Hidden Genre Gems for Fans of Stardust: Cult Guide

Dir: Hobart Henley

Madge Nelson is ordered to move to the countryside for health reasons, but her finances prevent her from making the move from the city, so she answers an advertisement for a mail-order bride for miner Hugo Ennis in Nevada. However, Hugo has been the unwilling victim of a humiliation attempt by a scorned lover, and when Madge arrives in Nevada, she learns that he knows nothing about a bride or wedding plans.

Dir: Hobart Henley

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

Mrs. Sherwood hates her life with her husband, who is drinking increasingly as a result of his own unhappiness in the marriage. Mrs. Sherwood is in love with Le Roy Scott, who encounters a woman of astonishingly identical features to Mrs. Sherwood. He contrives to substitute the other woman, Marion Roche, in Mrs. Sherwood's place while he and Mrs. Sherwood escape for a tryst. But Marion is much more the wife that Sherwood dreamed of, and he falls in love "anew" with his "wife," and she with him. She determines to find some way to permanently replace the real Mrs. Sherwood.

Dir: Hobart Henley

A fat man tries to enlist in the Army, but is told he is too large for service. So he joins the YMCA and ultimately proves his heroic mettle anyway.

Dir: Hobart Henley

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Too Fat to Fight perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Morris, a hardened criminal, is imprisoned for larceny and has engaged William Newman, a police court lawyer, to defend him. As recompense, Morris gives Newman his vest in which are sewed four valuable diamonds. Newman is attracted by a girl who slaves for the proprietress of his boarding house. Georgianna, who is afraid of Newman, is arrested for the theft of several cheap rings belonging to the proprietress, which have been mislaid. While in prison Newman promises to pay her bail, if she is willing to meet his advances. Newman cuts the diamonds from the vest, as he is determined to get away with all instead of one, according to the agreement. The new hole in the vest is discovered, and Morris is brought before the chief. The two are left alone and Morris hits the chief and disappears through the window. Georgianna's case is dismissed, but she thinks Newman is responsible for her being set free. On arriving at his rooms a fierce struggle ensues. A knock is heard and she is told to hide behind the couch. Morris enters the room and shoots Newman, who falls dead. Georgianna is held for the murder, Morris having escaped into the room adjoining Newman's, in which McHugh, a newspaper reporter, is dressing. Willy, a roustabout in the boarding-house, and an admirer of Georgianna's, becomes suspicious. He stacks furniture and looks through the transom when the furniture falls with a clamor. Morris is terrified and is about to draw his revolver when McHugh hits him with a bottle and then handcuffs him. Leaving Willy to guard the captive, he dashes to the police station and to his office to write up his scoop. Meantime, Bennett, another reporter, arrives and looking over the transom sees Morris still handcuffed and Willy guarding him. He phones for help, and is disappointed because of not being the first to get the story. McHugh feeling sorry for them sends Willy and Georgianna, who has been set free to live with an uncle of his.

Dir: Wilfred Lucas

Brian O'Farrell (Snowy Baker), is an English 'new chum' who takes a job at an Australian cattle station. He is teased by station hands because of his appearance (including spats and a monocle) but he soon impresses them with his skills at riding and boxing. The station manager, John MacDonald (Wilfred Lucas), takes O'Farrell to Sydney to meet his daughter Edith (Kathleen Key) who is working in the slums. Edith is kidnapped by criminals after witnessing a crime but O'Farrell rescues her. It is later revealed he is the owner of the station.

Dir: Alexander Butler

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

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

Dir: Hobart Henley

The Atlanta Journal on October 4, 1918, advertised this movie with the following blurb: "Atlanta's last chance to see the best movie to date of the wild, free days of Alaska, when men fought and women loved along the Yukon in a mist of snow and gambling hells and gold mining, is Friday and Saturday at the Strand Theater, when Rex Beach's 'Laughing Bill Hyde' ends a week's engagement that has drawn capacity houses to the Strand every day. Will Rogers, cowboy wit of the Ziegfield Follies, is the star of the this thriller and Will Rogers is second to none."

Dir: Hobart Henley

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

Susan Sweeney inherits a country hotel. When she arrives to take possession, she discovers it to be not the palatial resort she believed, but a run-down inn with an attached saloon. As she struggles to make something of her new operation, she becomes involved in the life and difficulties of her new community.

Dir: Hobart Henley

Martin Ross and his East Indian servant Sima poison Mrs. Dean, whose money and pearls are left to her little daughter Elsie. Ross, the executor of the estate, spends all of the money with the willing assistance of seductress Fanette, but manages to retain the priceless pearls. When Elsie reaches the age of 18, she learns that she is penniless and formulates a plan to retrieve the jewels with the aid of her boyfriend William Gavin, Jr. Posing as seer "Madame Rama," Elsie sets Ross against Fanette, who has taken the pearls from their hiding place. When he confronts Fanette, she kills him and frames William for the crime. William is arrested, but "Madame Rama" tricks Fanette into confessing her guilt in the presence of several detectives. With Fanette and Sima behind bars, the pearls are restored to Elsie, who starts a new life with William.

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.