The Auteur's Selection In the Shadow of The Avenging Arrow: Cult Guide

Dir: William J. Bauman

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Perry N. Vekroff

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

While in New York seeking work, Cynthia, a young English girl, meets Bruce Crittenden and George Rhode who introduce her to Madame Savarin, a wealthy woman seeking a companion for a sea voyage. She hires Cynthia, and while at sea, Cynthia discovers that Bruce is the ship's purser. Cynthia's father was a famous wireless expert who taught her how to read code, which enables her to overhear a plot to sink the ship and steal Mrs. Savarin's jewels. Soon after, the crew mutinies, and while Rhode and Bruce fight the crew, Cynthia sounds the alarm. As he is attempting to foil the jewel thieves, Bruce falls overboard, and Cynthia swims to his rescue with the jewels strapped to her back. They are rescued by a government patrol boat and taken back to New York where Cynthia and Bruce are married.

Dir: William J. Bauman

"Battling" Jimmie, a fighter and a dreamer preparing to meet "Killer" Briggs in the prize ring. It is the chance of Jimmie's life, because the winner of the fight is schedule to meet the champion. It is not merely the glory Jimmie is after, but a purse as well, for if he wins the fight he will be in a position to marry Bess. On the afternoon before the fight, "Silent" Billie, a newspaper reporter without a job, presents Jimmie with a lucky coin which has the general appearance of a royal emblem of some art. The emblem was given to Billie by his foster father, Herman Marlex, and eccentric old musician and writer. Marlex catches Jimmie wearing the emblem and he tells Jimmie that the emblem is the key to a throne. He goes on to tell Jimmie a wild story of how twenty years before he kidnapped the heir apparent to the kingdom of Magonia and brought him to this country. He tells Jimmie that Billie is the kidnapped prince. Jimmie is impressed by all this until the arrival of Billie, who tells Jimmie that the story is Marlex's hallucination. The fight is held that night as schedule. In the second round Jimmie receives a blow that knocks him unconscious. As the referee begins to count him out, Jimmie dreams that he loses the fight and returns home. He writes a letter to Bess telling her that he is now broke and that he intends leaving New York and stay away until he makes good. The room of old Marlex is just across the hallway from Jimmie's room. Jimmie hears a noise in Marlex's room. He goes into the hallway and listens. It appears to him that the three emissaries from the King of Magonia are in Marlex's room and are demanding of Marlex that he place the kidnapped prince in their hands. When Marlex learns that the emissaries intent to rob him of the reward he refuses to inform them of the prince's whereabouts. The emissaries bind and gag Marlex and throw him into a closet. Jimmie breaks into the room at this juncture. The emissaries see the emblem upon his sweater front and take him to be the king. He arrives in the Kingdom of Magonia, and tries to explain to King Felix that he is not the prince. The king will not believe him. The arrival of the alleged prince throws Heldone, pretender to the throne, out of favor. Haldone organizes a conspiracy which ripens into a revolt against the king. In the meanwhile Bess is hired by Princess Iona of Magonia, who is visiting the United States. She accompanies her to Europe. The princess meets Billie and convinces him that he is the real prince. Thereupon the princess, Billie, Bess and Marlex leave for Magonia. They arrive at about the time when the revolt breaks. No sooner is their amazement at seeing Jimmie upon the throne over than the revolutionists break into the palace. There is a terrific fight and Jimmie is knocked senseless from a blow from a sword. Jimmie's consciousness returns and he finds himself in the prize ring. He has just been counted out. Right then and there he decides to accede to Bess' request to go into vaudeville with her. They plan to get married at once.

Dir: Colin Campbell

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of From Broadway to a Throne perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Although separated at birth, Siamese twins Fabien and Louis de Franchi remain united emotionally. One day, Parisian Emilie de Lesparre arrives in their Corsican village with her father, and both brothers fall in love with her. Louis goes to Paris to study law and sees Emilie often, but Emilie loves Fabien who has remained in Corsica with their mother. While attending a dinner given by another admirer of Emilie's, M. Chateau Renaud, Louis is drawn into a duel with Renaud and killed. Back home, Fabien senses what has happened and journeys to Paris to avenge his brother's death. After he kills Renaud in a duel, Emilie finally confesses her love to Fabien.

