Deep Archive Finds in the Vein of The Come-Back: Cult Guide

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

When her two roommates, Maude Raynes and Helen Bartlett, become engaged, Darcy Cole invents a titled fiancé of her own, in part to ward off her friends' nasty remarks about her untidy appearance. Darcy's friend Gloria Green lends a photograph of her cousin, Jack Remsen, made up as a lord for a college play, then transforms Darcy into a stylish beauty. As a practical joke, Gloria's fiancé Tom Harmon agrees to lend his bungalow to each couple for their honeymoon. Darcy pretends to elope with her imaginary lord, played by Jack. The real and pretended honeymooners arrive in succession and are assigned bedrooms by housekeeper Veronica. When Veronica sees Jack remove his makeup, she is certain he is Gentleman Jack, the burglar she has been reading about. Finally, Gloria and Tom arrive and straighten matters out, and Darcy and Jack decide to become real honeymooners.

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of It's a Bear perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Orlando Winthrop, the studious son of a wealthy Bostonian, distresses his father by pursuing an interest in insects. Inspired by a book advising one to "get the drop on the other fellow," Orlando travels to the family sheep ranch in Wyoming to investigate negative rumors concerning foreman William Cogney. Inappropriately dressed and carrying golf clubs, Orlando is paraded through the town by the ranch cowboys. To their chagrin, Orlando bluffs them in poker, out-drinks them, and rides a bucking bronco. During a hunting expedition, the cowboys attempt to scare Orlando with a stuffed bear. Orlando nonchalantly emerges from the woods followed by a live bear, neglecting to inform them that it is trained. Orlando then frustrates William's plan to destroy a portion of the flock and defeats him in a fight. Mr. Winthrop arrives from the East with Orlando's fiancée, who breaks the engagement upon seeing her betrothed chew tobacco. Orlando is delighted, as he and the town's schoolteacher have fallen in love.

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

Maida Brown, a rich widow, is being visited by wealthy aircraft manufacturer Louis Letchworth at the Brown family estate in Bayport. The family maid notices the pair's affectionate behavior toward each other and, aghast, reports the incident to Maida's father, the head of the local Purity League. The local citizenry is so outraged by this scandalous behavior that they force Maida to leave town. Meanwhile, Harold Brown, her late husband's brother, is aware that the family estate will revert to him if Maida remarries, so he spies on her in order to prove that she and Louis are married, so Harold can get the family fortune for himself.

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

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

Doris Wynne, at boarding school in France, is hardly acquainted with her mother, most of the dealings between them handled by a firm of lawyers. So when she falls in love with the brother of a schoolmate, she obtains her mother's consent through the attorneys. Alys Wynne's reasons for seeing so little of her daughter are that she is the companion in crime of "Python" Grant, international swindler. Having ruined a young nobleman and causing him to commit suicide, the pair escape to America. Doris, the daughter, in the meantime, is happily married to Keith Bourne, a young American. An uncle leaves him a million dollars and they decide to return to the United States. Grant and Alys discover Keith and cultivate him. That he is the husband of Doris is unknown to the mother, who is still young and beautiful herself. Grant pretends to abuse his wife and Keith comforts her. A suit for alienation of affection is the result. Bourne settles for $40,000 rather than have his young wife misunderstand him. But the swindlers try the "Follow-up" and when Keith refuses to be led further they telephone his wife and tell her the story. Through the attorneys she asks her mother to come to her. Alys goes and hears the story. She is thunderstruck to learn that her victim is the husband of her daughter. She advises the younger woman to believe in her husband and disappears. She tells the police where to find Python" Grant and next day the happy couple read in the paper that the woman accomplice of the swindler was found dead. It means nothing to them.

