The Auteur's Selection Complementing the Tone of The Bigger Man: Cult Guide

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Cyril Van Cortlandt Hamilton, one of the wealthiest young bachelors in New York, has led a life of ease. He is engaged to be married to Marcia West, the daughter of an Army Colonel. While Cyril and Marcia are at a house party, news comes that the National Guard has been called into service. Cyril, a member of a militia regiment, not caring to be subjected to discomfort, declines to accompany his regiment to the border and resigns his commission. For this Marcia breaks her engagement, and accompanies her parents to the border, where Col. West is to take command of his regiment. Upon his return home Cyril considers his act and later enlists as a private in an Irish regiment and goes to the border. His society manners annoy the rough-and-ready men among whom he has cast his lot, and they proceed to make life miserable for him. Corporal Mallin especially loses no opportunity to bully him. Cyril wanders about by himself when not on duty, and meets Idiqui, a Mexican Indian, whose gratitude he earns by aiding his daughter, Rana, who has fallen and hurt herself. The Mexican bandit chief Navarete comes into camp. He has been educated in the United States, and has fallen in love with Marcia, who has refused him. He gets Mallin to steal one of the machine guns for him. When the theft is discovered Mallin accuses Cyril and Idiqui of the crime. Cyril and Idiqui are ordered to the guardhouse. The Indian attempts to escape to his daughter, whose condition is critical, and Mallin raises a gun to shoot, but Cyril overcomes him. Then, realizing that he has placed himself in a serious position and can hope for no leniency from Mallin, he deserts, Idiqui going with him. They set out afoot on the Mexican side of the river. Marcia has come across the river on her early morning ride and stumbles upon the bandits taking the automatic away. She is seen and captured, and Cyril and Idiqui, unarmed and helpless, follow in pursuit, to find out where she is being taken. Idiqui is struck by a rattlesnake, and Cyril cauterizes the wound. The Indian goes to warn the American troops, and Cyril goes on to the Mexican village, where the Mexicans are carousing in front of Navarete's house, where Marcia is held prisoner. Cyril draws the villagers away from the chief's house by setting the village on fire, and then enters the house in time to save Marcia from Navarete, killing the bandit. They escape. They are overtaken in the morning, and ensconced in a sand pocket put up a brave fight. When one cartridge alone remains, Marcia. now acknowledging Cyril's bravery, asks him to kiss her and then kill her with the remaining cartridge, to save her from falling into the hands of the Mexicans. He is about to do so when he himself is shot down. The bandits swoop upon the two, but are stopped by Col. West and a number of his men. A squadron of cavalry and a battalion of infantry also come to the rescue from different directions, cutting off the escape of the Mexicans. Cyril is lifted into Col. West's auto in a dying condition. By the blessing of Providence and his own vigorous constitution, Cyril recovers, and two months later, as he watches the return of the regiment with his beloved wife, Marcia, the men recognize him and discipline is forgotten while the marching troops turn to cheer him.

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After a brief courtship, Louise Joyce is married to her employer, architect Mortimer Grierson, who soon tires of her and begins to see other women. One night, he comes home drunk and informs Louise that the marriage was a fraud, actually only a mock ceremony arranged by Grierson's nephew Howard Hayes, then deserts her for good. Louise becomes an artist's model, and while working she meets Paul Vivian, a protégé of her husband, and the two fall in love. Grierson discovers their relationship and tells Paul that Louise was his mistress. Soon after, Grierson is mortally wounded by one of his lovers and Howard returns from Mexico to visit his uncle's deathbed. As Grierson instructs Howard to put his affairs in order, Howard confesses that Louise's marriage is legal because in an effort to spite his uncle, he secured a real minister to perform the ceremony. After Grierson's death, Paul finds Louise and learns the true story, and together they begin a new life.

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A rich libertine leaves all his money to a college girl who had refused his advances. The ensuing scandal makes her retire to a small town, where she meets the dead man's son.

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Rhy MacGhesney and her two brothers, Clem and Sonnie, live with their father and their servant Maggie in a small boom mining town in Colorado. The boom has passed to the camps further on, leaving their little camp practically deserted. Rhy still has faith in the claim her father worked up to the time he was killed, some five years before, but her brother hates the life of the camp, and wants to sell for what they can get and go back to New York, where he feels he can have a chance to make something of himself. Their neighbor across the street is Lewis Beresford, whose obvious mission in the camp is one of pleasure, but who is in reality a mining expert, connected with big mining interests. He has ingratiated himself into the affection of the people of this little camp, and shows a great liking for Rhy and her brothers. Steve Towney, the former mine superintendent for "The Three of Us," is in love with Rhy and is jealous of Beresford, as he has been accepted as suitor for Rhy's hand, up to the time of Beresford's coming. Mr. and Mrs. Bix, Rhy's closest friends in the camp, give a Hallowe'en dinner, which is to be the biggest event of the year. On the day that the dinner is to be given, Steven strikes, by accident, mineral. This assures the success of the mine on which he holds an option, and which adjoins "The Three of Us." Overjoyed, he rushes to Rhy to tell the good news, informing her that it will be impossible for him to attend the Bix dinner, as his option expires the next day at noon. Rhy confesses her love for him, and asks him to wait until next morning. She will then go with him. He consents, giving her the option and samples of ore. Clem overhears the conversation. He is bribed by Beresford to reveal it. The latter thus has an opportunity to make an attempt to gain possession of the mine. He is at the recording office waiting to establish a claim the moment that the option to Towney's mine expires. But Rhy saves the mine and proves her loyalty to Steve by a thrilling ride over the mountains. This is shown in a series of exciting pictures. A great explosion for the breaking of ground for a smelter for the two successful mines ends the picture.

