The Definitive Watchlist Seeking the Same Brilliance as The Dawn of Freedom: Cult Guide

Dir: Theodore Marston

Unknown to Judith Ralston, her brother Budd and his wife Vera are counterfeiters. To escape Rayban, a secret service agent, they leave Judith at a little town in Virginia. One day while out horseback riding, Judith is injured and rescued by Boone Pendleton, who takes her to his cabin. Later, she receives instructions from her brother to go to the Ralston house and destroy anything that she sees. Rayban, suspicious of the girl, wires Washington to shadow her. Meanwhile, Rayban has arrested Budd, who escapes and returns to the house where he meets Judith. Learning of her brother's true occupation, Judith extracts a promise of reform from him before he eludes the secret service agent once again. Judith then informs Boone that she had no knowledge of her brother's business, and the two are married.

Dir: Theodore Marston

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

Lecherous theatrical manager Allan Bowen is shot and killed while attempting to rape Vera Hampton. Wade DeForrest, the son of a wealthy woman, is charged with murder. Wade's companion that evening, Shaler Spencer, once a prominent lawyer but now an idler who has squandered his brother Rod's inheritance, decides to confess to the killing if Wade's mother will pay Rod $100,000 the day Shaler enters "the black gate" - the door to the death chamber. Mrs. DeForrest agrees, but when Vera, who earlier was Shaler's lover, visits him and they reconcile, he announces his innocence. When he sees Mrs. DeForrest's tears, however, he admits that he did fire at Bowen. Later, Shaler discovers that the bullet in Bowen could not have come from his gun, then Wade confesses that he killed Bodwen out of jealousy because he had fallen for Vera after she left Shaler. In the end, Shaler and Vera decide to marry.

Dir: Theodore Marston

Surgeon Crisp announces to his student doctors and friends that he has solved the problem of limb-grafting, and shows proofs. Among those deeply interested is Mortmain, a friend of Dr. Crisp's. Mortmain is a gentleman of leisure and collector of rare art subjects and is heavily in debt to his friend, Cordon Russell. He is warned of that debt by Russell's lawyer, a friend of Mortmain's. While Russell at first has no desire to call in the loans, when the two men become rivals for the affections of Russel's ward, Bella Forsythe, things change. Knowing the weakness of her brother, Tom, Russell gives the latter a chance to fall into trouble, hoping to turn that fall into his own advantage. Tom falls into the trap and Russell uses this fall against Bella, who has become engaged to Mortmain. Meanwhile, Mortmain is told he is completely ruined by Flynt, Russell's lawyer. He curses Russell and his declaration that he would like to kill the man is overheard by Flaggs, the clerk of Flynt. Mortmain is informed of the murder of Russell, also that the police are after Tom Forsythe. Mortmain faints and in falling injures his hand terribly. Dr. Crisp informs him he must lose his hand and suggests he get another man's hand to graft upon the stump. He consents and Crisp finds a man who will give his hand, it is Tom Forsythe. During the operation Tom dies. Dr. Crisp has recognized Tom and keeps the news from Bella. Mortmain regaining consciousness after the operation, sees an uncanny vision of Flaggs and learns that Tom Forsythe, who gave him his hand died in the operation. He finally awakens from his terrible dream to learn that Tom is alive and well, and that the real murderer was Flaggs' while Mortmain's hand is his own.

Dir: Theodore Marston

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

First adaption of the 1847 Charlotte Brontë novel of the same name about a woman through stages of her life, from her abusive childhood at Gateshead Hall until she is able to marry her beloved.

Dir: Theodore Marston

Eve Leslie is becoming indolent. The fortune she has inherited has made her unwilling to stir about any more than is necessary. Adam Moore, a member of the National Guard, is called out to help defend the country. Eve doesn't want him to go. She doesn't see any sense in his going to the front, especially since he will be away from her and will not be able to take part in a number of parties that have been arranged. Petulantly, she sits down to read. One after the other come before her the exciting stories of heroines of the past. Comes the story of Sally Wells who braved Indians and wild animals to preserve a claim for her family. Sally Wells is followed by Margaret Brent, whose home was captured by pirates, bold men who fought first against her, then for her. Next follows the thrilling tale of Molly Pitcher, in all the glory of the battle of Monmouth, in which she manned a cannon herself and turned the tide of battle against the British. Eve finishes reading. Inspired by the actions of these great women she conquers the sin of sloth, cheers Adam as he leaves with his regiment and follows him to the battlefield as a Red Cross nurse. There she is tested, as were the brave women she read about, and she proves as true as they had been.

