Underground Favorites Parallel to the Artistry of The Claws of the ...

Dir: Victor Schertzinger

A young woman works in the scullery of a grand hotel, and dreams of a life among its fashionable patrons.

Dir: Victor Schertzinger

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

Traveling saleswoman Mary Marbury thrashes a masher on a train when he tries to kiss a young girl in a tunnel. After the man and his female companion are escorted from the train, Mary encounters them again in New York City, where they attempt to marry the children of her wealthy employer, Jonas Abbott, then pose as cubist art instructors Fernando Poyntier and his sister, Marcia. Jonas worries that his son and Mary's fiancé, Raymond, is leading a frivolous life in the city's Bohemian community. Mary plots to incur the boy's jealousy by posing as an adventuress leading Jonas astray. When the Poyntiers suspect that the Abbott fortune could go to Mary instead of to them, they rob Jonas's safe and hide the money on his yacht, on which they plan to escape. Exhausted from dancing the fox-trot, Mary and Abbott rest on the yacht, and she discovers the money. When the crooks are captured, Raymond, realizing his love for Mary, proposes.

Dir: Victor Schertzinger

Farmer Toby Watkinsm whose fanciful poetry does not impress his exasperated uncle, leaves the farm to become a subscription solicitor for the "Sawbert Weekly Clarion." In Sawbert, Toby meets Mayor Lot Morris' daughter Jean, and the shy young people fall in love. Crooked stock promoter Kendall Reeves arrives in town and unveils his plan to open a string-bean cannery. While the venture receives the mayor's support, "Clarion" editor Zachary Bartrum, Morris' political enemy, suspects Reeves and decides to block the scheme. On the night Reeves presents his plan to the citizens, Bartrum falls ill and asks Toby to deliver his opposing speech, but seeing Jean in the audience, he loses his courage and dashes from the hall. The next day, Toby overhears Joe Farley, Reeves' former partner, demanding a share of the profits. Farley learns of this and warns Reeves, who goes to the mayor's home and, gun in hand, demands $5,000. Toby arrives and defeats the crook in a fight, after which the grateful mayor becomes reconciled to Bartrum and bestows his blessing on his daughter's romance with Toby.

Dir: Victor Schertzinger

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

A young man with little ambition is given an opportunity to set himself up in business by means of financial support from his father. But the young man becomes involved in a shady railroad deal which threatens to destroy his own father.

Dir: Victor Schertzinger

Cynthia Brock, accustomed to expensive clothes and fashionable society, finds herself destitute when her father dies. After Fenwick Flint, who recently acquired great wealth, learns that Cynthia owes her dressmaker over $6,000, he attempts to use her to seduce James Gordon, the husband of the woman Flint desires. Although Cynthia refuses at first, when Flint offers her $10,000 she agrees, but at a mountain lodge, after becoming Gordon's friend, Cynthia feels remorseful and tries to get out of the deal. Hearing her sobs, Gordon enters her room and is caught by the conspirators with his arms around her. Gordon agrees to a divorce and offers to marry Cynthia to protect her reputation, but she confesses the scheme. After returning Flint's money, she finds work as a stenographer and pays her debt. Flint marries Gordon's ex-wife, but they later separate, while Gordon, formerly embittered, meets Cynthia again, and they marry.

Dir: Victor Schertzinger

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Son of His Father perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Jimmy Duncan, the son of the well-respected Reverend Duncan, takes over his local newspaper as manager. He takes on the criminal element in town with great vigor, until he realizes that his own father is in league with those devils.

Dir: Victor Schertzinger

Sheriff's son Royal Beaudry is thought a coward, even by the young woman he has his heart set on. But he disproves cowardice when he rescues his father's friend from kidnappers.

Dir: Victor Schertzinger

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

Jim Bowen, a cashier in a prosperous insurance firm, lives happily with his wife Mary and son Frankie until Alan Perry, the profligate son of Jim's employer, frames Jim for forgery. Because the fraudulent check was cashed in ward boss John Boland's cabaret, Mary decides to work there while Jim serves his time, in the hope of tracking down the real criminal. Perry, who frequents the café, becomes infatuated with Mary and, on the very night her husband escapes from prison, follows her home and tries to force his attentions on her. When Boland arrives unexpectedly, Perry knocks him down, apparently killing him, whereupon Mary threatens to call the police unless he confesses to having framed Jim. Boland hears Perry's confession as he regains consciousness, and on the basis of his testimony, Perry is arrested and Jim freed.

Dir: Victor Schertzinger

David Clary runs a sleepy little dry-goods store in a sleepy little town. A vamp from the big city shows up, intent on taking Clary for everything he's worth by a combination of seduction and blackmail. But the day is saved by the ingenuity of David's corset model.

Dir: Victor Schertzinger

When the circus comes to town, the town's orphans are treated to an outing to see the show. The circus troupe's 'Jinx' girl causes so many problems for the performers and performances that, to escape punishment, she must run away. She mingles with the orphans and runs away to join an orphanage.