The Essential Watchlist that Capture the Essence of Tangled Hearts:...

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

Mary and Fannie Graham are forced to live with their criminal father when their mother dies. Mary flees, but Fannie remains with her father and is reared as a thief, becoming known as "Flash" Fan.

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

Louis and August Siever, twin sons of a German father and American mother, are traveling through Europe when war breaks out. August joins the Kaiser's army, while Louis, a loyal American, is trapped in Berlin for a year while he tries to prove his citizenship. After a violent confrontation with Louis, August steals his brother's passport and leaves for New York City with Gerda Anderson, a German spy. Louis also returns to the U.S., and sometime later is invited to a weekend party on Long Island by his wealthy friends, the Waynes. When August and Gerda learn of the event, they rent a nearby house and invite all of the Waynes' guests, including Louis, to a "mystery" party. Upon their arrival, the women are held prisoner and ransom notes are sent to their husbands via carrier pigeon. Shirley Wayne and Louis track down and are captured by the kidnappers. Meanwhile, Mortimer Eddington, an amateur detective, devises a method to trace the pigeons back to the house. Before Shirley and Louis come to harm, police officers arrive and demand the Germans' surrender.

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

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

After discovering that Cyrus Peabody, the president of the bank, and his son Ernest have embezzled $35,000, their cashier, Paul Revere Forbes, threatens to expose them. In a rage, the two men strike him on the head and, persuaded that the busybody is dead, ask their broker to dump the body off in a deserted place. But the broker has an accident and is killed in the crash. The cashier, who was actually still alive, comes to and, while suffering a loss of memory, wanders off. Still believing their employee dead, the Peabodys accuse their cashier of having stolen the money. But Beatrice Forbes, Paul Revere's daughter, and her boyfriend, idle-turned-responsible Billy Winthrop, are on the alert.

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

Lemuel Morewood is a wealthy businessman to whom riches bring no pleasure because he has entirely lost the sympathy of his sons, for whom he lives. Billy is society-mad and completely enthralled by Mrs. Bruce Guilford, a leader of the smart set. Tom thinks of nothing but sports; he is an amateur athlete of national prominence. Lemuel longs to see the boys interested in the business. He especially wants Tom to marry Frances Berkeley and Billy to marry Emily Donelson. But the boys will have none of them. Bessie Brayton is a Western orphan who has come to New York and taken up society entertaining for a living. Her only property is a half-interest in the Bluebird mine, which she supposes is worthless. One evening, the Morewoods employ Bessie to entertain at an exclusive dinner they are giving, and here she meets Major Bellamy Didsworth, who offers to sell her half-interest for her. Lemuel has run away from this dinner. But, goaded by Bessie's taunts that he is old-fashioned, he gets into his evening clothes and enters into the gambling that follows. Bessie encourages him and he cleans up on Didsworth, as the others look on, staggered by his plunging. Leaving them dazed, Lemuel makes a spectacular exit with Bessie to "blow his winnings." Lemuel keeps up the pace he has set. He goes to the races and there his conduct is so riotous, and his followers, Bessie and a sporting man, so conspicuous, that Mrs. Bruce Guildford is scandalized. She criticizes Lemuel to his son. Billy defends his father, and the quarrel results in a complete break. Bessie has a telegram from Didsworth saying he can get $1,000 for her stock. Lemuel suspects that Didsworth is planning to rob her and takes the matter into his own hands. He and Bessie go out to Nevada together. Lemuel's sons think he has run away to get married to Bessie, and they follow, with Emily, Frances, and Ford, the family lawyer. Out in Nevada, Lemuel and Bessie find that her half of the Bluebird is worth at least $75,000, and they discover that the other half is owned by Carl Higbee, Bessie's old sweetheart who disappeared in Alaska. On the way to Nevada, Tom becomes engaged to Emily and Billy to Frances, which is exactly contrary to what Lemuel planned. They arrive in time to stop the wedding, as they think, and are mortified to learn that they are all wrong, and that Bessie is to be married to Higbee. Lemuel is delighted that his sons are bringing the girls into the family, although they have shifted partners. Lemuel agrees to go back and help the boys run the business.

