The Definitive Guide Inspired by the Vision of The Bad One: Cult Guide

Dir: George Fitzmaurice

In order to send her invalid mother to a sanitarium in the North, Anne Blair, a dressmaker's model, accepts money from the wealthy, lascivious Thomas Brockton. With the aid of the dressmaker, Brockton attempts to seduce Anne, but she resists him with force. During the struggle, Anne stabs Brockton and flees to the North to avoid arrest. Upon her arrival, Anne discovers that her mother has died. Overcome with grief, she wanders blindly into the icy wilderness, but Richard Steel, a portrait painter, rescues her and soon falls in love with her. Through a series of letters, Anne discovers that Brockton is her father, but remains silent to protect her mother's name. After learning of her liaisons with a certain actor, Steel terminates his engagement to Inez Brockton, Brockton's other daughter. When Brockton visits Steel to demand an explanation, he runs into Anne, who tells him that she is his daughter. Ashamed and repentant, Brockton bestows his blessings on the new couple.

Dir: George Fitzmaurice

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

Prologue: John J. Haggleton is the oil king of the world. In his first years while fighting bitterly for success his methods are unscrupulous. His wife suffers as a result and learns to hate his dishonesty. One day, finding written proof of a plot to burn up the oil refinery of a competitor, she leaves him, taking her baby boy and the condemning documents. Lawrence, a competitor of Haggleton, shoots himself as a result of Haggleton's manipulations and another, Moran, ruined, falls into misery. Haggleton's wife dies in poverty, leaving her boy, Philip, in the care of a poor old man named Gentle, who brings him up under an assumed name so that the boy shall never know his father's name. Gentle keeps the documents incriminating Haggleton. The story proper opens in Moran's home. Moran, who is now working in a miserable East Side bakery with his daughter, Jenny, a woman of the streets who has been ruined by Lawrence's son, but who has reformed, is in love with Philip Ames, who is really the son of Haggleton. He in turn is in love, not with Jenny, but with Margaret Lawrence, daughter of the man who committed suicide. She is a nurse in a hospital. Haggleton comes to visit the tenement in which the Morans live and there meets his son, who is calling on Moran. Haggleton does not reveal his identity. He discovers through Gentle the identity of his son and of the hatred his son has been taught to bear against the oil king. Haggleton is struck by the boy's speeches and when shown the horrible conditions of the people living in the tenement, he offers to help them with money, but his son refuses the money, saying that a man in order to make charity effective must not merely hand money to poor people but must understand them as well. Haggleton, in an effort to win back his son, decides to try living as a laborer. He sends orders for his yacht to sail, spreading the rumor that he is on board for a long cruise. Then he starts life over in a tenement without a penny. Haggleton starts work as a kneader in Moran's bake-shop and after studying conditions begins to build up an electrical bakeshop, which will later become a real bread trust. As they prosper, the home of Moran becomes happier, but Moran, inflamed by socialistic ideas, spread about by a few bakers who are thrown out of work by the electrical machinery, nurses anarchistic hatred against men such as Haggleton who ruined him. He doesn't know, however, that Jackson is Haggleton. To this argument Haggleton explains to him that his bread trust may be hurting a few bakers, but benefits the whole East Side. Haggleton learns of the engagement of Philip with Margaret Lawrence. He tries to withhold this marriage as he has much greater plans in mind for his son, and in so doing discloses his real identity. Moran, infuriated, tries to shoot Haggleton, but Philip, who has learned to love him in the past months, stands between Moran and his father and receives the shot. He is taken to the Haggleton home on Fifth Avenue and nursed there by Margaret Lawrence. When his health is restored, Margaret announces her intention of leaving the house, for she thinks she can never bear to marry a son of the man who ruined her father. She is stubborn in her pride, but finally yields when Jenny comes to her and tells her that her own destroyer was none other than Margaret's brother. Margaret softens and henceforth Haggleton, Margaret and Philip devote their lives and huge fortune to the development of really useful charity.

