The Recommended Vault Deeply Connected to The Curious Conduct of Ju...

Dir: Will S. Davis

Carney marries Agnes Maynard and soon forgets his old sorrow. Anne, tired of her mock wedded life, attempts to make Roland jealous of his wife. She induces Carney to visit the home of Randolph Parsons. There Roland finds his wife, but a sudden twist of affairs results in his discovering that Agnes is innocent. Anne tries new tactics now. She knows that Carney has been losing steadily in the stock market, through her husband's efforts to ruin the man his wife loves. Anne finds a memorandum on Martin's desk: "Corner B.H.R. Stock." She gives this information to Carney. He is overjoyed and grasps the tip eagerly. Martin, however, learns of what Anne has done, and reverses his tactics. The result is that Carney is ruined completely. In his rage, he thinks that Anne has tricked him purposely, and he goes to her, furious. While he is there, she sees Martin returning. She thinks she has an opportunity for revenge. She tears her clothing and lets down her hair. Then she turns out the lights and screams. Martin enters. Anne shrieks that Carney had been attacking her. Martin smiles and takes out the B.H.R. memorandum. "I know your game," he says. "Go," he tells Carney, "you are ruined. You have been punished enough." Martin bids his wife good-bye, and informs her that he is going to leave her. Anne falls senseless to the floor.

Dir: Will S. Davis

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

Madeline De Valette is betrothed to her father's cousin, Raoul De Valette, arrangements having been made when she was but a child. Valette requests his cousin's presence at his home to be presented to his fiancée. Raoul has been carrying on a love affair with L'Acadienne, a beautiful Creole who loves him devotedly. Much against his wishes, he is compelled to leave L'Acadienne. In spite of her pleadings and threats, he sets out for the Valette home. Her jealousy prompts her to follow Raoul and disclose their love affair to his fiancée's father, and thus prevent the marriage. Madeline is in the springtime of her youth. She is fully aware of her coming marriage with Raoul, but the realization of what it means does not occur to her. She has been rehearsed daily to prepare for her first meeting with her fiancé. Raoul finally arrives at the Valette home. Although disappointed, she accepts Raoul, as a duty to her father, whose earnest wish is that she shall marry a Val De Valette. At this time the United States is at war, and there is a call for volunteers. Wolf, a backwoodsman, has been recruiting a company of citizens to help Andrew Jackson to fight the enemy at New Orleans. Gilbert Seele, whose father owns the estate adjoining the Valette's has enlisted, unbeknown to his father, who has opposed his going away. Gilbert's father, who has purchased most of the Valette property, learning of Valette's poverty, desires to buy the Valette home. In spite of their previous business transactions, Valette and Steele are not on friendly terms. Steele sends Gilbert to Valette to negotiate the sale of Valette's home. While there. Gilbert meets Madeline. He immediately falls in love with her, and she, in her innocence returns it. Valette is angry at Gilbert for daring to expect love from a lady who was already betrothed. He also refuses to listen to Steele's proposition to buy his home. Gilbert is ordered from the house, enraged at the harsh treatment accorded him. Madeline, who fears that Gilbert is angry at her, runs after him to explain. She is unable to overtake him, but the thought of never seeing him again terrifies her and she continues to follow Gilbert. Gilbert is to join the recruits at sundown. He secretly leaves home, and Madeline, arriving there, finds him gone, but she does not give up her march. In the meantime. L'Acadienne has arrived, and meeting Raoul, she threatens to expose him. Raoul manages to persuade her to remain silent by telling her that his marriage with Madeline will not part them. This satisfies her. Raoul, seeing his opportunity for breaking the betrothal, asserts that Valette could not expect him to marry Madeline now. Valette allows him to depart. He is immediately joined by L'Acadienne and they return to New Orleans. Madeline's condition is serious. Her mind is afflicted by the shock, but her father does not relent, declaring that her condition is her punishment. Crawley's report is soon found to be false for Gilbert, Wolf and the recruits return. They have been victorious. Crawley, fearing Wolf's and the people's wrath, seeks aid from Father O'Mara, who promptly hands him over to Wolf and the people who are searching for him. Crawley receives a just punishment. Gilbert learns of Madeline's condition, and efforts are made to recover her reason. A plan is decided on, the result of which causes Madeline's recovery. Valette, learning the real facts, offers his sanction to the betrothal of Madeline and Gilbert.