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

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

Oliver Curwell disowned his son Roger because he declined to abandon art and go into business, Roger gradually drifted from bad to worse until he was a derelict on the streets of San Francisco. In his art-student days a girl of the name of Olga had shown interest in him, believing he would inherit his father's millions, but when he was cast off the girl abandoned her pretense of affection. One evening Roger wanders into "Sailor's Rest," a saloon and dance hall run by "Hell" Morgan. A work of art hanging behind the bar Roger denounced as a "daub." Morgan resented this remark and was beating Roger when Lola saved his life by her interference. Morgan's daughter continued to befriend Roger and finally prevailed upon her father to give Roger the job of playing the piano in the dance hall. Roger painted Lola's portrait and they fell in love with each other. Sleter, a tough politician, objected, for the reason that he coveted Morgan's daughter. Olga leads a party of friends to "Sailor's Rest" on a slumming tour. She sees Roger at the piano and sends for him, as she reads in the newspapers of the death of Oliver Curwell, who willed his millions to his son. Roger joins Olga's party, and the old days are recalled. He forgets his love for Lola, and makes advances which Olga reciprocates. Lola goes to the party of slummers, and takes physical toll of both Roger and Olga. As a result Roger leaves "Sailor's Rest" and Lola resigns herself to Sleter. But when he attempts to collect his reward, Lola rebels and resists his advances. The tumult in Lola's room attracts "Hell" Morgan. He dashes upstairs, and in an encounter with Sleter is shot and mortally wounded. Lola drives Sleter from her room and escapes, dragging her father down a fire escape. Hardly have they reached the ground when San Francisco's earthquake and fire break loose. "Sailor's Rest" tumbles in a burning heap. Helping her father, Lola reaches the Presidio, where refugees are assembling. Her father is near death and she seeks a doctor in the crowd. Roger has been drawn back to "Sailor's Rest" by his love for Lola, and when he finds the place in ruins he likewise wends his way to the Presidio. Fate brings them together as "Hell" Morgan dies.

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

An unusual story about the crossing paths of the poor Italian family of sculptor Giovanni (Lon Chaney) and reckless American millionaire, Cyrus Kirkham (Gilmore Hammond). Louise Lovely plays two parts: Giovanni's wife Leonita, who comes to grief when Cyrus falls in love with her; and Giovanni's daughter Elisa, whose beauty brings a horrific resolution to the two families' woes.

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

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

Nenette Bisson, who dances in her father's French restaurant in New York, takes a joy ride with "Kink" Colby in a stolen car, and is shot in the shoulder by a pursuing policeman. The driver leaves her at the hospital of David Kendall, with whom she falls in love, but he, believing French women to be frivolous, does not return her affections. Nenette's parents turn her out when they learn of her trouble with the police, after which she becomes a success on the stage. David serves overseas for two years during World War I and there learns to appreciate the valiance of French women. On his return, he proclaims his love for Nenette and helps her achieve a reconciliation with her parents.

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

A young author is so overjoyed at selling her first book that she unknowingly signs over all her rights to the greedy publisher. Later, after the book becomes a best-seller, the publisher's nephew (who has fallen in love with her) tries to help her get her rights back.

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

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

Nora Helmer has years earlier committed a forgery in order to save the life of her authoritarian husband Torvald. Now she is being blackmailed lives in fear of her husband's finding out and of the shame such a revelation would bring to his career. But when the truth comes out, Nora is shocked to learn where she really stands in her husband's esteem.

Dir: Joseph De Grasse

A pacifist mother tries to protect her son, whose patriotism makes him want to enlist in the army. Her uncle, a doctor, has invented a heart medication which mimics heart disease. Just a drop or ten in her son's drink should keep him home.