Dir: George Fitzmaurice

After old Trowbridge is mysteriously murdered, his nephew, Kane Langdon, is accused of the crime. Trowbridge's adopted daughter Alice makes every effort to prove Kane's innocence, but to no avail. When Kane escapes from the clutches of the law, Alice works with him to investigate the crime. They soon discover that Judge Hoyt, a great friend of Trowbridge and an ardent admirer of Alice, killed Trowbridge after forging the old man's will to read that Alice would only inherit his fortune if she married the judge. The judge, confronted with the accusation, becomes so unnerved that he confesses to the crime, and all ends happily with Alice in Kane's arms.

Dir: George Fitzmaurice

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

Peter, a social lion, suffering from ennui, visits a mysterious antique shop conducted by Ratoor, an east Indian, who has. through hypnotism, enslaved Cynthia, a beautiful young girl. Peter notices something wrong in the shop keeper's conduct and decides to investigate. Broadhurst, a millionaire, is in love with Cynthia through whom Ratoor plots to get his millions. Peter makes a nocturnal visit to the shop and discovering Cynthia imprisoned, tries unsuccessfully to liberate her. Ratoor, dominating Cynthia, compels her to accept Broadhurst's proposal and a weeding day is set. After the ceremony, she warns him against Ratoor and begs him to leave for his own safety. Broadhurst refuses, and keeping Ratoor, who has discovered their abode, under surveillance, arrives too late to save Broadhurst. And he, himself, narrowly escapes from being thrown into the river by Ratoor's henchman. Cynthia, falling by a ruse, to outwit her former master, is again in his clutches. Peter, still dubious, visits the shop of Ratoor, who, suspecting that he is watched, decides to make an end of Cynthia, who has transferred her husband's property to him. Concealed, Peter sees Ratoor and his gang disappear with Cynthia in the direction of the cemetery. The scoundrels, frightened by uncanny noises, forsake the half-swooning Cynthia who is rescued by Peter following in the darkness.

Dir: George Fitzmaurice

District Attorney Graham starts a crusade against the city's gambling houses. Judson Flagg, a lawyer, owns a notorious joint and knows that nothing can stop Graham once he gets his hand in. He then enters the fight armed with every weapon an unscrupulous man can employ. Through Mrs. Cuyler Hastings, a society woman who owes him a gambling debt, Flagg introduces Joe Hunter, his aide, to Aline Graham, daughter of the District Attorney. Hunter, polished, dashing and handsome, is seemingly devoted to Aline, and manages to marry her secretly. Later, in a raid on Flagg's place, Hunter shoots Graham and runs to Aline with the plea that unless she gives him money he will divulge the whole affair, saying that the marriage was a fake to aid some political enemies of her father. He leaves with her necklace, but she writes to him at Flagg's office begging him not to desert her. The gambler gets the letter and arranges an interview before a cunningly concealed camera, with the hope of getting her in a compromising position. How she is finally rescued and her fair name saved makes a charming ending to this drama.

Dir: George Fitzmaurice

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

When Richard Cameron, a secret service agent tracking down international spies, is kidnapped by the enemy, Mirian Somerset, to whom Richard has been surreptitiously married, believes that he is dead. Mirian then acquiesces to her mother's wishes and marries the rich and dissipated Charles Van Horn in order to recoup her family's fortune. When Richard suddenly returns, Van Horn finds Mirian with him and, enraged, attacks him. In the struggle that follows, Mirian strikes Van Horn, accidentally killing him. Richard, who must return to his mission overseas, is forced to leave Mirian alone. When her brother Page is arrested for Van Horn's murder on circumstantial evidence, Mirian is torn between fear of revealing her own crime and horror at her brother's conviction. Just before the boy is sent to the electric chair, however, Richard appears with the governor's pardon and Page is freed, restoring peace to Mirian's turbulent life.