Dir: William J. Bauman

Captain Delmar resumes command of Tower Post, India, after an absence of twenty years. In his commission is an order to make a secret investigation of some famous jewels, which are indemnity to the English crown and have mysteriously disappeared. The Rajah selim, an Indian prince, while reading the official communication that he is to pay his allegiance to Captain Delmar, relives the past, a past or hatred for the captain who, when a young man, was successful in winning of the heart of Tara, a Harem favorite of the prince. Captain Delmar really loved the Indian girl, and upon being called back to England, resolves to marry her. When he returns to the garden to get the girl, he finds her dead body. Her death is clothed in mystery and the young captain believes that she has been murdered by Hindoo slaves for the wonderful jewels she wears. He proceeds in England broken-hearted, but eventually marries an English girl. It is his daughter, Dorothy, now grown to young womanhood, whom he brings to India with him upon being ordered to the Post. The Rajah has carried out a secret, but hideous revenge upon the girl Tara. It was he who had her stolen from the garden and stabbed her to death. Only the departure of the young English officer at that time had saved him from a similar fate and now that he has returned, as commanding officer of the Post, his revenge again burns deeply. With Hindoo subtlety he covers up his deep designs, giving the usual audience to the captain and his daughter. He places at the disposal of the young English girl some of his own court servants. These servants are headed by Sahan, spy, through whom the Rajah is to carry out his plot. There is a secret passage from the palace to the Post, the trap door entering to the library of the Captain. Through this secret passage the spy carries messages, and at the Rajah's command he cuts the telephone wires, intending that night to steal the Captain and his daughter and bring them to the palace. By burning the bungalow he thinks to deflect suspicion, leaving the impression that they have been burned to death. The Captain, finding the telephone wires cut, has sent Lieutenant Grey, who is the fiancé of Dorothy, to a nearby post to investigate conditions. When the lieutenant returns he finds the bungalow burned and believes, as the Rajah has intended, that the Captain and his daughter have met their fate within it. In the meantime the Rajah has the Captain and the girl in his power. He tells the Captain that he will throw him into a cell and keep Dorothy for himself. The girl, as she sees her father dragged away, almost goes mad. Soma, the present favorite, but who has never won the love of the Rajah, as his heart is with the past, realizes the awful fate that is about to overtake the English girl, but can do little to help her. Fate steps in when the girl loses her mind under the strain, and the superstition of the Rajah places her beyond the earthly pale. The lieutenant has discovered the secret passage. His suspicion aroused, he makes his way to the palace and comes upon his sweetheart and the Hindoo girl. Dorothy regains her mind when she sees her lover. When the Rajah is about to enter, Soma, now the guardian angel of Dorothy tells the lieutenant that if he is to save the Captain and his daughter he must bring help. The lieutenant escapes through the secret passage and sends to a neighboring Post for a small company of cavalry. Meanwhile the Rajah has discovered that Dorothy has regained her mind. He brings forth the jewels that once bedecked Tara. He adorns her with the jewels, has the Captain brought before him and shows him his daughter dressed as a harem favorite. He gives orders to have the beasts, lions of the royal menagerie, starved. Soma has secreted herself in Dorothy's room, with the intention of stabbing the Rajah when he comes. The Captain is dragged forth to the jungle. The Rajah goes to bring Dorothy before he shall give the final order. The young Lieutenant arrives with his company and a battle ensues, as they are denied admittance to the palace. When the Captain is freed through this timely interference, he rushes to save his daughter and arrives just in time, as the arm of the brave Soma is not strong enough to deliver the death she intends. They find upon Dorothy the jewels that are sought by the English government.

Dir: Aubrey M. Kennedy

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

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: J. Gordon Edwards

William Farnum is Drag Harlan, a tough cowboy vigilante. After learning about a gold mine from a dying man, he seeks his daughter (Jackie Saunders) as well as the gold. He falls in love with her, but the same gang that shot the old man is after the gold.

Dir: Roy Clements

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

A man agrees to marry the daughter of a deceased friend - who is, in fact, being impersonated by the servant girl of the daughter, who has also already died.

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.

Dir: Maurice Elvey

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