Dir: Will S. Davis

Fernande marries a man and schemes to get his wealth when his expected death occurs. But he dies before he can change his will. She next tries to kill the son who inherits, but he outfoxes her.

Dir: Will S. Davis

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

Ruth Merrill and her father both are serving prison terms but her's is lighter and she is released. She becomes the wife of the wealthy Dr. Richard Boulton, who knows nothing of her past. Ruth's father escapes from prison and the unscrupulous detective, the same one who sent both to prison while knowing Ruth was innocent, is sent on Merrill's trail. The detective attempts to blackmail Ruth but is killed be her father, who runs away. Ruth is put through a third-degree grilling by the police and is accused of the crime.

Dir: Will S. Davis

Unhappy surroundings and cruel parents force Katinka Jenkins to lead a very dissatisfied existence. The mill foreman becomes attracted by her, and makes advances which Katinka resents. Joe Mercer, a worker, is in love with Katinka, but the desperate girl chooses Lindsay, the rich mill owner. The girl's father, in order to obtain a petty loan, promises his daughter's hand to Joel Brinker, a money lender, who forces his attentions until Katinka leaves home. Katinka, ignorant of the fact that Lindsay is already married, proceeds to live a gay and reckless life, never forgetting, however, to send her family enough money to live on. Later, through Lindsay's influence, Katinka becomes the famous "Madcap" dancer. A reform movement, headed by John Strong, is started, in order to stop Katinka's disgraceful performances. Katinka's extravagance forces Lindsay to borrow money in order to pay the mill hands' wages. Ignorant of Lindsay's financial condition, Katinka continues her reckless living. The men demand their wages, and a strike at the mill is barely averted. Believing John Strong, who has fallen in love with her sister, Olivia, to be a reformer in name only, Katinka invites him to join a gay party which is given by Lindsay in her honor. Strong is at first shocked, but the gaiety of the occasion, and Katinka's hospitality towards him, soon makes him forget the real purpose of his visit. The mill owner is unexpectedly called away as the strikers, on the verge of riot, are only held back by Joe Mercer's great influence with them. As Strong is making desperate love to Katinka, Olivia and her father enter, and Strong is shown up in his true colors. After all the others have gone, Brinker, who is also a guest at the party, remains and tells Katinka of Lindsay's financial condition, at the same time telling her of his great love for her. Remorseful, Katinka orders Brinker out of her home, and for the first time realizes how much her reckless life has cost. Joe Mercer learns of Katinka's affair with Lindsay. Losing control of himself, he returns and arouses the workers to riot. They attack Lindsay as he is leaving the mill. Lindsay's wife leaves him, and later the mills are destroyed by fire which makes his ruin complete. The unhappy Katinka learns of the life she has wrecked. Remorseful, she decides to end her misspent life by suicide. This is prevented by Joe Mercer. After strong persuasion, Katinka promises to reform, and become a nurse in the United States Army. Joe also enlists. Her reformation becomes complete when she shows great bravery in the yellow fever camp. Joe has been stricken with the disease and is aided to recover by Katinka. who at last realizes that love from the poor is far better than luxuries from the rich.

Dir: Will S. Davis

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

At a high society musicale, millionaire Gerry Simpson meets and falls in love with newspaper reporter Virginia Blake, whose disdain for the "idle rich" causes him to claim that he is a cub reporter on her paper. When the party is interrupted by the announcement that a burglar has stolen hostess Alice Woolworth's jewels, Virginia secures the button torn from the robber's coat by Mrs. Wentworth's pet monkey and is determined to solve the crime. Virginia begins to fall in love with Gerry, who has actually taken a job with the paper, but one day she notices that his coat is missing a button identical to the one that she obtained at the party. Believing him to be the thief, she searches his apartment and locates a cache of jewels. At that moment, however, Gerry's valet Rogers enters, and suspecting that she has discovered his guilt, he attacks her. After Gerry rescues Virginia, Rogers is imprisoned, and Gerry wins his girl's heart by promising to work hard as the editor of the newspaper he has just bought.

