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

Dir: David Smith

Gilbert Thurstan, deputy inspector of the British Civil Service Commission in India, is warned by a physician that his wife, Emily, cannot remain in the hot climate where he is stationed, and he applies to his superior, Vincent Chalmers, for a transfer. Vincent is enamored with Emily and sends Gilbert to a post in Kajra, where the previous inspector died of fever. Emily goes to Simla at her husband's behest, with Vincent in pursuit. While he attempts to romance Emily, her ailing husband clashes with Hindu fanatics but manages to quell them single-handedly. Emily rejects Vincent, who is wracked with guilt over his treatment of Gilbert and travels to Kajra to relieve him of his appointment. Gilbert is reassigned to another city, where Emily happily awaits him.

Dir: David Smith

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

The Hollisters, a bright, spirited, wholesome family, are compelled to move into the country. After many efforts to secure a home, Shirley, eldest of the Hollisters, contrives a way out by renting a magnificent old stone barn at a ridiculously low price, transforming it into a house. The owner of the barn is not an ordinary landlord, as you will see, for he is a young man with fine ideals, and he is not content with establishing Shirley and her family in the quaintly beautiful old place, but makes the world a much happier place to live in for all of them

Dir: David Smith

Timid village schoolteacher Geraldine Farleigh supports her family and must pay off her late father's debt to Bruce Cartwright.

Dir: David Smith

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

Willie Robbins loses his heart to Myra Allison, the prettiest and liveliest girl in San Augustine, but she laughs at him and taunts him. Soon after the Spanish-American War starts, Willie volunteers and plunges madly into danger, and wins a captaincy by capturing a Spanish general. Myra marries Joe Cranberry, but when Willie hears of this, he seems indifferent. After the war Willie returns to San Augustine and is met by the Mayor, a brass band, and schoolgirls. He is the hero of the occasion. After the welcome, Willie makes for the little white cottage of Joe Cranberry. Myra is on the porch, untidy and unattractive. Willie waltzes up to her and the joke is on Myra.

Dir: David Smith

Forced to wear quaint short dresses and pigtails so that she will inspire her grandfather's sentimental poetry, nineteen-year-old Joy Havenith longs for companions of her own age. One day Johnny Hewitt, seeing her confide her troubles to her Aunt Lucilla's portrait, tells her that if she wishes hard enough, her dreams will come true. Not knowing his name, she thereafter thinks of him as her "wishing ring man." Soon Joy meets a married couple who invite her to the city. Because her grandparents will not let her leave until she is engaged, she lies that she is the fiancée of a man of whom her friends have spoken, Dr. John Hewitt, not realizing that he is her "wishing ring man." John agrees to play along for a month, to the dismay of his fiancée, Gale Maddox. After the wedding presents and bridesmaids have arrived, Joy, thinking that John loves Gale, leaves the rehearsal and returns home. John then finds her confiding to the portrait and declares his real love for her.

Dir: David Smith

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

Allen Spargo, a mining engineer betrothed to Theresa Kane, goes West to make his fortune and is seriously injured in an accident. Kate Leonard falls in love with him while nursing him to recovery. She jealously intercepts his fiancée's letters and writes Theresa that Allen is dead. Paralyzed by grief for a time, Theresa finally agrees to marry her former suitor, Lemuel Antree, but soon after the ceremony, Allen returns. Assuming that she no longer loves him, Allen leaves for the West, but Theresa follows him. Lemuel pursues the couple intending to kill them, but learns that Allen had once saved his life. Since Lemuel believes that his life, in effect, belongs to Allen, he drowns himself to allow the couple to marry.

Dir: David Smith

Anna Sewell's "autobiography" of a horse named Black Beauty is here expanded to include the adventures of the humans who surround the horse.

Dir: David Smith

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

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: David Smith

Pegeen O'Neill must fend for herself when her father Dan becomes mentally unbalanced after his wife Mary's death. Dan spends his days searching for his wife, setting fires in the belief that the flames will illuminate his Mary. The townspeople, enraged at the arson that is slowly destroying their village, track down Dan and trap him in a burning cabin. Pegeen rushes to comfort her dying father, who consoles himself at death with the hallucination that his wife has returned in the figure of his daughter. Pegeen is then rescued from the raging fire by Jimmie, who proposes to the waif as he delivers her from the flames.

Dir: David Smith

Peggy (Bessie Love) and her sister Frances (Myrtle Reeves) live with their father, but because of his idleness, they must all move to humbler quarters. Peggy adapts quickly to their new surrounding, while Frances misses the social life she once enjoyed. Their neighbors are well off, and Peggy begins a romance with their son, whom she thinks is the chauffeur. Meanwhile, Frances has become involved with a roguish character and plans to elope with him. Peggy saves her sister from imminent disgrace, but comes close to compromising herself instead. Peggy's sweetheart comes to her rescue and now his true identity is revealed to the very grateful girl.