Masterpiece Selection that Capture the Essence of Souls Aflame: Cult Guide

Dir: Raymond Wells

A ranch foreman wins a series of events at a frontier day rodeo.

Dir: Raymond Wells

During World War I, Jeanette Gontreau becomes a "godmother" to three Allied soldiers imprisoned in a German camp. Describing herself as an old woman, she sends them cheerful letters and baskets of small gifts until one of the soldiers, Harry Ledyard, informs her that he has been released and will visit her in New York. Panic-stricken, Jeanette dons a wig and spectacles, and although she convinces Harry that she is old and gray, she soon falls in love with him. Harry worships his "godmother," and when secret service agents discover coded messages on her letters, he shields her by assuming the blame. Eventually, however, Jeanette's employer, Frederick Armstrong, confesses that it is he who is guilty of espionage. Jeanette reveals her true age to Harry, who joyfully proposes to her.

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

Dir: Raymond Wells

Jane Lee, the daughter of a stockbroker, comes under the attention of John Brock, a villain, who covets the girl, and starts to ruin her father. In the end Lee finds himself penniless, and commits suicide. Brock assuming the role of Jane's protector, gives her work in his office. He arranged for her to remain late one night and then attacks her. She defends herself, and her outcries bring assistance. Brock accuses the girl of attempting to rob his safe and she is sent to prison. Governor Barnes, interested in welfare work, employs Mrs. Carrington in uplifting unfortunate girls. The Governor's son has gained his father's displeasure and is turned away from home. Mrs. Carrington has become interested in Jane Lee and when the girl's prison term expires takes her into her home. Jane later loses her position, because her prison record becomes known to Mrs. Carrington's friends and they compel her dismissal. She meets Richard White who has met financial reverses through John Brock. With mutual impulses for revenge, White and Jane combine to work against Brock. The girl has found a friend in Bess Murphy. White covets Bess and tricks her into coming to his apartment, telling her Jane is ill. White attacks her and her cries attract Jane, who lives in the same apartment house. In protecting Bess Jane stabs White to death. Her trial results in sentence of death. George Barnes, the Governor's son, has been an attendant at Mrs. Carrington's mission and has met Jane and Bess. Meanwhile he has reformed and becomes a lawyer. He is in the west when he hears of Jane's misfortune and hurries home, to urge his father to pardon Jane. There is great rejoicing when the prodigal returns, the Governor consents to the pardon and Jane marries the Governor's son.

Dir: Raymond Wells

Cashiered out of the army by what he believes was an unjust court-martial, the man known as The Weakling wanders aimlessly in the desert and is found by cowboys from the Lazy Y Ranch. They clean him up and give him a job on the ranch as a cowboy. He soon finds love with a local dance-hall girl, and discovers that his luck may be changing in more ways than one.

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

Dir: Raymond Wells

Captain Jack Rogers returns home from the Civil War to find that his fiancée's father has broken his engagement to Sarah Catherwood because Jack's income is so low. Jack goes West to earn his fortune but soon hears that Pamela has wed her former suitor, Randolph. Heartbroken, Jack proposes to a widow, but their marriage is so unhappy that he leaves, taking his son John with him. In the town of Ten Strike, Jack robs a stage and is shot by a posse. The sheriff adopts little John, who grows to manhood nurturing such an intense hatred for the law that in his renowned law practice, he intentionally helps notorious criminals escape justice. Sarah's daughter, Sally Randolph, begs John to defend her lover who has been charged with murder, and John succeeds in winning his freedom, but upon the young criminal's release from prison, he is shot and killed. When John and Sally discover that their parents were in love, they marry and begin a new life together.

Dir: Edward LeSaint

When famous opera singer Elinore Duane undergoes an operation on her throat, she has a series of ether-induced visions. In one, she is transported to ancient Rome where she appears as a much-admired woman in love with Paul, a young heretic, and at odds with Lutor, the high priest. To save her love, she poisons Lutor with her ring. After several other visions which involve variations on this love triangle, Elinore awakens to discover that Lutor is actually her doctor, Sascha Jaccard, and that Paul is the son of a friend who has come to visit the recovering prima donna.

