Top-Tier Alternatives In the Shadow of The Devil on Horseback: Cult...

Dir: Vernon Stallings

Krazy Kat is held in jail and Ignatz finally bails him out after encountering "guilt".

Dir: Maurice Campbell

Carver Endicott, a young sophisticate, is rejected by his fiancée for being too foppish and dull. When she feigns an interest in his father, Carver attempts to disgrace his family name by working as a farmhand and later as a busboy in a hotel. However, the newspapers only praise him for his self-sacrificing principles; and finding that he cannot bring shame to the family through menial labor, he takes up with a notorious actress. But when this maneuver also fails, he returns to his former fiancée, who has no further complaint about his being an inexperienced dullard.

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

Dir: Malcolm St. Clair

A dancing instructor gets involved with a newly rich family.

Dir: Raoul Walsh

Dave Henderson, an orphan who has become the beneficiary of a rich man's will, falls in with race-track crooks Martin Tydeman and Bokky Sharvan who bilk him out of his $100,000 inheritance. In retaliation, Dave steals the money from Tydeman's safe, but is caught and sentenced to five years in jail. In prison, Dave becomes friendly with Millman, who is about to be released, and reveals the money's hiding place to him, arranging to rendezvous at the end of Dave's term. Once released, Dave is hounded by members of Tydeman's gang as well as the police, who are waiting for him to retrieve his bounty. While taking refuge at the house of Capriano, an old bomb maker, Dave falls in love with the old man's daughter Teresa. However, Capriano sets a trap for Dave, who awakens in a drugged state to find the $100,000 missing. With the help of Millman and Teresa, Dave recovers the money, turns it over to the police and resolves to go straight.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Don't Weaken! perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Richard Smith

Two female candidates for Chief of Police live across the hall from each other, and their political rivalry follows them home, leading to plenty of hi-jinks.

Dir: Hal Roach

An American book salesman (Lloyd) is persuaded to go to the kingdom of Thermosa to impersonate the Prince. He is greeted by a peasants' revolt before the real prince shows up to claim his throne and princess. The revolution succeeds, and the American is elected president of the new republic.

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

Dir: Lloyd Ingraham

While walking along the street one day, Arthur P. Hampton, an impoverished young doctor, and his chums, Stub Masters and Johnny Stokes, are persuaded to part with their last remaining funds by tag day solicitor Mary Jane Smith, with whom the doctor promptly falls in love. Doc's friends then hit upon a get-rich-quick scheme. Knowing that his Uncle George has promised a large sum of money upon his nephew's marriage, they persuade Doc to send out fake wedding invitations naming Mary Jane as the blushing bride. Uncle George, elated at the good news, writes to Mary Jane's aunt, Angelica Burns, an old sweetheart, to invite Mary Jane and Angelica to be his guests on an ocean voyage. Meanwhile, Mary Jane pays a visit to the doctor's office and, upon seeing the wedding invitations, becomes so flustered that she trips and sprains her ankle. Doc comes to her rescue and then begs her to pose as his wife. She agrees, but at ship-side, Stub and Johnnie confess all to Uncle George, who flies into a rage until Doc announces that he and Mary Jane have chosen a wedding at sea.

Dir: F. Martin Thornton

In Paris an orphan cartoonist loves a man with a mad wife, who dies in time to prevent her marriage to a jilted Comte.

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

Dir: Crane Wilbur

David McCare, the love liar, is a musical genius, the idol of society, hated by men and worshiped by women. He casts off his mistress, Margie Gay, for a new love, Diana Strongwell, an heiress. Margie pleads with him to take her back, but McCare gets rid of her through the services of Ludwig, his valet, and a broken-down musician. Ludwig is also in love with Margie. McCare marries Diana, much to the chagrin of Edna Carewe, a friend of Diana's, who is also attracted by the musician. They live happily for a short tune until McCare becomes discontented and makes advances to Edna. Meanwhile Margie finds the narrow path a stony one. A woman of the streets suggests the easiest way. Margie shrinks but finally consents. The first man she accosts is Ludwig, who leads her to her home and offers marriage. She is reluctant at first, but eventually agrees, and they are married. At a dinner dance given by Diana, she catches McCare making love to Edna. Diana denounces Edna and demands that she leave her home. McCare answers that if Edna goes he, too, will leave. And so husband and wife are parted. In time Diana divorces the "love liar" and he marries Edna. Diana advises Edna later that McCare is an overgrown child, and that in order to keep his love he must be pampered. A year passes. Edna, with the aid of Diana's advice, has made the "love liar" happy. One night in a café he sees Arlene Allaire, a hall-room dancer. At home Edna has given birth to a baby and though it will live, it is evident that its birth will bring death to the mother. Diana, who is at the side of Edna, rushes out to find McCare, and locates him in the café, where he has assumed the leadership of the orchestra and is directing Arlene's dance music. At the news of his wife's illness McCare is stricken with dumb surprise and hurries home. Edna dies in his arms. For days McCare lived in an abstracted mood, watched over by Ludwig and Diana. One day as he plays his violin a vision of Arlene passes before his eyes. He throws off hid brooding mood and goes back to the café and to Arlene. Her bills have been paid by McCare's checks until one day a number of them come back stamped "No Funds," and from that moment on Van Allen, who had been previously paying for everything for the dancer, finds himself again welcome at her apartments. It is here that McCare finds him one evening. The men fight; the police are called and McCare is arrested, but Arlene refuses to make any charge and McCare is simply put out into the street. Ludwig takes McCare home, and there Margie and he care for the wrecked man. But McCare cannot blot the image of Arlene from his mind and he returns to the café where Arlene is dancing, securing employment as a musician. Here Diana finds him. She begs him to tell her his troubles. He breaks down and confesses his love for Arlene. In time drink claimed him, too, and McCare sank lower. Time passed and McCare became desperate with love and jealousy. One night while Arlene is dancing a madness overcomes him. He dashes his violin to the floor, takes Arlene up in his arms and starts with her up the grand stairway to the café. The attendants attempt to overpower him, but he throws them off, and drawing a revolver, compels Arlene, who has scurried away, to come to the foot of the stairs. Covering the startled crowd, he speaks to Arlene, "You've taken all my heart, my honor, my manhood. At your feet I fling the dregs." He shoots himself and falls down the stairway to Arlene's feet. Diana took him home and the "love liar" lived another day, forever calling upon the name of she who had shown him Hell. Diana, ever his friend, went to Arlene's apartment and pleaded with her to come to McCare's bedside. She refuses at first, so Diana poured the contents of her purse at her feet. Thus bribed, Arlene consented to go, and in her arms the soul of the "love liar" passed. When all are gone and Diana is left alone with her dead, she takes him in her arms, for at last he belongs to her, to her alone.

Dir: Henry Edwards

A millionaire bets £25,000 that he can earn his own living for six months.