The Essential Watchlist that Capture the Essence of The Church with an Overshot Wheel: Cult Guide

Dir: Frank Beal

During a raging Montana snowstorm, Doctor Jim Barnes collapses at Esther Anderson's cabin door. Esther offers Jim refuge, but when he discovers that their food supplies are running dangerously low, he braves the journey into town in order to replenish them. On the way, he is overcome with exhaustion and fails to return. Esther, unaware of Jim's condition and abused by her stepfather, joins a theatrical troop and leaves home. Time passes and Jim finally finds Esther, but a vindictive member of her troupe accuses her of having an affair with the manager and Jim believes the accusation. He leaves and Esther goes to New York City where she becomes engaged to a jealous artist, although she still loves Jim. Sam Tuttle, a long time friend, is aware of Esther's continuing love, and so brings Jim to New York City in time to save Esther from an unhappy marriage.

Dir: Joseph Byron Totten

The Hon. Archibald Graham is expelled from college and his indignant father sends him to a little English village to study under the Rev. Harry Pemberton. Misunderstood by his father, he has grown up somewhat reckless and dissipated. All this is changed under the tutelage of the minister and he enters into the spirit of his studies with zeal. Effie Pemberton is a young girl of seventeen. She has never been told of the fundamental principles of life and has been brought up in absolute innocence and ignorance of the sex problem. She and Archie become fast friends. Winstanley, a friend of Archie's, comes to the village to visit him. He is a shallow pated youth, with no moral principles. He meets Mary Ann, the daughter of a washwoman in the village. She longs for pretty clothes and all the gaieties she has been denied, and being as innocent of life as Effie, is persuaded by Winstanley to elope to London with him. Archie follows them with the intention of saving her from his friend. In this he fails. He returns to the vicarage early in the morning. Effie, in her innocence, rushes to his room in her kimona, to tell him how glad she is to see him again. He tries to get her out of the room, but she refuses to go. The minister bursts into the room and accuses Archie of evil intentions. Archie, in an honest indignation, tells the minister some wholesome truths about his leaving his daughter in such total ignorance, which opens his eyes. Mary Ann returns home, a wreck of her former self and tells the minister her story. Pemberton and his wife then awake to the fact that girls are more likely to go wrong through innocence than in any other way. Effie is told the great truths of life. Finally Archie and Effie discover that they have been in love and promise to marry.

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

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: Bruno Ziener

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

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

Dir: Eduardo Notari

A crime drama in the Gennariello-series. The police detective in Naples that is confronted with modern gangsters and crime events.

Dir: Unknown Director

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Eva, wo bist du? perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Alexander Butler

In Alberta, Canada, a Cornish emigrant unmasks a rustler posing as the girl's "blind" father.

Dir: Charley Chase

A young married couple volunteer to take charge of several orphans after the asylum has burned down. Of course they find their hands full with their troublesome charges.

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

Dir: Charles Horan

While working as a flower girl in Devlin Maddox's nightclub, Nellie Vaughan meets wealthy young Pelton Van Teel and falls in love. Maddox, desirous of using Nellie to blackmail Van Teel, spreads a rumor that she is his mistress. This makes Nellie uncomfortable, and she demands that Van Teel marry her immediately, to which he agrees. Meanwhile, Van Teel has been losing money gambling to Maddox, who threatens to break up the marriage by producing a worthless check that the young husband has written. Venturing to Maddox's apartment for a showdown, Nellie pulls a gun and demands the check, accidentally shooting Maddox when he throws a lamp at her. Maddox plans to charge Nellie with assault, but when the police arrive, his butler, actually a detective employed by the elder Van Teel, exposes Maddox, who is then arrested, clearing the path for the couple's happiness.

Dir: Edgar Jones

A mail-order bride arrives at a Maine lumber camp but doesn't like her prospective husband.