Dir: George Fitzmaurice

In one of the Roman colonies in North Africa lives with her father a beautiful young Christian girl, Nydia. A high priest of Jupiter, one of the principal Roman gods, sees her and desires to have her for one of the vestal virgins. He sends his attendants to seize her but is prevented by the passing of Caius, the son of the Roman governor. Caius is very much impressed by the beauty of Nydia and after leaving her safely at her home rides on to the court. The high priest, angry at being so easily thwarted, takes some of his attendants and goes to the home of Nydia to seize her. They are not successful although in the struggle Nydia's father is killed and their home is burned. Nydia escapes to the desert and hides in a cave. A shepherd passes and one of his sheep is carried off and eaten by a lion. The cave where Nydia hides is the lair of the lion and she is terrified as he comes in and stands by a rock near her and roars at her. The shepherd goes to the city to get help to kill the wild beast and lands at the palace of Caius just as a large company are celebrating the arrival of the young woman whom Caius is to marry. He leaves the feast and goes to help the shepherd. They find the cave, capture the lion and at the same time discover Nydia. Caius takes Nydia to his father's house and declares his intention of keeping her under his care. His father objects, she being a Christian. In spite of protests Caius places Nydia in a home, where he goes to visit her. On one of his visits he is followed by the high priest and his father. The high priest enters the room and accuses Nydia of seducing Caius. In a struggle that follows Caius kills the high priest. His father has Caius carried off by two attendants. He accuses Nydia of the crime. In spite of her protests she is condemned to be thrown to the lions. Caius' betrothed tells him of the event and he rushes to the lions' den to help Nydia. His betrothed, who has been instrumental in stirring up trouble, opens the door of the den to watch with satisfaction the end of her rival. Caius sees the door open and seizing Nydia, makes his escape. They manage to escape to the desert, where Caius adopts Christianity.

Dir: George Fitzmaurice

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

"Chick" Hewes, a street urchin of the East Side, and his pal, Benny, following their early teachings, become crook gangsters. The police pursue them during a bold robbery; Benny is caught and Chick takes refuge in Molly Carey's flat above the crooks' quarters. Finally trapped, "Chick" is "sent up" and Molly's promise to wait for him is the one ray of sunshine in his gloomy existence. Given freedom and a chance, Chick happily married to Molly, leads the straight and narrow path. Back to his old tricks, Benny, wounded in a necklace robbery, eludes the police with his loot and makes his way to his former pal's flat. Although realizing the danger to his home, Chick, for the sake of his boyhood pal, conceals Benny in the attic, but without a doctor's care the wound proves fatal. With the help of his old pals, the body is disposed of, but the police suspect and watch Chick's flat constantly. Later, to his surprise, Chick discovers that Molly's brother, a drug victim, had, unobserved, taken the stolen necklace from the wounded Benny. They decide to tell the authorities, but before they have an opportunity, Molly's brother is arrested. Trying to square things, Chick is double crossed by a detective, who tries to arrest him for the robbery, but is prevented by Molly's quick action. While on their way to make a clean breast of everything a police official, disguised as a chauffeur, ensnares and takes them to police headquarters. Faced with the seriousness of the penalty, Chick asks for leniency for Molly, about to become a mother. The chief, having the necklace and realizing what conviction means, is softened by the news that he himself is the father of a baby boy and for the sake of the young couple's happiness, he releases them.

Dir: George Fitzmaurice

Suspected of smuggling, Eileen Caverly boards the Connecticut Limited, followed by a detective who is trailing her. Also on the train is Bob Guerton, banished from his father's household for stealing to pay his wine bills. Bob is accompanied by Helen Raymond, whom he married while in a drunken stupor. Helen, becoming disgusted at his actions, confides in Eileen and when the train is wrecked and Helen killed, Eileen poses as Bob's wife to avoid the detective. Bob, injured, is brought to the hospital accompanied by Eileen. His mother visits him and, learning that they were married by a Justice of the Peace, forces them to be married by a minister. With Eileen's support, Bob becomes successful and they are blessed with a son. A reconciliation with Bob's father is effected and all goes well until Cromwel Crow, Eileen's former guardian and a smuggler, is released from jail. Crow visits Eileen and demands $5000 for his silence. Bob hears his wife struggling, enters her room and in the ensuing fight, Crow is killed. Eileen's secret dies with her adversary, freeing her to continue her life.

Dir: George Fitzmaurice

Rozika is a Hungarian girl who can sing quite nice. She goes to the place known as the United States with her brother whose name happens to be Young Carl. Rozika marries a chap named Trevor and a predicament ensued after the Great War comes knocking at the door.