Masterpiece Selection that Capture the Essence of The Awakening of Ruth: Cult Guide

Dir: Edward H. Griffith

Babs Marvin loves David Darrow, a young lawyer. Babs' father, the powerful Senator Marvin, is supporting Eben Sprague for a seat in the State Legislature. Darrow discovers that Sprague is a crook and threatens to expose the candidate unless the senator agrees to switch his support to him. Babs opposes Darrow's decision, fearing that it will ruin his promising law career. Determined to defeat Darrow, she promotes the candidacy of the village pauper, Hank Dawes, and contrives an elaborate campaign based upon the slogan that Dawes' election would remove him from the welfare rolls. Dawes wins the election, but Darrow is consoled with Babs's love and the senator's support of his law career.

Dir: Edward H. Griffith

A hot young rookie pitcher on the New York Giants baseball team is having personal problems that are affecting his game. His father disapproves of both his career choice and the woman he recently married and has basically disowned him.

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

Dir: Edward H. Griffith

Russian refugee Countess Natalya is living in Shanghai, China, with her invalid sister Sonya, and supports them by dancing and singing in a local club. She meets up with Sotan, who feigns friendship with her and arranges a marriage between Natalya and a wealthy Chinese, Wu Ting. Using the dowry from Wu Ting, Natalya and Sonya flee China for the US, where Natalya meets and falls in love with diplomat Roger Strong. Unfortunately, Sotan--who is secretly planning to restore the Romanov dynasty to Russia--follows her to America and threatens to blackmail her unless she informs him of Young's purpose for visiting China. Complications ensue.

Dir: Edward H. Griffith

William Randall becomes a bootlegger to provide his wife with the luxuries she demands. As a consequence, he is free only on weekends while Barbara is influenced by a jazz set and spends most of her time at fashionable resorts. Although Barbara remains faithful to her husband, she goes canoeing with another man and nearly drowns when their canoe is hit by a yacht. Gossipers at the resort convince William that Barbara was cheating and he should leave her. She goes to Paris, France, while Federal agents arrest Randall and release him under bail. Meanwhile Barbara, left alone, sends for her husband, who, instead of replying, catches the first plane to Paris. Barbara has already taken poison, but she recovers when Randall arrives and they return to America together.

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

Dir: Edward H. Griffith

When young Gloria Waring's wealthy father dies, she discovers that her brother--who is heir to the family fortune--is about to marry a well-known golddigger named Teddy Lamont. Gloria steals the will from her father's attorney, James Hamilton, so Teddy won't find out how much money her future husband will inherit. Hamilton finds out about her theft but is unexpectedly sympathetic to Gloria about it. It turns out that Hamilton has reasons for his behavior, and when Gloria discovers why, complications ensue.

Dir: Edward H. Griffith

A schoolgirl elopes with a young man, but her father has the marriage annulled and takes the girl off to Europe to forget the boy. A couple of years later, the girl and the man she now hopes to marry encounter her ex-husband and his new wife at a society party, and difficulties arise.

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

Dir: Edward H. Griffith

A film on venereal disease made by the United States government.

Dir: Edward H. Griffith

When Marion Roger's love affair with Cameron West is broken up by her disapproving mother, Cameron develops an infatuation with flirtatious debutante Diana Spaulding, while Marion still harbors an unrequited love for Cameron. Cameron marries Diana, who retains her flirtatious nature, and while at a party one night, Marion overhears Diana plotting to run away with playboy Granville Wingate. Determined to protect Cameron, Marion hastens to the lovers' appointed rendezvous before Diana arrives and persuades Wingate to abandon his plan. Returning to the house, Marion attempts to shield Cameron from his wife's disgraceful behavior, but Cameron, finally realizing his wife's nature and his love for Marion, obtains a divorce and is thus free to marry the woman he loves.

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

Dir: Edward H. Griffith

Maurice Travers attends college through the self-sacrificing efforts of his mother. However, his love for sports and consequent neglect of his studies prevent his graduation. Madeline Marshall, an orphan living with Mrs. Travers, is in love with Maurice, but he marries wealthy socialite Donna Wayne instead. Their carefree life in New York City is interrupted when Donna's father insists that Maurice support her. When the young man proves himself incapable, Donna elopes with a rich suitor. Maurice endures the blindness and death of his mother, after which he finds happiness with the faithful Madeline.

Dir: Edward H. Griffith

A beautiful and intelligent horse is carried off North after his master, a Confederate soldier, is shot and left for dead. After many unusual and cruel adventures, Beauty is discovered by his former master and returned home to the South.