Dir: Theodore Marston

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

Realizing the folly and superficiality of society, Madeline Mischief, in the spirit of a wager, claims she could choose at random any man from the streets and make of him in a very short time a leader of society. Her friends laugh at her, but she determines to prove her contention and places one-half of a $100 bill in an envelope with a note reading: "If the finder of this is a woman, give it to the nearest man; if a man, call at Room 1798, Clarion Hotel, at once, for the other half of enclosed bill." Hanlick Smagg, a burly coal-heaver, finds the envelope and, after some hesitation, goes into the fashionable apartment house, still carrying his shovel. Then follow many amusing Incidents of Hanlick's introduction to society as a sociologist, for, although Hanlick proves very tractable, he is like a bull in a china shop. However, a barber, haberdasher and the necessary accoutrements of a gentleman convert Smagg into a very passable type, but his temporary breaks are only put down as eccentricity, for is he not studying the life of the "submerged tenth"? When he passes upon a painting, all listen breathlessly, and under Madeline's coaching he soon becomes a social lion. But the inevitable follows. Hanlick falls in love with Madeline, and Dolly Van Dream, her friend, falls in love with him. But Hanlick breaks up threatened complications by reverting to the old type and going back to the "submerged tenth," and coal-heaving. Finally he gets a job at the steel works, turns out a valuable invention and gains a fortune. Now a genuine man of the world, he once more meets Madeline, who has never forgotten him, and the joyful outcome is that he elopes with her, without opposition in the old caveman fashion and romantic way.

Dir: Theodore Marston

The Grand Duke is governor of Transcaspia, a Russian province, bordering the desert of Kara-Koom. His son Feodor, spurning Count Nikolai's daughter, Olga, loves Evelyn Burnham, an American girl whom he rescues from Abdallah, a Turk, who has kidnapped her. Evelyn and Feodor are married, and trying to escape, are captured. Feodor is sent to prison for trying to desert his post and Evelyn is sent to New York, where a child is born to her. Sixteen years later the great war is on. Feodor believes his wife is dead. He is sent to New York to buy ammunition and there meets Eve Leslie and Adam Moore. Eve has just learned that all her fortune comes from the manufacture of munitions. She does not believe in war and shuts down her enormous plant, depriving the Russians of one of their chief sources of supply. Feodor returns to Russia. While he was in the United States his wife, who had been told he was dead, had seen him with Olga and believed he had married Olga. Eve hears of Evelyn and of the child. She and Adam have heard from Feodor his story. All messages to Feodor are intercepted and Eve and Adam, with Evelyn, go to find him in Transcaspia. There exciting events occur. Feodor is about to wed Olga. Eve learns that Evelyn is her own mother. The Turks attack the Russians. Eve is near death, but Adam and Feodor, coming to the rescue in an armored motor with machine guns, save the day, and in the end love triumphs over wrath.

Dir: Theodore Marston

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

When Deputy US Marshal Frank Dalton is killed in the line of duty, his brothers Bob and Grat are appointed to replace him. However, when they discover corruption in the higher echelons of the Marshals Service, they resign in disgust. Grat is cheated by a crooked gambler and takes back his money at gunpoint, but that winds up getting them labeled as robbers. Grat is wrongly accused of train robbery and imprisoned. When he breaks out of prison he and his brother decide to take their revenge by actually robbing the express company that falsely accused him in the first place.

Dir: Theodore Marston

Eve Leslie and Adam Moore become interested in the stock market. Eve decides to try to add to her fortunes by plunging. Tempted by the sin of greed, Eve becomes reckless. At first she wins, then she begins to lose, and desperately tries to recover her losses. She meets Alma, who formerly was a party to illegal stock transactions, but who is now living an honorable life. Alma is discovered by Denton, who formerly was connected and who knows her history. Denton is wanted by the police. He blackmails Alma. Eve and Adam become involved with their friend, Alma, who hates Denton. Denton wants her to marry him and after she refuses, finally turns to Eve. Denton gives a sensational party, during which the men, as a stunt, put aside all their money and choose partners. Each couple is given a dime and told to go out into the city, spend it as adventurously as possible and return to tell their experiences. Eve is paired with Denton and Alma with Adam. The novel plan develops exciting incidents. Denton traps Eve. Alma and Adam return to rescue her. In the excitement, Denton is killed and Alma is wounded so that she loses her mind. Adam is arrested. Alma is the only person who saw the crime committed, but she is unable to testify. Adam is sentenced to death. In the denouement, after Adam seems to have been proved guilty, his life is saved and he returns to Eve, who forever is cured of the sin of greed.

Dir: Theodore Marston

Robin Hood and his followers aid the poor and oppressed from their hideout in Sherwood Forest, pursued by the Sheriff of Nottingham.