Hand-Picked Alternatives Movies That Echo the Spirit of The Blue Ca...

Dir: George Ridgwell

A country girl runs away to town, and achieves success as an actress. A struggling actor desiring a part in her company visits her home town, absorbs local color, and on his return brings a faded rose from the girl's mother, and poses as one of her country neighbors with such success that the girl cancels all engagements and returns home. Then the actor decides to follow her.

Dir: George Ridgwell

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

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: William Parke

Bruce Wendell, the son of West Virginia coal mine owner James Wendell, graduates from West Point and prepares to lead a fighting unit to the front during World War I. As his father lies dying, however, he convinces Bruce to remain at home and guard the mine. Bruce's fiancée Ann Blair assumes that he is a coward and breaks off their engagement, but her brother Bobbie remains Bruce's loyal friend. Meyer, a German agent, persuades railroad president Parrish to refuse to transport Wendell's coal, but when Bruce adamantly refuses to close the mine, the spy's men decide to blow it up. While Ann is being abducted by Meyer, Bobbie is buried in an explosion at the mine. Bruce rescues Bobbie and then sends a plea to Lieutenant Parrish to rescue Ann. Meyer and his gang are captured and Ann renews her vow of love to Bruce.

Dir: Richard Smith

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

Two female candidates for Chief of Police live across the hall from each other, and their political rivalry follows them home, leading to plenty of hi-jinks.

Dir: George Ridgwell

Genevieve Connors, a girl of the slums, is taken to wealthy Mrs. Vanderbeck's country home for a week's vacation. Although neighbor Evelyn Carlisle refers to Genevieve as a "gutter brat," her cousin Dick takes an interest in Genevieve after he rescues her when her canoe overturns. He gathers water lilies for her and notes that their fragrance and purity have not been affected by the slime and mud clinging to their roots. Although he arranges for Genevieve to take a stenography course and promises her a position with his older brother Willard later, Mrs. Lawson, Evelyn's aunt, rudely turns her away. Dick, about to leave for the war, accidentally meets Genevieve again. He buys her water lilies, and sees that she is installed as Willard's secretary. Meanwhile, Mrs. Lawson's dissipated son Dwight knocks down a policeman during a gambling raid and, thinking him dead, hides out. After Genevieve receives a note from Dwight asking for clothes and money, Mrs. Lawson suspiciously pursues her, but Dick follows and proves Genevieve's innocence.

Dir: Dallas M. Fitzgerald

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

Confidence artist Flossie Golden attempts to fleece foolish but wealthy James Venable with a breach-of-promise suit. Venable's shrewd attorney, Richard Harding, outwits Flossie by proposing that she marry Venable and live on an allowance of $3,000 per year. Flossie is determined to get even with Harding for ruining her plans. In an attempt to con him, she poses as Innocence Page, but falls in love and marries him instead. Larry, Flossie's former accomplice, endeavors to blackmail her with her errant past, but Harding is already cognizant of the facts and Larry fails.

Dir: Unknown Director

The Judge needs a present for his wife's birthday, so Harry suggests a new corset. They go to the shop, but he's so embarrassed to ask the saleslady he hides in a phone booth.Harry goes in, but finds a GUY wearing one, and runs out.They both dress as women to get back in, but Mrs. Rummy gets there and chases him out.

Dir: George Ridgwell

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

A vaudeville act which falls flat after starting off with great promise furnishes the theme for this two-reel O. Henry story. No one is able to ascertain the cause, and after the cast creates so much disturbance in a restaurant that they are arrested and taken before the police sergeant do his judicious questions enable the police matron to fathom the mystery; that is, that the situation where the star always breaks down and weeps is because the leading man is in love with her and trying to show it in his singing.

Dir: Robert N. Bradbury

A simple country girl, brutally mistreated by her stepfather, awakens first the sympathy, then the love, of The Boy. The Spider, who lusts after The Girl, makes a bargain with the stepfather and takes her to the city where, kept prisoner, she is soon broken in health and spirit. Cast out and near death, she is taken in by The Boy. Following the demise of The Spider, The Boy takes her to church, where he prays, and after many hours she is restored to health.

Dir: Wilfred Lucas

Brian O'Farrell (Snowy Baker), is an English 'new chum' who takes a job at an Australian cattle station. He is teased by station hands because of his appearance (including spats and a monocle) but he soon impresses them with his skills at riding and boxing. The station manager, John MacDonald (Wilfred Lucas), takes O'Farrell to Sydney to meet his daughter Edith (Kathleen Key) who is working in the slums. Edith is kidnapped by criminals after witnessing a crime but O'Farrell rescues her. It is later revealed he is the owner of the station.