Visionary Picks Drawn from the Same DNA as The Bondage of Barbara: Cult Guide

Dir: Emmett J. Flynn

King Philip of Spain is jealous of his more popular brother, Don John, and sends him into battle against the Moors, hoping he will not return. Don John is in love with Dolores, daughter of General Mendoza, but the general discourages her, as Don John is betrothed to the Queen of England's sister. Don John returns victorious, and following a dispute over a secret letter, the king stabs his brother and leaves him for dead. When Mendoza accepts the blame, Dolores, who knows the truth, tells the court she had been dishonored by Don John, causing her father's reaction. Dolores then threatens the king that she will reveal his guilt unless her father is pardoned. The king pardons Mendoza, Don John recovers, and he and Dolores marry.

Dir: Emmett J. Flynn

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of A Bachelor's Wife perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

When Mary O'Rourke leaves Ireland to visit her cousin Norah in New York, she finds that Norah and her baby have been deserted by her husband, John Stuyvesant. Mary goes to the Stuyvesants' aristocratic home, where Mrs. Stuyvesant, an invalid, mistakes her for her son's wife. Warned that the woman could die from shock, Mary reluctantly assumes the role of daughter-in-law and nurses her back to health. Meanwhile, John and his cousin Fred return from a trip, and Genevieve Harbison, John's fiancée, demands that they get married the following day to prove that he is not married already. At the church, Mary produces Norah's marriage certificate, which John notices is for "John Frederick," Fred's real name. Fred then explains that his inheritance requires that he not be married until the next day. Genevieve angrily leaves after John agrees to play Fred's role, but when Fred sees Norah, he acknowledges the marriage. Mary then confuses Fred's trustee with Irish blarney and wins the legacy for Fred. She then accepts John's proposal.

Dir: Emmett J. Flynn

In a prologue, the evolution of banditry from the road agent to the modern automobile bandit is depicted. In the main story, Marian Calvert, traveling along the California coast with her uncle and his family to a weekend party, becomes infatuated with the infamous Lincoln Highwayman when he robs them of their jewelry and leaves in his high powered auto. At the party, when late arrival Jimmy Clunder drops one of the stolen jewels, Marian's suspicions are aroused even though he explains he found it on the road. Steele, a secret service man at the party, who is in love with Marian, vows to capture the criminal, while the Governor of California appoints Captain Claver from the Sacramento police and his assistant to catch him. When Jimmy, with the help of his very intelligent dog Spike, holds up Steele and Marian to prove Steele's incompetence, Marian, convinced that Jimmy is the thief, falls more in love with him. After Jimmy, masquerading as a paymaster of a copper mine, captures the real thieves, the policemen, he wins a reward and Marian's love.

Dir: Emmett J. Flynn

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

When Mamie Lee's father, Sam Corwin, is sentenced to jail for forgery, the sheriff, Ed Cass, offers to cover the debt in return for Mamie Lee's hand in marriage. The distraught daughter agrees, and Cass robs the saloon to obtain the money, placing the blame on Jim Kane, his rival for Mamie's affections. Jim is sent to jail an embittered man. In the adjacent cell he watches a condemned Italian stone cutter spend the night before his execution chiseling a figure of Christ. After the sculptor collapses from exhaustion, Jim is astounded to see the spirit of Christ appear and minister to the condemned man. The religious experience converts Jim to Christianity. Meanwhile, Mamie Lee discovers Cass's written confession to the robbery and brings it to the judge. Realizing he is doomed, the sheriff kills himself, thus freeing Jim to begin life anew with Mamie Lee.

Dir: Emmett J. Flynn

A railway conductor throws cowboys Tod Musgrave and Dell Hawkins off the train because they are without tickets. Settling down in a station, Tod dreams: Dell robs the train and escapes, planting some of the money on him. After an episode of adventure and romance in which Tod is sent to prison, escapes, and finally tracks down the culprit, Tod awakens to find that Dell is still his jolly companion.

Dir: Emmett J. Flynn

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Man Who Dared perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Successful Parisian dancer Yvonne Halbert grows tired of the overwatchfulness of her aunt and runs away to America. Disguised and hiding out in the steerage of a boat, Yvonne meets violinist Luigi. She dances to Luigi's accompaniment in a Greenwich Village cabaret, where she is discovered by David Marston, the producer who had negotiated to bring the famous Yvonne to America. Marston signs the supposed unknown performer and intends to bill her under the name of Yvonne, whom he believes has broken her contract with him. Apache dancer Cecile claims to be the real Yvonne, but matters are straightened out with the arrival of Aunt Marie. Yvonne marries Lawrence Bartlett, the author of the play that features her in America.

Dir: Emmett J. Flynn

In 1921, a young man, having read Mark Twain's classic novel of the same title, dreams that he himself travels to King Arthur's court, where he has similar adventures and outwits his foes by means of very modern inventions including motorcycles and nitroglycerine.

Dir: Emmett J. Flynn

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Hell's Hole perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

The successful operations of a lone bandit known as "The Night Hawk" terrorize a frontier town, and when a stranger arrives riding a fine horse, suspicions are aroused and he is mistaken for the criminal. Winifred, who is engaged to dam engineer William Kirk, shelters the stranger from the sheriff, but Kirk has him arrested. Kirk decides to steal the company payroll and dynamite the dam; he accomplishes these acts but is captured by the stranger, who is revealed to be a company agent detailed to investigate Kirk.

Dir: Emmett J. Flynn

Mrs. Bernice Bristol Flint threatens to destroy the reputation of an innocent woman unless her wealthy husband John grants her a divorce, and although John has not betrayed his wife, he agrees to give her a large sum in alimony in order to maintain her silence. Bernice hopes to marry millionaire Howard Turner, with whom she has been carrying on a flirtation, and when he confesses that he does not love her, she angrily resolves to ruin him. Howard falls in love with the refreshingly innocent Marjorie Lansing, who agrees to become his wife. Because of Bernice's interference, however, their marriage is a stormy one, and finally Bernice and her unscrupulous lawyer, Elijah Stone, suggest that Marjorie sue for divorce. She refuses, and later, Howard's attorney, William Jackson, discovers Bernice's schemes and succeeds in reuniting Howard and Marjorie. Defeated, Bernice shoots herself.

Dir: Emmett J. Flynn

While living in Shanghai with his young son David, William Fielding is close friends with his secretary, Li Clung, after the death of his wife. Foo Chang, a trader, loves the young woman who cares for young David and kills Fielding when he assumes that she is the boy's mother. Li Clung takes the child to his grandfather in San Francisco, where he grows up and inherits the Fielding estate. Following David's marriage, Foo Chang tries to bribe David to help him bring a cargo of opium into the city, informing him that he is a half-caste. Without waiting to learn the truth from Li Clung, David takes his infant son and goes to Alaska. He is followed by his wife and his faithful servant Li Clung, who kills Foo Chang and explains that David's mother was not Chinese. Brought to his senses, David returns with them to San Francisco.