Dir: Will S. Davis

John Malvin Grey, a member of the New York Stock Exchange, pays court to Clara Fenton, who returns his affection. Miss Fenton, aspiring to extreme wealth and social distinction contrary to the dictates of her heart, accepts the proposal of marriage of Peter Vaughan, a millionaire of somewhat advanced years. Helen Barrington, possessing a secret attachment for Grey, finally becomes his wife, when he realizes that his affection for Miss Fenton can be of no avail. After her marriage to Vaughan, Clara, unable to subdue her deep love for Grey, at every opportune moment appears in his company, endeavoring to continue her love affair with him, despite the fact that she is now married. At a dinner she gives, Peter Vaughan is shocked to observe his wife's carrying-on and her persistent advances to Grey. At a climax, his attention being called to the affectionate attitude assumed by his wife toward Grey, his heart gives way, he collapses and expires. In widowhood, regardless of the fact that Grey now leads a happy married life as a beloved husband and father, she pursues her wiles and attention. Being repulsed by Grey, she conceives a plan of inveigling him with the aid of Ashton Cameron, in the purchase of Avalanche mining stock, and then to cause the market to drop, reducing Grey to all but ruin, coming to his assistance with her extreme wealth, raising the price of stock and restoring him to affluence. She engages in this plan, believing that thereby she will place Grey under everlasting obligations to her, and possibly serve her ends in having him abandon his wife, to assume relations with her. By various tricks and subterfuges, she arouses the suspicions and jealousy of Mrs. Grey, until the moment arrives, when, believing that her husband is carrying on a secret liaison with Mrs. Vaughan, she determines to divorce him. Grey's young sister Rose is in love with Philip Carlton, and throughout the entire play, reigns as the standby of Grey. Ashton Cameron, also in love with Rose, offers to assist Grey out of his difficulties on Avalanche stock, providing he uses his endeavors to procure Rose's consent to marry him. Grey refuses this assistance at the sacrifice of his sister's future happiness, and Cameron proceeds to carry out his agreement with Mrs. Vaughan to ruin Grey. Polly, a street waif who is injured in an accident by Grey's automobile, is adopted by him into the family as his charge. In the denouement at a gathering at the office of Shaw, Grey's family lawyer, Polly reveals that she has observed Grey repulse Mrs. Vaughan, and declare to her that he loves his wife and will have nothing to do with her. Mrs. Vaughn is confronted with the proof of her various intrigues and diabolical schemes to arouse Mrs. Grey's jealousy, and finally admits the true situation and her own despicable actions. Grey is reconciled to his wife, and Clara Vaughan is left to pursue her way in the world, rejected and alone.

Dir: Will S. Davis

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

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Will S. Davis

Richard Tremaine, by forging a letter, compromises Helene Blair brings about her divorce from her husband and her separation from her children, and then secures her consent to marry him. She discovers, then, that he already has a wife; that he it was who destroyed her home life by his slanderous lies; she starts out deliberately to revenge herself on him. This she does by inducing his son to fall in love with her. The father is then brought face to face with the dilemma of seeing his son marry a woman with whom he had been intimate, or having his own disgrace brought put into the light. The three finally meet in Helene's apartments, and the son is accidentally shot and killed by a revolver with which the father was attempting to end his own life. The father is charged with the murder of his son, and Helene is the chief witness against him. John Blair, Tremaine's counsel, learns from his wife's testimony of the perfidy of Tremaine. After the latter is sentenced to death, Helene, in a fit of remorse, tells Blair, with whom she is now reunited, that the killing was accidental. Tremaine is freed, and Helene goes back to her rightful place as Blair's wife.

Dir: Will S. Davis

Deserted by her husband, John Madison, because he incorrectly accuses her of having an affair, Mary Madison goes to her aunt's house to have her baby, and then loses her memory in a train wreck. John, however, hears that she has died, so he takes possession of their infant daughter. Years later, John has remarried and Mary has regained her memory, but she does not know that her daughter is still alive. When she learns how John prizes his daughter, she decides to gain revenge on him by disgracing her, so she plots to have the daughter seduced by an ex-convict who served time on a trumped-up charge. The ex-convict and the daughter fall in love, however, and after their marriage, Mary finds out that the woman she tried to ruin is her own daughter. A less vengeful Mary then goes to John and is reconciled with him.