Editor's Top Picks Following the Footsteps of The Clown: Cult Guide

Dir: William C. de Mille

An island ordeal: A woman chooses a count over an alcoholic doctor. The envious count poisons her but performs a life-saving blood transfusion, costing his life. She has the count's baby and ultimately remarries the rehabilitated doctor.

Dir: William C. de Mille

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

Headed by a young nobleman, the Russian League of Freedom determines to free the peasants from oppression by the government. Prince Paul Alexis is in love with Karin Dolokhof, daughter of the chancellor. Both are working for the league. Shortly after they announce their engagement the prince receives word from the Czar that he must marry the Princess Tanya, for political reasons. Upon receiving the command the prince expresses his intention to leave Russia with Karin Dolokhof, but she reminds him of his allegiance to the freedom league. Princess Tanya is in love with Count Egor Strannik, but under pressure, she discards the count and marries the unwilling prince. Through espionage, the chief of the secret police learns of the prince's affiliation with the freedom league and as Prince Alexis and his wife, Princess Tanya, hold a reception, at which the government heads are present, he sends Count Egor Strannik to secure the evidence. The count, who is still in love with Princess Tanya, tries to force his love upon her, and as he holds her in his arms, Prince Alexis discovers them and beats the count with a knout. For revenge the count, with a band of followers, forces the prince to reveal the hiding place of some important league papers.

Dir: William C. de Mille

The wicked Belle gets her hands on Nigel Stanyon, a young man who was about to embark on a career as a minister. She seduces him, empties his bank account and tosses him aside. In the depths of despair, Nigel is discovered by Brian, a wealthy old friend, who secures him a job as an overseer on his family estate. One day Brian embarks on a trip abroad, and Nigel is astounded when he returns home with a new wife--Nigel's old flame, Belle.

Dir: William C. de Mille

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

After an accusation of a breach of diplomacy committed by his brother, Hashimura Togo bears the burden and leaves Japan in disgrace for the United States where he enters the employ of Mrs. Reynolds as a butler. Togo discovers that Mrs. Reynolds' daughter Corinne is in love with Dr. Garland but is being coerced into marrying Carlos Anthony who, having seized all of her deceased father's funds, now promises to save the family from financial ruin in return for Corinne's hand in marriage. Enlisting the aid of a reporter, Hashimura succeeds in proving Anthony's deception in time to stop the marriage, freeing Corinne to marry Garland. After a series of misadventures, his name is cleared and Hashimura returns to his sweetheart in Japan.

Dir: William C. de Mille

The old Atwell home is said to be haunted, and Jeremy Foster, the gardener--who is actually the head of a band of thieves that use the house for a hideout--does his best to keep the superstition alive. Despite the rumors, impoverished sisters Lois and Alice Atwell decide to move into the empty family home. They take possession the same night that Ted Rawson is ordered to explore the place as an initiation rite by his fraternity. That same night, Spud Foster, a member of his uncle's gang, hides there with his stolen loot. In the middle of the night, Lois apprehends Ted and takes him captive, believing that he's a burglar. The noise awakens Spud who, mistaking Lois for a ghost, flees the house. After much confusion, Lois' fears about Ted's character are allayed when he helps fight off the thieves; relieved, she confesses her love to the fraternity man.

Dir: William C. de Mille

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

The Hoorah, richest mine in California, has made millionaires of its three bachelor owners, Joe, Bud, and Dill. It occurs to the two latter men that this wealth, representing the labor and sacrifices of many long years, must, in the event of their death, revert to strangers. They decide that Joe, the most eligible partner, should marry and give them an heir. This Joe refuses to do. However, Bud and Bill set about to find a suitable wife for him. Their efforts are unrewarded, and Joe, in disgust, leaves town. Geraldine Kent, daughter of a poor but aspiring society woman, accepts the invitation of a friend to take a western trip. The mother, of her own invitation, accompanies them. Arriving at the hotel, they discover Joe in an undignified position on the floor playing with a youngster of five. The mother is shocked, but when she learns that Joe is wealthy, she is attentive to him, and persuades Geraldine to accept his proposal of marriage. Joe's lack of polish is such a source of constant embarrassment to him and his wife that his suggestion to Geraldine that they run away from it all is gladly accepted. Discovered by her mother just as they are about to leave, Joe is enlightened by Mrs. Kent's expression of her sorrow at forcing Geraldine to marry such a boor because they were so sadly in need of money. Heartbroken, Joe gives them the money and departs. At the end of a year, Geraldine sues for divorce. Bud and Bill leave Hoorah City for a trip to see Joe's baby. Not until Joe reads in the paper an account of the divorce proceedings does he know that he has a son. He also starts out to see the baby, and the three men meet. Both Bud and Bill claim the right to be the namesake of what they consider a "partnership baby," but learning the little one is a girl, they order at once baby wardrobes by the carload. Joe realizes the mother-in-law's responsibility for his unhappiness and sends her east by the first train. Geraldine has learned that Joe's greatest desire was for a child, and when he accuses her of marrying him for his money, she meets it with a statement that he married her for the baby. He suggests that she take the money and he the baby, but as the little one starts to cry, he is frightened, and hands it to the mother. As they look at the baby, and then at each other, they realize how foolish they have been, and Joe takes both mother and child into his arms.

Dir: William C. de Mille

Luigi Riccardo, the proprietor of a marionette theater in New York's Little Italy, eagerly anticipates the arrival of his wife Maria and daughter Tessa, whom he has not seen in five years. Luigi dreams of becoming an American citizen, but because he refuses to make graft payments to Regan, the ward boss, he is informed that he will not receive his naturalization papers. When Regan orders Dr. Ross, an Ellis Island physician, to classify Maria and Tessa as unfit to enter the country, Luigi becomes wild with grief. Newspaper reporter Sam Potts learns of the Italian's misfortune and, through local prizefighter Bump Rundle, offers Regan a phony bribe in exchange for Luigi's papers. Regan accepts and Sam exposes him publicly, enabling Luigi to welcome his wife and daughter as American citizens.

Dir: William C. de Mille

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

Deciding that there is money in cows, young New Yorker Dick Tavis buys a Western ranch; when the novelty has worn off he decides that there is also monotony. Then he falls in love with a girl on a calendar and takes a new interest in life, particularly after he discovers who the girl is. The fact that her uncle swindled him on the ranch does not matter. He figures he can take care of the uncle, and he does, but not until he has been forced to masquerade as a woman and have half the men at a fashionable resort fall in love with him.

Dir: William C. de Mille

Based on the 1915 Colorado miners strike. Warren Harcourt, the coal company manager, comes to the scene. This causes a chain of events that will change the current status quo.

Dir: William C. de Mille

Mirandy, the daughter of a laundress, scrubs floors in an opera house. Before she can marry the handsome organist for the opera, she decides she must improve her social standing.