Essential Cult Cinema Mirroring the Impact of The Feast of Life: Cult Guide

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Mildred White becomes romantically involved with both Derwent Ainsworth and Dr. Mario Martinez while in Paris. She prefers Derwent, but when he leaves suddenly to see his dying father, Mario convinces Mildred that he has deserted her. When World War I begins, Derwent returns for Mildred, but upon learning that she is leaving Paris with Mario, he enlists in the army. Mildred discovers Mario's initial deception and joins the Red Cross to be near Derwent, who is blinded in battle and then tended to by Mildred. Unaware of the true identity of his nurse, Derwent falls in love with her, and the two are soon married. Mildred then prevails upon Mario to perform a special operation on Derwent's eyes. His vision restored, Derwent realizes that Mildred has returned to him, while Mario, after helping his former rival, dies in battle.

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

Lily Bart loves Lawrence Selden, a lawyer of moderate means, but she is also pursued by Simon Rosedale, a wealthy businessman, and Augustus Trenor-Dorset, a married man. When Dorset's wife Bertha announces that she is going to the country (although she really plans to meet Ned Silverton, with whom she is having an affair), Dorset asks Lily to dine at his home. Alone with him at the house, she rejects his advances, but when Mrs. Dorset returns, she publicly insults Lily, forcing her to move to another town. Lily's aunt dies and leaves her penniless, whereupon she reluctantly begins to seek employment. She is about to kill herself when Selden, who has never stopped loving her, enters the room and convinces her to marry him.

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A crook bungles his biggest job, and when the police are put on his trail, he becomes hopelessly lost and commits suicide.

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

Jean Valjean, a good man convicted of a minor crime, escapes from imprisonment and spends the rest of his life running from the vindictive and implacable man of the law, Javert.

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First feature length French film adaptation of the story of former convict Jean Valjean who is hunted down by ruthless inspector Javert in mid 19th century France. Released in four parts, like a serial.

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A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Les Misérables, Part 1: Jean Valjean perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Orphaned Mimi (Alice Brady) is taken in by a drunken innkeeper and becomes a maid. She meets Rudolphe (Paul Capellani), heir of a upper-class family, who rescues her from the unwanted advances of a drunken hotel guest. They fall madly in love, but Rudolphe's uncle, M. Durandin, wants Rudolphe to marry a family friend, Madame De Rouvre, and writes Mimi a letter, telling her that she is ruining Rudolphe's life. Musette and Marcel, friends of Mimi, also try to break up the romance by introducing Mimi to other men, and Rudolphe becomes jealous and leaves her. Shattered, Mimi declines in health and eventually throws herself into the river but is rescued and taken to the hospital. Realizing it is only a matter of time before she dies, she drags herself back to the room where she and Rudolphe were happiest. Rudolphe is there and she dies knowing that he loves her.

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Marguerite Gautier, known as "Camille" on account of her fondness for camellias, is queen of the underworld. She has a wealthy lover in Count de Varville, whom, though he supplies her with plenty of money, she does not love in return. Her affections are set upon Armand, a young lawyer from the country. She suffers from her excesses, and the doctor warns her that she must change her mode of living, but she laughs at his advice. Armand's love for her renews her interest in life, and she goes with him and lives quietly in the country. But their happiness is short. Camille has had to sell her jewelry and horses in order to pay her debts, and, learning of this, Armand becomes suspicious. Armand's father, hearing of his son's attachment for Camille, demands that the woman should abandon Armand. For the sake of Armand's young sister, Cecile, Camille agrees to sacrifice herself and returns to her former life with Count de Varville. But Armand's love for Camille will not be suppressed. They meet again. He begs Camille to go away with him. She refuses. Armand accuses her of loving de Varville. The two men meet and quarrel. There is a duel, and Armand wounds de Varville. Armand learns that Camille always loved him and that her aim was to please the father by preserving Armand's family's good name. In the end Camille dies with a smile on her lips and expressing her love for Armand.

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

Based on Robert W. Chambers' novel about New York CIty life among the upper crust: Artist/model and philosopher Valerie West undergoes much sorrow and joy,many trials and tribulations ,and final triumph on her journey to become the living personification of sweet, noble womanhood.

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The scene takes place in Paris in March 1793 during the Reign of Terror. The Knight of Maison-Rouge, posing as Citizen Morand, is organizing the escape of Queen Marie-Antoinette. He is assisted in his undertaking by Dixmer, a master tanner who passes himself off as an ardent revolutionary and his wife Geneviève, who also happens to be the Knight's sister. While on mission with her brother, she is saved from arrest thanks to the intervention of Lieutenant Maurice Lindey. Geneviève, who is married without love to Dixmer, falls for the young man, who requites her love. A tunnel is dug between a house rented by Dixmer and the Tower of the Temple but the various attempts to rescue the queen attempts fail. Marie-Antoinette risks the guillotine. Lindey finds himself involved in the plot.

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During the latter part of the reign of Louis XVIII, in France, Ambrose, an aristocrat, loves Jeanne Mailloche, a peasant girl, but is compelled to marry his cousin, Alice de Fontelles, to preserve their respective estates. Jeanne dies soon after, leaving a son, who is kidnapped and raised by a band of ruffians. Alice's son, receiving every advantage, is raised as an aristocrat. Twenty years later, at the time Napoleon was in exile, the young aristocrat, Victor by name, becomes a captain in the King's army. His half-brother, Rabat, son of Jeanne, has degenerated into a criminal, with a price on his head. Strangely enough, they look exactly alike, though neither knows of the whereabouts of the other. In fact, Rabat is ignorant of Victor's existence. The young Captain is told of Rabat's existence by his father when the latter is on his death bed. Victor is engaged to Lucille, the niece of Munier, who is Victor's father's secretary. Munier becomes associated with the conspirators, who are seeking to place Napoleon on the throne of France. In Munier's endeavor to steal the funds of the conspirators, he becomes associated with Rabat, the criminal. Victor is called to the army, and arranges with Lucile for their final adieu at the diligence office. Being unaware of the existence of Rabat. Lucile believes her lover guilty of the murder which she sees Rabat commit at the meeting place appointed by Victor. Rabat's face in the moonlight almost causes Lucile to abandon all faith in Victor. Victor is arrested for the murder, but before his execution, Lucile learns the truth concerning Rabat and forces her uncle, who has acknowledged his connection with the murder committed by Rabat, to intercede. This stays Victor's execution as a murderer, but as Napoleon has returned to power. Victor is arrested as a political prisoner, and ordered to be shot. Victor's release as the murderer has caused the arrest of Rabat for that offense. He is to be beheaded. Both Rabat and Victor's executions are scheduled for the same day. Lucile, knowing of her uncle's part in the actual murder, forces him to intercede with Napoleon, thus saving the life of Victor. Later, Victor meets Rabat, his half-brother, for the first time, and inspires him with the necessary confidence to face his death. Munier escapes from the country and with Napoleon's pardon for his political offenses, Victor and Lucile are happily married.