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

Hamilton Hill meets Estelle Redding in an umbrella repair shop and rescues her from two thugs soon afterwards. Estelle has hidden in the handle of her grey parasol the formula for "Coalex," an inexpensive substitute for coal which the coal trust is trying to prevent from reaching the market. Edward Burnham, one of the thugs, tells Hamilton that Estelle is a German agent, but the infatuated young bachelor fails to believe the story. Estelle entrusts Hamilton with the parasol, but when Burnham, who is revealed as Estelle's brother, finally snatches it away from him, they discover that the formula has been removed and that she has outwitted them all. Two German agents, posing as representatives of the United States government, nearly obtain the formula from her, but Hamilton, accompanied by Burnham, who has experienced a change of heart, rescue her in time. With the formula safely delivered to U.S. government officials, Hamilton and Estelle turn to more romantic pursuits.

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

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

Lord Dawlish is made the heir of an eccentric English millionaire, who cuts off a nephew and niece, living in America. Dawlish is engaged to Claire Edmont, an actress. Dawlish offers half his inheritance to the niece, and when she refuses to accept he goes to America to persuade her. Claire follows, but not having received the letter regarding the inheritance she marries a man she meets on the boat. Dawlish meets Elizabeth as Bill Chalmers, his family name, and as Bill she learns to love him, but she discovers his identity, and things work to a rapid conclusion.

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

"Two-Bits," the price men used to pay for a haircut, isn't much money in these days with old Mr. H.C.L. at our heels, but one "Two-Bit" piece surely changed the life events of Jimmy Mason. Jimmy couldn't get an orchestra seat to see the wonderful lady in tights so he invested "Two-Bits" and went to the gallery. There he found a seat beside a wonderful girl. He sat to the finish but didn't see the show; her eyes blurred everything commonplace, and then they became acquainted when she accidentally jabbed him with a hatpin. The next night he asked her to go with him to an orchestra box. But Alice wouldn't listen. But she would go to the "Two-Bit" gallery. And they went often, but Jimmy always suffered the fear that Faulkner, his boss, would see him and think him a terribly cheap sport. But Alice told Jimmy not to waste money on seats in the orchestra. And so it went. Finally the blow falls when his employer sees him and Alice exiting from the gallery. Hope is gone when he is called before the boss the next morning and asked how long he had been patronizing the gallery, but all is well and the sun shines again when "the old man" approves and proves it with a promotion. Jimmie dashes to Alice's house and tells her about the promotion and what he thinks of a certain girl. Then Alice tells him that all along she had a definite idea in preferring 'Two-Bit Seats." You are entitled to one guess. You're Right.

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

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

Robert Hervey Randolph receives $10,000 a year because of the inability to locate the rightful heir of a will, who would receive the money if she could be found. Madge Van Tillier jilts Robert because he does not have enough money. While riding in a taxi, Robert rescues chorus girl Imogene Pamela Thorton from her companion Duke Beamer, and takes her home. Pam turns out to be the missing heir, and Robert loses his inheritance. He then gets a job as a taxi driver. Pam receives a large portion of her inheritance from the Ajax Taxi Company. Beamer tries to ruin Ajax, but Robert foils him, becomes vice-president of the company, and wins Pam's love.

Dir: Unknown Director

The Judge needs a present for his wife's birthday, so Harry suggests a new corset. They go to the shop, but he's so embarrassed to ask the saleslady he hides in a phone booth.Harry goes in, but finds a GUY wearing one, and runs out.They both dress as women to get back in, but Mrs. Rummy gets there and chases him out.

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

T. Boggs Johns and George Nettleton, proprietors of the Digestive Pile Manufacturing Companny agree upon a unique method to stop their quarreling: play a game of poker, the loser to act as servant to the winner for a year. If either member of the agreement reveals the circumstances of the pact, he shall pay a fine of $5,000. Boggs loses, and he must serve as butler in the Nettleton home. His sweetheart Florence Cole comes to dinner at the Nettletons' and is surprised to see Boggs acting as butler, but cannot learn what has brought about the change in his social status. Thomas J. Vanderholt, an attorney in love with Florence, lets her in on the pact and tells her that he drew up the plans. She denounces him, and she and Boggs plan revenge on Nettleton. Boggs arranges an intimate tableau with Mrs. Nettleton; this so angers Nettleton that he schemes to make Boggs the loser financially, but Florence declares that the pact, being based on a poker game, is not legal.