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

Dir: Raymond Wells

Jimmy Dolan has just been defeated in a fight with "Spider" Flynn. Jones, Dolan's trainer, had bet their whole bank role on the battle. Twenty-four hours from Paris, in the little principality of Konigstadt, lived a king and his ward. Countess Alicia, a beautiful girl, was courted by Count Conrad, the King's nephew. Prince Frederick was to pay the King a visit, and the old King planned to wed him to Alicia. Count Conrad gets a message from the Prince asking him to come to a certain café. Conrad finds Frederick in company with a Mlle. D'Orsay. He begs Conrad to say he is stricken with scarlet fever. The Count consents, but plans to be revenged on Alicia. Jones and Jimmy enter the café. The Count calls Jimmy to his table, offers him twenty thousand francs to impersonate Prince Frederick, gain Alicia's consent to marriage and thus humiliate her. Urged by Jones, Jimmy accepts, and Conrad begins to teach him courtly manners. Jones is to play the role of an Arabian bodyguard. Jimmy and Jones are presented to the King and to Alicia.. Jimmy and Alicia are promptly interested in each other. Some days later, Jones and Jimmy read in the newspaper about "Spider" Flynn's being the champion of all Europe and are indignant. He sends Flynn an insulting message, challenging him to another battle, and Flynn immediately accepts. The King decides to call on Jimmy informally, and finds Jones and his friend boxing. The King takes up boxing and has a gymnasium built. Prince Frederick and Mlle. D'Orsay quarrel. He arrives at Konigstadt the evening of a dance given in honor of Jimmy. Jones sees him at the hotel, and with Jimmy's help ties him in a chair. The Prince escapes and tells the King of the outrage. The big fight is on between Jimmy and "Spider" Flynn. A great crowd has gathered, and among them the King, Alicia and the Prince. Jimmy defeats Flynn and the King is one of the first to congratulate him. The King looks from Alicia to Jimmy, saying there is a Count's title vacant in Konigstadt and that he hasn't had a good boxing match since Jimmy left.

Dir: Raymond Wells

Failing to get a loan from Nicholas Eyre, the Steel King and friend of his wife's father, Robert Lathrop induces his wife to beg for the money he plans to spend upon his mistress. He is given a check. Hurrying to Lola's apartments, he finds her in the arms of her lover, Haskell. In the fight that follows, Lathrop is killed and left in the park. Believing her husband to be a suicide because Eyre refused to advance him funds, the wife plans to revenge what she considers his murder, but enlightenment comes after terrible damage has been done.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of His Enemy, the Law perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Raymond Wells

Chuck Connelly discovers his sister in a compromising situation with a gunman and kills the man. Two private detectives connect him with the crime. Later, the members of the protected organization to which the man belonged, attempt to kill Chuck, but he kills three of them and the detectives help him make a getaway. They then force Chuck with threats of the electric chair to kill a reformer who has been upsetting the organization. Chuck then becomes a regular member of the gang. Chuck falls in love with Annie Mangan, who is persuaded to go to the Salvation Army home. Chuck comes to the dancehall looking for her and is told that she has joined the Salvation Army. The new District Attorney is pounding the graft organizations. Word is passed to the gunmen to get him. Chuck goes to the District Attorney's house to threaten him, and is taken aback when the District Attorney's three-year-old daughter leans trustfully on his knee and looks up into his face with a smile. He goes to the Salvation Army for another sight of Annie. Chuck's sister has become the mistress of Jim Canford, the man higher up. The District Attorney pays no attention to the warning. Chuck is ordered to kill him and breaks into the house. He sees the District Attorney's little daughter, who forgot one of her dolls and is on her way to the library to get it. He steps out of sight, the child passes him, and he attempts to go up the stairs but cannot do it. Canford arranges to put some other man on the job and accuse Chuck. His sister overhears and warns Chuck, who has gone to the Salvation Army. He tells Annie he has thrown the gang down and asks her to teach him "this religion thing." She explains, but he cannot understand how a few words of acknowledgment can square all he has done. His sister arrives and, seeing a chance "to square himself with God," goes to save the District Attorney. The gunmen have surrounded the District Attorney's house before Chuck arrives. He reaches the door and sees the gunmen. There is no time to wait, so he breaks through the library window, grabs the District Attorney and his daughter, hurries them up stairs and faces the gunmen. The District Attorney's life is saved, but Chuck is mortally wounded. Word is sent to Annie and his sister and they come to the house. Chuck dies, feeling that this was the only way in which he could atone.

Dir: Alexander Butler

In Alberta, Canada, a Cornish emigrant unmasks a rustler posing as the girl's "blind" father.