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

Dir: [object Object]

John Douglas, a high-society playboy, is a cynic concerning the women of his social set, and has a pictured ideal of the girl of his dreams. Wising to avoid the upcoming social season, he hops a freighter bound for the Orient. It sinks in mid-ocean and he, as the sole survivor, is washed upon a island, where he is rescued by Nia, daughter of the tribal chief, Neto.John is puzzled as all of the tribe are white people, but he learns from the tribal chief they are descendent's of English-origin who also are on the island because of a ship wreck a few hundred years ago. John soon arouses the jealousy of Kaura, the tribal sub-chief who wants Nia as his bride, but Nia wants nothing to do with Nia, and favors John. Kaura demand that Nia become his bride, but John Rescues her and they head for the jungle, with Kaura and his henchmen in hot pursuit. The pursuit only lasts until a storm comes up and Kuara is killed by a bolt of lightning, and his followers take that as a sign the Gods aren't in favor of the pursuit. John and Nia take up residence in the Tribal Priest's jungle cave, after the Tribal Chief performs a marriage ceremony. They are quite happy and content, especially Nia who likes to play the harp John made for her. But a yacht appears on the horizon, and John struggles with a decision as to light a signal fire and be taken back to civilization.

Dir: [object Object]

Leander Potts, a burlesque manager, has brought his Frivolous Frolickers to Greenville for a one-night stand at the Opera House. But there are bigger things ahead for Leander in Greenville. The natives have mistaken him for the Potum of Swat, a sturdy centenarian, who with his daughters, ranging in age from 70 to 85 years, is to give a lecture on how to live a thousand years. Leander and his burlesquers are given a royal welcome, and then and there he decides to assume the identity of the real Potum.

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

Dir: [object Object]

When a young bride, newly entered into society, discovers she is pregnant, she consults an old friend on the most effective means of abortion. The friend gives her a potent drug, and that night the woman locks herself in her room, presses the potion bottle to her lips, falls across her bed and begins to dream. In her dream, her husband finds out about her abortion and demands a divorce. Years pass and the woman, now decrepit and alone, is visited by the ghost of her "Child-That-Might-Have-Been." The ghost takes her on a spiritual journey where she sees her husband, who is remarried and happy with his own family, hundreds of smiling babies wrapped in flowers in Babyland, and finally her own death and damnation. At her demise, she wakes from her nightmare, joyful to find the drug untouched, and rushes to tell her husband about her impending motherhood.

Dir: [object Object]

Yulita is known to the inhabitants of one of the South Sea islands as "The Peart of Paradise." Her father, Gomez, a Spanish fugitive from justice, has reared her in ignorance of the evils of the outside world. Piete Van Dekken, the captain of a Dutch schooner and the only other white man the girl has even seen, is infatuated with her. John Dellow and his fiancée on a yachting cruise are forced to jump from the yacht and the next morning Dellow is found on the beach by Yulita. Gomez orders John shot, but Yulita saves his life and Gomez tells Dellow of how years before he married an American girl after accidentally killing her husband and another man. They fled to the island and there the mother died shortly after Yulita was born. Later John realizes his love for the girl but also remembers that she is a child. Van Dekken comes to the island and engages in a fight over Yulita. Denise, Dellow's fiancée, is also saved and found by John, who takes her with him and leaves Yulita alone on the island. He then sees Yulita start out in a boat after them and plunge into the sea. Dellow awakens from his dream in time to save Yulita from Van Dekken and the next day sails for home with his "Pearl of Paradise."

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

Dir: [object Object]

Peggy Brockman's idyllic life with her oil-magnate father is disrupted when he remarries and arrives home with his bride and her two snobbish daughters. The new Mrs. Brockman reads that Lord George Raleigh is anchored off shore in his yacht, and regarding him as a possible conquest for one of her daughters, issues him an invitation to a garden party. In quest of his seclusion, his Lordship sends his butler Wiggins to attend in his place. Peggy is banned from the party, and in revenge, sneaks aboard the yacht where she meets the real lord who is enchanted by her. For her prank, Peggy is banished to college and the lord enrolls also. One night by mistake, Peggy climbs into the boys' dormitory and finds herself in Raleigh's room. To prevent a scandal, they elope, but on the way from the justice's house are arrested and thrown in jail. Peggy's horrified family arrives just in time to witness Lord Raleigh disclose his true identity and announce that Peggy is his bride.

Dir: [object Object]

When Bert Lyons (Hoot Gibson), returns to the Grainger spread from the "outside world," he learns his former employer is dead and the ranch in the possession of Stan Calvert (Joseph Harris), a notorious narcotics smuggler, and Blackie Lopez (Noble Johnson), a rustler who has his eyes on Molly Grainger (Gertrude Olmstead), Lyons' sweetheart. Bert tricks the outlaws as they are plotting his death and rescues Molly when she is kidnapped by Blackie. The gang is captured, and Lyons helps free Molly's brother Joe of a murder charge.

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

Dir: [object Object]

The "Kid'' is abroad. First he has a couple of rounds with old King Booze which results in his girl giving him a K. O. punch. In the big scene he fights a Frenchman who puts dope on his gloves which causes the Kid to be unable to see distinctly. He gropes around with his eyes nearly closed and takes a good beating while resting his eyes, but finally comes back with a mighty wallop and wins the fight.

Dir: [object Object]

Dan Blair, a retired cattle magnate's son, is one of the many youths of Red Rock, Montana who is attracted to soda water-stand operator Sarah Townley. One day, Dan partakes of six chocolate sodas in succession. When an operatic impresario, forced to stay in town overnight, hears Sarah sing at a church social, he signs her to be trained to become a diva. Three years later, after Dan's father has died, Dan visits Lord Galore, a family friend, in London and becomes involved with the Duchess of Breakwater, who, although she loves the lord, needs Dan's money. Dan hears the famous Letty Lane sing and recognizes Sarah. Although Dan courts Sarah, when he thinks that she loves Prince Ponitowsky of Russia, he proposes to the duchess. After he sees the duchess embrace Lord Galore, however, he breaks the engagement, to Sarah's relief. Joshua Ruggles, the friend and partner of Dan's father, arrives to look after Dan. After he falsely tells Sarah that Dan is broke and proposes to Sarah himself, he sees Sarah's true love for Dan and allows them to marry.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Girl Who Couldn't Grow Up perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: [object Object]

In New Orleans, Kid Roberts is lured to a rooming house just before the fight, where he is bound hand a foot, and it looks as though all bets would be forfeited. A free-for-all fight is staged as a preliminary, and while this is going on Kid Roberts gains his freedom and arrives in time for the feature event. At a given signal the lights of the hall were to be turned off, and this have his adversary a chance to knock the Kid out, in the second round. The Kid is mad clear through, however, and knocks his man through the ropes in the first round and wins the fight.

Dir: [object Object]

Kane is very much interested in a new sweetheart who is a professional skater. His old girl goes over to the enemy's camp and spurs on the rival by telling him that Kane insulted her. The fighter can hardly wait for the day set for the battle, but attacks Kane on the ice in Central Park. During the fight Kane is folded but refuses to accept the decision and goes on to a finish. He knocks out his opponent, but falls down from fatigue. The referee starts counting both fighters out, but reaching "nine" finds Kane recovered and upon his feet. The two girls then enter the ring and proceed to finish the battle.