Hand-Picked Alternatives for Fans of Tess of the Storm Country: Cul...

Dir: William Parke

Bruce Wendell, the son of West Virginia coal mine owner James Wendell, graduates from West Point and prepares to lead a fighting unit to the front during World War I. As his father lies dying, however, he convinces Bruce to remain at home and guard the mine. Bruce's fiancée Ann Blair assumes that he is a coward and breaks off their engagement, but her brother Bobbie remains Bruce's loyal friend. Meyer, a German agent, persuades railroad president Parrish to refuse to transport Wendell's coal, but when Bruce adamantly refuses to close the mine, the spy's men decide to blow it up. While Ann is being abducted by Meyer, Bobbie is buried in an explosion at the mine. Bruce rescues Bobbie and then sends a plea to Lieutenant Parrish to rescue Ann. Meyer and his gang are captured and Ann renews her vow of love to Bruce.

Dir: Maurice Elvey

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

A lady marries a horse trainer but withholds herself until her crippled brother is cured.

Dir: Dallas M. Fitzgerald

Confidence artist Flossie Golden attempts to fleece foolish but wealthy James Venable with a breach-of-promise suit. Venable's shrewd attorney, Richard Harding, outwits Flossie by proposing that she marry Venable and live on an allowance of $3,000 per year. Flossie is determined to get even with Harding for ruining her plans. In an attempt to con him, she poses as Innocence Page, but falls in love and marries him instead. Larry, Flossie's former accomplice, endeavors to blackmail her with her errant past, but Harding is already cognizant of the facts and Larry fails.

Dir: Alfred Santell

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

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Eduardo Notari

A crime drama in the Gennariello-series. The police detective in Naples that is confronted with modern gangsters and crime events.

Dir: Frank Beal

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Main 1-2-3 perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

During a raging Montana snowstorm, Doctor Jim Barnes collapses at Esther Anderson's cabin door. Esther offers Jim refuge, but when he discovers that their food supplies are running dangerously low, he braves the journey into town in order to replenish them. On the way, he is overcome with exhaustion and fails to return. Esther, unaware of Jim's condition and abused by her stepfather, joins a theatrical troop and leaves home. Time passes and Jim finally finds Esther, but a vindictive member of her troupe accuses her of having an affair with the manager and Jim believes the accusation. He leaves and Esther goes to New York City where she becomes engaged to a jealous artist, although she still loves Jim. Sam Tuttle, a long time friend, is aware of Esther's continuing love, and so brings Jim to New York City in time to save Esther from an unhappy marriage.

Dir: Alfred Santell

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Edward LeSaint

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

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.

Dir: Alfred Santell

Two foreigners own a hardware and plumbing store. The Amalgamated Hardware Company, a trust, make Mike and Louie an offer on their place, which they refuse. Amid their denunciation of the trust Madge and her sweetheart, Jack Kennedy, enter. Jack has come to ask Madge's uncles for her hand, but they will give Jack no answer. That evening Madge is told the story of her life. Her father, while mining in the West, was killed by a blast and she has been raised by Mike and Louie, who are informed by John Andrews that her father passed away leaving nothing. Jack's father, "Boss" Kennedy, is the silent partner with John Andrews, none other than the former partner to Madge's father, in the Amalgamated Hardware Company. Though a crook, Kennedy endeavors to keep his actions from his boy. Andrews and Kennedy decide to squash the two Dutchmen by opening a store across the street and underselling them. Eventually the trust forces the foreigners out of business. Madge gets a position in a laundry where an alkaline tank explodes and blinds her. Andrews and Kennedy argue and vow "to get" each other. Mike and Louie read that a specialist has come to town, who can perform an operation upon the blind which will enable them to see, but charges $300 for his service. Mike and Louie offer to sell their store to Kennedy, who refuses them. He refers them to Andrews if they are in search of charity. Leaving Jack in charge of the store, Mike and Louie visit Andrews. Introducing Madge as Miss Morton, the Dutchmen do not notice that Andrews is surprised. He informs them that he will think about it. Madge's name causes visions of the past and Andrews sees his old partner as he died begging Andrews to take care of his child, for which he wills him one-half interest in his mine. After Morton's death the mine paid enormously and Andrews took no further interest in Madge other than to inform her guardians that she had been left nothing by her father. Andrews is informed that Kennedy is double-crossing him and that Jack is caring for the store across the street. Andrews buys the store for $500. Crooks learn that Mike and Louie have $500 and that night rob them of their money. The crooks are captured and in the night court Mike and Louie accuse them. The crooks send for Kennedy who arrives with Jack, and the "Boss" has his henchmen released and Mike and Louie get the worst end of it. Jack, realizing his father's actions, demands an explanation, which results in an argument and the boy leaves his father's house. Intent upon revenge, Mike and Louie steal into Kennedy's house and rob him of $500, which pays for Madge's operation. Inspired by their success, they go out to make another haul and accidentally get into Andrews' home, where they rob his private safe and get a tin box which they take home. On opening it, they find evidence to prove Andrews' guilt and resolve on revenge. Madge is released from the hospital, able to see again. Andrews in attempting to get even with Kennedy, frames circumstantial evidence proving Jack guilty of stealing the tin box. In the court trial everything is going against Jack when Mike and Louie jump up and confess. Andrews makes a get-away, but Mike and Louie are sentenced to two years in State prison. For one year they are remorseful but later are shown as trusted trusties. They speak to their fellow convicts and impress upon them the folly of wrong-doing; they avert a break in the prison, and are in truth "beloved rogues." One day they are called to the warden's house to set a banquet table, where they are interrupted by the entrance of Madge, Jack Kennedy, the Governor of the State, and a clergyman, and invited to the wedding of Madge, having been released by the Governor.

Dir: Robert N. Bradbury

A simple country girl, brutally mistreated by her stepfather, awakens first the sympathy, then the love, of The Boy. The Spider, who lusts after The Girl, makes a bargain with the stepfather and takes her to the city where, kept prisoner, she is soon broken in health and spirit. Cast out and near death, she is taken in by The Boy. Following the demise of The Spider, The Boy takes her to church, where he prays, and after many hours she is restored to health.