Hidden Genre Gems In Alignment with the style of The Apple-Tree Girl: Cult Guide

Dir: Alan Crosland

A Russian prince has to flee his country after fighting a duel. He falls in love with a duchess, but becomes jealous when he finds out she has a lover.

Dir: Alan Crosland

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

A wealthy young American, bred to class distinction and racial intolerance, enters First World War. In the course of his experiences in the trenches and being wounded, he comes to a recognition of the equality and brotherhood of men.

Dir: Alan Crosland

Nancy Price, who manages her own farm in Ohio, follows her cousin Eleanor Howitt to New York to check on her after the latter inherits a fortune and is persuaded by her father to live with him and his second wife Maude. Nancy is treated inhospitably by Maude and her social set when she discovers that they are encouraging Eleanor to spend money on jewelry and fancy clothes for all of them. One member of the group, George Tewksbury Reynolds, III, after trading insults with Nancy, becomes attracted to her, but she rejects him. After uncouth Archie Gore gets Eleanor intoxicated during a party and Nancy covers up for her, sacrificing her own reputation to protect Eleanor's, Eleanor is convinced to return home, and she resumes a romance with her reliable hometown beau, Sammy Wilson. Reynolds goes to Ohio to learn to be a farmer and is rewarded by Nancy's love.

Dir: Alan Crosland

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

Alan Croft, a young aviator and a girl from a strict English background are stranded on a cannibal island when their plane crashes on the way to Australia. The natives worship them, believing them to be gods, until a native girl discovers that the pilot is mortal. Giving up hope of rescue, they marry in the sight of God, but when they are found by a search plane Alan is wounded and left for dead. Barbara is spurned by her friends and family as having sinned, but Alan returns to claim her legally.

Dir: Alan Crosland

A young aristocrat strikes up an affair with a mysterious woman for three weeks.

Dir: Alan Crosland

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

Nancy is a restless young girl tired of living on a plantation with her three old-maid aunts. Her life brightens when her cousin Lola visits from New York; what she doesn't know is that Lola is fleeing from a scandal that erupted when she was caught running around on her husband with her lover David. It's not long before David comes looking for her, and Nancy falls in love with him. Lola sees a way out of her problem: if she can get Nancy and David to hook up, it will take the heat off of her. Nancy's aunts, who want to get rid of her, are all for the plan, and soon Nancy and David get married. However, things don't quite work out for everyone the way they planned.

Dir: Alan Crosland

Connemara Moore, heiress to millions, cannot decide between two suitors: one wants her to get her hair bobbed; the other does not. Furthermore, her wealthy aunt will disown her if she bobs her hair. Running away from it all, she gets into a car driven by David Lacy, and, in short succession, becomes involved with bootleggers, wild parties, fights, and love. Connemara marries David, thereby solving her dilemma.

Dir: Alan Crosland

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

With only a card of introduction to a music impresario, singer Margaret Brooke goes to the city to establish her career. Once there, she meets young violinist Jack Martin, who falls in love with her. The impresario introduces her to art patron Mrs. Philip Waring, whose husband offers her an apartment under the pretext that it belongs to a traveling friend. After Philip makes advances to Margaret, she realizes her naïveté, but Jack refuses to believe her story. She then appeals to the impresario for help--and he also attempts to take advantage of her. After finally persuading Jack of her innocence, he writes an opera which catapults Margaret to success, and as the curtain rings down, the two new stars on the operatic horizon announce their marriage.

Dir: Alan Crosland

Having been rejected by Phyllis Leigh in favor of wealthier suitor Peter Lester, Hugh prevents Elinor Ashe from drowning herself. Hugh recklessly marries Elinor, but they occupy different wings of his house. Lester and Phyllis arrive as guests, and a new manservant favored by Elinor is hired. When Lester is murdered, the servant is charged with the crime, and Elinor admits to Hugh that he is indeed her father, recently released from prison. While in the company of Marcia Marshall, Hugh discovers her husband Harley dying in a Chinese opium den. He confesses that, victimized by Lester, he killed him. Elinor's father is released, and she reconciles with Hugh.

Dir: Alan Crosland

Howard Anderson, a young American tourist who finds himself somewhat bored in Constantinople, meets Hassard, a clever crook, who determines to get his money. Hassard, meanwhile, kidnaps Mary, the daughter of wealthy American John Talbot, who is studying Byzantine ruins, and holds her for ransom. Hassard detains Anderson to show him the local slave market, where Anderson sees Mary Talbot (who has been told that her father will die if she fails to play her part). To prevent her sale to a lecherous Turk, Anderson buys her; and following his discovery of the frame-up, there is a fight and he escapes with Mary. Anderson, however, is knocked senseless by one of Talbot's employees who mistake him for one of the kidnappers. Later, meeting Mary in a Fifth Avenue traffic jam, Anderson claims her as his own.