Rare Cinematic Gems Sharing the Atmosphere of The Claw: Cult Guide

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.

Dir: Bruno Ziener

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: Sidney Olcott

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Sidney Olcott

Financial troubles force Nell Carroll, a thoroughbred, to seek employment in a detective agency which has just taken up the trail of a very baffling jewelry robbery in an exclusive summer colony. In order to work from the inside, she is sent to the place as the Baroness Du Vassey. Suspicion promptly fastens upon Teddy De Veaux, the son of the woman who first invites Nell to her home. Every evidence points to him until the leader of the crooks, suspecting the real identity of the "baroness." decides to present himself as the Baron Du Vassey, her husband. The arrival of the "baron" causes consternation in the heart of Nell, who does not know whether she is facing an impostor or has chanced upon the name of a real nobleman. Trusting to chance to give her some hint as to the truth, she decides to face the man and attempt to outwit him. But more than wits are necessary to defeat the crook, with whom the butler is allied. It comes to a question of a steady hand and quick trigger finger when the thieves are caught red-handed and spring upon the innocent young Teddy.

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

Dir: Harley Knoles

Jim McDonald, the foreman of a shipbuilding plant and head of the labor union, strives to combat the anarchistic propaganda being put forth by Klimoff, the leader of a Bolshevik gang whose goal is to disrupt the country with strikes and anarchy. Despite McDonald's efforts, a strike is called, resulting in chaos. McDonald's child is knocked down by runaway horses abandoned by their striking driver, and dies. Mob scenes take place in America, as well as in Russia. Eventually, the unrest is quelled with an armistice called between Capital and Labor for a year, during which time wages are to be increased to reflect the cost of living, and leaders are to work out a common plan for their mutual advantage. The strikers now realize that they have been pawns of the Bolsheviks and call off the strike, agreeing to the plan.

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.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of My Lady Incog. perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Sidney Olcott

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Edward LeSaint

When famous opera singer Elinore Duane undergoes an operation on her throat, she has a series of ether-induced visions. In one, she is transported to ancient Rome where she appears as a much-admired woman in love with Paul, a young heretic, and at odds with Lutor, the high priest. To save her love, she poisons Lutor with her ring. After several other visions which involve variations on this love triangle, Elinore awakens to discover that Lutor is actually her doctor, Sascha Jaccard, and that Paul is the son of a friend who has come to visit the recovering prima donna.

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

Dir: Sidney Olcott

Barbara Rand, the daughter of a poor but proud Southern widow, loses her sight after leaping through the window of a notorious roadhouse to escape an assailant. Her sister, Natalie, reluctantly abandons her fiancé, Ned Gardiner, and marries Oliver Landis, who can provide the money needed for Barbara's operation. Unaware that Oliver was Barbara's attacker, Natalie places the blame on his business partner, Howard Pollard, who was with Barbara on the night she was injured. As Natalie holds Howard at gunpoint, her husband arrives and promises to deal with the supposed villain. A struggle ensues between the two men, and Howard falls from a cliff to his death. After Barbara is released from the hospital, Oliver tries to blind her once again by removing her bandages prematurely. Natalie threatens him with a pistol, but Oliver wrests it away from her. He then realizes that he can no longer hide his guilt from Natalie or the police and shoots himself. Barbara has been avenged, and Natalie is free to marry Ned.

Dir: Sidney Olcott

Dora and her mother decide to go to Europe to find a wealthy husband as their funds are diminishing. Much to her mother's disapproval, Dora falls in love with a penniless nobleman, Julian Beauclerc. His marriage proposal is eventually approved after he inherits millions and is appointed attaché to the British embassy. When he discovers important defense papers entrusted to him have disappeared, he suspects Dora of stealing. Julian's brother Henri stumbles upon the papers and, sniffing them, recognizes the perfume of the Countess Zicka. With this evidence, Henri charges the countess with spying, thus mends the faltering relationship between Julian and Dora.