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A fortune-hunting follies star Gloria Dawn ( Olive Thomas ), begins to question her engagement to wealthy Peter Shaw after meeting an amnesiac young man who stumbles into her apartment one night. The doctor instructs that he not be moved, so Gloria nurses the stranger back to health, although his memory fails to return. Gloria falls in love with her patient and, upon discovering that he is millionaire sportsman Jerry O'Farrell, rushes home to restore his identity, only to find that he has gone. Amnesia continues to plague Jerry, and he soon forgets both Gloria's name and address. While he is attending a show at the follies, a fire breaks out, and Gloria, recognizing her lover in the audience, rushes to save him. Meanwhile, Shaw, who has discovered Gloria's feelings for Jerry, accosts her. Jerry, who has finally regained his memory, intercedes and rescues Gloria, and the two fall in love.

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After a biblical and historical prologue detailing the evolution of the idea of democracy through the creation of the world, the flood, the crucifixion of Christ, the discovery of America, the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and the Civil War, the present-day threat to this idea by autocratic powers is dramatized. Fritz Schmidt, a German-American steel plant owner, and his son Oscar remain loyal to the Kaiser, while son George fights for the Allies. When the American army hospital where Louisa Schmidt works as a nurse is attacked by the Germans, Oscar, now a German soldier, assaults her, not recognizing his sister in the confusion. George, recovering in the hospital, kills his brother and then returns home to find his mother and a German spy struggling for some secret papers. George kills the spy, Fritz realigns his loyalty to the American cause, and the family is reunited.

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News of the approaching death of the President of Lorento is received by "Fighting Bob" Rensaler at college in a letter from General Braga, an intimate friend of his deceased father, and further that Mendoza, the marshal, aspires to the presidency, and assisted by guerrilla warfare, intends to proclaim himself dictator, with the assistance of a guerrilla leader named Ladero. Dulcina Garnia, Bob's sweetheart, is beloved by Ladero. Manuel Garni, her guardian, has promised her in marriage to Ladero for assisting the revolutionists. Bob determines to give his aid to General Braga, and accompanied by his two chums, Cyrus Browa and Comin Hartley, he embarks on Brown's yacht for Lorento. Realizing that Dulcina will not marry him because she loves Bob, Ladero kidnaps her at the instigation of her guardian, intending to force her to marry him. When Bob has left Dulcina to visit General Braga, Ladero's men make away with Dulcina and confine her in a monastery. Riaz, leader of the kidnappers, has gone to the Tavern Verduga, where Bob is in consultation with the general. Dulcina's maid finds Bob there, tells him of Dulcina's plight, and points out Riaz as one of the kidnappers. Bob and his two chums grab Riaz, take him to the yacht, and force a confession from him. Riaz escapes from them by jumping overboard. Ladero, receiving no news from Riaz. sets out with his men for the monastery. Riaz has secured a horse and intends to head off Bob. Ladero has found a priest who is about to marry him to Dulcina but she succeeds in secretly notifying the priest of her predicament and he aids her to escape. She meets Riaz, who forces her into a telegraph station, where the operator is drunk. Kicking the operator out, he attempts to assault Dulcina, who picks up a revolver and shoots him. Bob and his pals have reached the monastery, have a fight with the band of kidnappers, and Bob sees the priest who tells him of Dulcina's escape, and they set out to find her. Ladero on his way to the monastery hears the shot fired by Dulcina and reaches the station as Dulcina is about to rush out. Bob meets the operator, disguises himself in his uniform, locates Dulcina, unseen by Ladero, overhears a message read by Ladero that the president is dead and for him to join Mendoza, and he sees him start away. Ladero has ordered his men to fire on the station. Bob's chums, hearing the firing, come to Bob's aid. Mendoza and Ladero's men attack Braga's forces in the city amid terrific gunfire of infantry, and the cavalry have a tremendous fight which ends in a complete routing of Ladero's supporters. When Bob and his friends are about to give up hope of holding off the outlaws. General Braga and his soldiers arrive to rescue them. Eventually Bob is proclaimed president for his services and is married to Dulcina.

