bet their entire holdings on the race. It begins to look ominous for the Keaps when their star sprinter develops a lame foot, thus placing the burden of winning on Speed. Miraculously, the intense competition of the race spurs Speed to win both his match and Helen's love, while also accomplishing the reconciliation of Donald and Roberta.

Dir: Harry Beaumont

Inheriting a fortune allows Harry Lathrop to indulge in extravagant spending and wild wine parties with chorus girls, decides to change his ways after his childhood sweetheart, Betty Dalrymple, gives back her engagement ring because he arrives drunk for dinner. Disgusted with himself on a "morning after," Harry persuades his attorney to give him no money for the next year. In another city, Harry answers an ad for a handy man and becomes the manager of a kennel on the estate of Mrs. Johnston DeLong, Betty's aunt. Betty, visiting her aunt, scorns Harry, but he remains when he sees Walter Randall, whose chauffeur brags that "every dame falls for him," show an interest in Betty. When Betty does not succumb to Randall's advances, he takes her to a deserted cabin. Harry follows, fights Randall and the chauffeur, and rescues Betty, who embraces him in a downpour.

Dir: Harry Beaumont

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

Finding himself broke and out of a job in Paris, American William Ruggles joins the Turkish army and is sent to fight in its war in the Balkans. During a particularly hard-fought battle, he rescues a wounded Turkish soldier. Before he dies the Turk, out of gratitude, leaves William his fortune--but with the proviso that he take care of the Turk's three beautiful young wards. After he leaves the army, William and the three young girls--Roxana, Rosa and Bulbul--move to Paris, where William meets up with young Ruth Downing, the daughter of his former employer. They fall in love, but Roxana--who is also in love with William--is determined that nothing will stand in the way of her getting him and she will do whatever it takes to achieve that end.

Dir: Harry Beaumont

Betty Hall, sent to boarding school by her wealthy parents, leads her friends in pajama pranks which upset Miss Elliott, the matron. After breaking up Miss Elliott's first and only love affair, Betty is expelled. To save the family from further disgrace, Betty's father tries to get her to marry a man in his office, Franklyn Winters, but Betty refuses, saying that she will choose her own husband. Although Franklyn is made a partner in the business, his persistent courtship attempts are met by Betty's playful pranks. When celebrated novelist Roy Harper carries Betty to his home after she has fallen from her horse, Franklyn pursues them, and thinking Harper lured her in, fights him. Betty furiously upbraids Franklyn, but after he leaves, Harper's advances cause her to chase after Franklyn. At the last minute, Betty boards the train taking Franklyn to officer's training school. They are betrothed on its rear platform.

Dir: Harry Beaumont

William Manning Skinner, having attained a junior partnership in the firm of McLaughlin and Perkins, aspires to higher things. He figures that by working for himself he can become the Napoleon of the industrial world. He resigns his position and sets up in business for himself on a big scale. Skinner runs onto the verge of bankruptcy. He neglected to note that the prestige of the old-established firm he left had been largely responsible for his past success. Does he confess his failure to Honey, his adoring little wife? No. He informs her casually he is making money so fast he cannot count it. Honey confides to Mrs. McLaughlin, who in turn tells her husband. McLaughlin and Perkins decide they have made a tremendous mistake in letting Skinner get out of the firm. So it happens that just as Skinner is preparing to go into bankruptcy, a miserable failure, the partners make him a staggering offer to become again a member of their firm. It was Skinner's bluff that did it, coupled with Honey's unfailing belief in her husband's Napoleonic might.