The Cult Collection Comparable to the Style of Stepping Lively: Cul...

Dir: Ewald André Dupont

Fred Hopkins, a jeweler's assistant, replaces the pearl necklace Lord Reading bought as a wedding present with a worthless imitation. A hunt begins, which the flower seller Rahel and the jumping jack dealer David are able to end by finding the jewelry. Hopkins, who is convicted, then commits suicide for fear of being punished with poison.

Dir: James W. Horne

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

A series of remarkable attempts are made upon the life of Don Louis, who is stopping at the Grand Hotel. About to retire, he finds a cobra coiled in his bed. Later, a strangler's cord swishes through the air and encircles the Spaniard's neck. The man escapes death by a miracle. The third attempt occurs when a huge chandelier suspended directly above the table at which Don Louis sits, crashes down. Unnerved, the Spaniard begs Hilton, one of the hotel detectives, to spend the night with him. A few hours later, Hilton is found bound and gagged. He tells of a mysterious visitor who overpowered him and kidnapped Don Louis. No trace of the culprit and his victim can be found. Renee, daughter of Valdez, the cigarmaker who supplies the hotel with his wares, informs Hilton that her father has disappeared. The sympathetic detective accompanies the girl home. The two hear strange noises in the curing house back of the cottage. Investigating, Hilton comes upon Valdez and Don Louis. The latter is buried neck deep in the ground. Hilton, attempting to interfere, is overpowered by Valdez, who appears insane. The man informs him that years before, Don Louis had him kidnapped, after which the scoundrel stole his wife. The woman later died in want. From the hour he learned the truth, the wronged man lived only for revenge. His story told, Valdez kneels beside the don's head and slowly shoves a cobra toward the man's face. Frances Ballou, summoned by Renee, arrives just in time to save the don's life. Hilton tells her the story while liberating Don Louis. The terrible ordeal has revealed to the latter the depths of his infamy and he slinks away. Her heart touched. Frances resolves to keep the matter from the police.

Dir: Aubrey M. Kennedy

Wealthy oil magnate Harry Mangin is in love with his competitor James Murdock's daughter Blanche. Mangin schemes to ruin Blanche's father so that the girl will be forced to accept his attention. However, Blanche loves "Sky Eye" Blake, an aviator at the adjoining U. S. aviation field. When Mangin is driven in desperation to muster his own private air force in order to destroy his rival's oil plants, "Sky Eye" takes to the skies to quell the riot. After several daring escapades, "Sky Eye" captures Mangin and wins Blanche for his bride.

Dir: Maurice Elvey

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

A Royalist and his unknown son seek vengeance on his murdered wife's brothers.

Dir: James W. Horne

Young clubman Bob Gilmore is called by telephone to his home, where his parents are giving him a birthday party. He overhears one of the male guests make a slurring remark about his mother's appearance, and punishes him right there, throwing the entire gathering into an uproar. Later in the evening he assumes guilt for a check which had actually forged by his foster father, in order to save the mother's feelings, but obtains a written confession from the guilty man for future use if necessary. Learning that he had been adopted from a foundling asylum in infancy, Bob decides to go to New York to see if he cannot learn his real name, which he understands begins with "Mor." He disguises himself and enters many homes, attired in evening clothes, and is soon known to the police as "The Midnight Man." In the meantime he has come into contact with members of the White Circle gang, and has many close physical encounters with them.

Dir: James W. Horne

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

Although she loves Clive, a young lawyer, Margaret weds Deering to save her father from financial ruin, while passing years bring fame to Clive and result in his being elected district attorney, the man cannot forget Margaret. Deering conducts a magnificent gambling establishment in his mansion. His conduct toward Margaret causes her to hate him. In the meantime, having promised to break up the ring, headed by Garvin, which is protecting the gamblers, Clive arranges a raid upon the Deering establishment. Due to a leak, however, this raid comes to naught. While in the mansion, Clive comes face to face with Margaret. Deering watching the two, sees their old love well up anew. It causes the man to become more brutal than ever to his wife. The district attorney discovers his secretary to be the source of the leak which had frustrated the raid. A second raid proves successful. Before this takes place, Clive dispatches a note to Margaret urging her to leave before his men arrive. Deering, believing his wife had known of this raid all along, is wild with rage and attempts to kill her. This is frustrated and the gambler is arrested. He later makes a sensational escape and returns to his mansion in time to see Ramon, his partner, rifling the secret safe containing their funds. After mortally wounding the man, Deering attempts to kill Margaret. Dying, Ramon summons Clive and the police. The latter come just in time to save the woman. Again Deering tries to escape, but this time he meets his death in leaping from a balcony.

Dir: James W. Horne

A series of 12 2-reel mystery thrillers, each story complete in itself. Episode titles: #1: The Strangler's Cord (1915); #2: The Disappearing Necklace (1915); #3: The Secret Code (1915); #4: The Riddle of the Rings (1915); #5: The Substituted Jewel (1915); #6: A Double Identity (1915); #7: The False Clue (1915); #8: When Thieves Fall Out (1915); #9: Under Oath (1915); #10: _The Wolf's Prey (1915)_; #11: The Man on Watch (1915); #12: The Man in Irons (1915).

Dir: James W. Horne

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

A series of 25 2-reel Western thrillers in which a cowgirl aids the cause of justice and humanity in the Old West, often aided by her fiancé and her rancher father. Each episode tells a complete story in itself.

Dir: James W. Horne

Two women finally tire of being taken advantage of by men, and vow that they will stop these cads from preying on helpless young girls.

Dir: Raoul Walsh

Dave Henderson, an orphan who has become the beneficiary of a rich man's will, falls in with race-track crooks Martin Tydeman and Bokky Sharvan who bilk him out of his $100,000 inheritance. In retaliation, Dave steals the money from Tydeman's safe, but is caught and sentenced to five years in jail. In prison, Dave becomes friendly with Millman, who is about to be released, and reveals the money's hiding place to him, arranging to rendezvous at the end of Dave's term. Once released, Dave is hounded by members of Tydeman's gang as well as the police, who are waiting for him to retrieve his bounty. While taking refuge at the house of Capriano, an old bomb maker, Dave falls in love with the old man's daughter Teresa. However, Capriano sets a trap for Dave, who awakens in a drugged state to find the $100,000 missing. With the help of Millman and Teresa, Dave recovers the money, turns it over to the police and resolves to go straight.