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Herbert Grayson has timber holdings in a Southern state. One of his mills is burned, and he accuses Len Mathis, a young mountaineer. In trying to avoid arrest Len is killed, and old John Mathis, his father, swears to shoot Grayson or any member of his family on sight. His young daughter, Renie, makes the same vow. Grayson is anxious to gain control of lands owned by Mathis, Grayson's nephew, Eric Southard, volunteers to effect the purchase. On his arrival, he telegraphs his uncle, disclosing his identity to the station-agent, who loses no time in telling the bystanders. Eric starts for the home of Peets, his uncle's foreman, in the village "jitney," as Renie, rifle in hand, is walking across the hills to Hibbitsville to get cartridges. One of the tires of the automobile bursts, and Renie, thinking the noise that of a gun, creeps behind Eric and the chauffeur, who are mending the tire, and makes them throw up their hands. When they explain that the tires contain wind, she shoots one in order to prove it, and while the chauffeur is repairing the damage she and Eric sit by the roadside. She learns in the village that Eric is Grayson's nephew, and goes to Peets' cabin to avenge her brother. Trying to shoot through the window, she misses Eric, who returns her fire, and slightly wounds her. He carries Renie home, and she tells her father she has been wounded by dropping her own gun. Eric and Renie fall in love. John Mathis has promised Renie's hand in marriage to Bud Weaver, as soon as he earns the necessary $100 with which to set up housekeeping. Eric writes to his uncle, refusing to further his schemes in the mountains. Eric is summoned to the Mexican border with the National Guard. He promises Renie to return for her. Bud Weaver demands his bride, and old John, true to his promise, sets a date for the wedding. Eric, stricken with typhoid fever, has been sent back to New York to recuperate, but Renie, unable to read or write, cannot communicate with him. The night before the wedding Renie tries to run away, and discovered by her father, has to tell him the reason. Old John gives her her rifle and shows her the door. Renie goes to Peets' cabin to try to learn news of Eric, and Peets takes advantage of her loneliness. In the ensuing struggle, Renie's gun is fired, and Peets is killed. Some men who are passing break into the cabin and Renie is arrested charged with murder. In a New York hospital Eric is convalescent. He learns that Renie has shot Peets and that her trial will be held in a few days. Eric hurries to Hibbitsville and plans her defense. At the trial, the feud between the Grayson and the Mathis factions is brought out, making the case against Renie look serious, but Eric appeals to the sympathies of the mountaineers in her behalf, and the jury returns a verdict of "not guilty." Eric and Renie are married, and Grayson, having come to a realization of the needs of the mountaineers, begins a new regime of helpfulness among the hills.

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While touring India, noted English criminologist Richard Duvall saves the life of a Buddhist priest who rewards him with the presentation of a wonderful crystal globe. By gazing in it the priest demonstrates that Duvall can fall into a cataleptic state and his astral body is released and is free to roam at will. Leaving the temple, Duvall collides with Grace Ellicott, who is touring the Far East with her aunt, the Countess D'Este and the Count. A mutual admiration between Grace and Duvall results from the accidental meeting. Later, in England, the mistress of Count D'Este makes financial demands which he cannot meet. With his housekeeper, Mrs. Cooke, he plans to put his wife out of the way and thus obtain her fortune. Poison is put in candy which the Countess eats. Her sudden death arouses the suspicion of her niece. On his return to England, Duvall experiments with the magic globe. He is surprised and pleased to see the face of the girl he met in India. Further experiments, while in the cataleptic state, discloses part of the plot that resulted in the death of Grace's aunt, which has cheated her out of the fortune. Duvall seeks out Grace to explain his strange experiments. She tells him that previous to the death of the Countess she had seen her will and that the entire fortune, which included one million dollars in cash, was to be left to her. But after the suspicious death of the Countess, Grace is puzzled when the Count produces a new will in which he is named the sole beneficiary. Duvall succeeds in having his East Indian servant, Purtab Gar, secure a position in the Count's home. Then he proceeds to unravel the mystery and at the same time recover the one million dollars for Grace. Count D'Este is driven to distraction by finding, everywhere he turns in his home, cards that read: "I want One Million Dollars. Victor Gerard." Disguised as "Victor Gerard," Duvall pays a visit to the Count. He insists that the one million dollars be ready for him at midnight, when he will call again. D'Este notifies the police and the chief calls in Duvall to assist in solving the mystery and apprehending "Gerard." Duval outlines a plan in which the Count is directed to have the money ready as demanded. He assures him the premises will be well protected and that "Gerard" cannot escape. "Gerard" arrives at the appointed time and mysteriously disappears, together with the money, as the police close in. Duvall walks out of a room where they think they have "Gerard" trapped. Count D'Este accuses Grace of stealing the money and attempts to strangle her when Purtab Gar saves her. Duvall succeeds in obtaining a confession of the murder from the housekeeper, when he traps her as she is attempting to poison Grace. Duvall explains everything to the mystified police. D'Este is carried off under arrest and Grace and Duvall are left happily together.

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John Kendall was brought up in a wealthy family, but when his father loses the family fortune and then dies, John is left penniless. He joins the army and rises to the rank of sergeant. He soon meets and falls in love with Edith Ferris, the daughter of Col. Dickinson. When he talks to her at a party, Lt. Burkett upbraids him for fraternizing with an officer's family. Edith's mother, not wanting her daughter getting involved with a lowly enlisted man, conspires with Lt. Burkett to discredit John.