The Definitive Guide Deeply Connected to Sweet Music: Cult Guide

Dir: Alfred E. Green

While on vacation from college, William Bankinton is shipwrecked. His mind a blank, he is picked up by a derelict ship upon which there are only a lion and a stowaway named Broot. After Broot commits suicide, Bankinton and the lion are cast adrift upon the shores of Africa where they exist in a primitive state for several months. One day, when Nakhia, the daughter of the Bedouin chief Ali-Es Hadji is out riding, she is beset by danger. Bankinton comes to her rescue and gradually he and the girl fall in love. Ben Saada, the bandit chief, desires Nakhia, and tries to kidnap her. The lion and Bankinton once again come to her defense, and in the ensuing fight, Bankinton is struck on the head and his memory is restored. He then proposes to Nakhia, and the couple set sail to America where they are reunited with Bankinton's family.

Dir: Alfred E. Green

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Pied Piper Malone perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Jack Malone, mate of the Langland, is accused of drunkenness by Crosby, a rival suitor of his sweetheart, Patty Thomas. He and the captain, who really was drunk, are both fired. He is finally vindicated by the children of the town, and Patty agrees to wait for him when he goes to sea in a ship his brothers have purchased for him and the captain.

Dir: Alfred E. Green

Tom Rockwood's brother and two sisters attempt to induce him to marry so that they may inherit money left to them by their father. Rockwood, a civil engineer, rescues Louise Halliday, a family friend and ward of Bleech, the Rockwood family lawyer, from a blasting site, and he is so attracted to the girl that he determines to marry her. Bleech attempts to break up the couple because he has nefarious plans for the money, but he fails, and Tom and Louise marry on the last day allotted to them by the will, thereby saving the family fortune.

Dir: Alfred E. Green

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

When Tom Redding's wealthy father dies and it turns out that all he left Tom was a mountain of debts, all of his "friends" desert him--except young Mary Austin. Determined to get out from all his debt, Tom heads west and eventually strikes it rich with an oil well. Now wealthy, he hatches a plan to get even with his "friends" in his hometown--by pretending to return home broke but having a colleague secretly buy up as much property in town as he can.

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: Alfred E. Green

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

In order to win the hand of the girl he loves, Ed Swinger creates a phony business to fool her father.

Dir: Alfred E. Green

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Alfred E. Green

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

An American boy turns out to be the long-lost heir of a British fortune. He is sent to live with the cold and unsentimental lord who oversees the trust.

Dir: Alfred E. Green

Story of a war hero who preferred fishing to politics.

Dir: Alfred E. Green

Harry Bullway is a careless young man, always after a good time. He nearly runs over a blind beggar with his car, but he shows no remorse. In response to his heartlessness, the beggar curses him, saying, "May you always have everything that you want."