The Global Archive For Devotees of The Final Judgment: Cult Guide

Dir: Edwin Carewe

Standish, an artist, finishes a painting of the Madonna. His wife, Mary, acted as model, and when the Connoisseur and the Parishioner inspect the picture, the former tells Standish that he recognizes in the model a one-time paramour of his. The Connoisseur and the Parishioner buy the painting and after their departure Standish upbraids his wife, who tells him that she believed herself legally married to the Connoisseur. Standish refuses to accept her explanation and ejects her and their baby son. Mary leaves her boy on the steps of a monastery, and seventeen years later, just before becoming a monk, he receives permission to see the world. He wanders into a gay café and succumbs to the charms of Beauty. The other inmates of the place, Lust, Rum, Avarice and Passion are dancing around him when the proprietor enters. It is Mary, his mother. She recognizes him from the crucifix which he wears and which she left with him when he was a baby. Without revealing her identity she persuades him to go back and later when he has become a priest, a bedraggled old woman (his mother) enters his church. She recognizes him and just before she dies her son gives her absolution.

Dir: Edwin Carewe

David Langford, a member of the firm of Keegles and Langford, hardware merchants, has a violent quarrel with his partner, and kills him. Ned, Mr. Keegles' son, who has been expelled from college, returns on the night of the murder, and is suspected of the crime. He leaves for the west, where he becomes known as "Dakota." "Texas" Blanca, a Mexican, and John Duncan blacken the name of "Dakota" by unjustly accusing him of cattle stealing. Later, "Dakota" aids a young girl named Sheila during a thunderstorm, and he subsequently learns that she is the daughter of Langford, the murderer of his father. In revenge he forces her to marry him, and then she leaves for the Double R ranch, which her father has purchased. "Dakota" becomes implicated in a number of other diabolical plots, but emerges triumphant, and the climax of the drama shows him and Sheila living happily as man and wife.

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

Dir: Edwin Carewe

Proud Confederate Captain Covington Halliday refuses to allow his daughter Martha to marry Northern lawyer Walter Lewis. As a boy, Covington was given an African American servant named Dan, who has always called him "Marse Covington." After the Civil War, Dan refused his freedom and stood by Covington, sharing his misfortunes. Jim Daly, who holds the mortgage on Halliday House, also wants to marry Martha, so he schemes with gambler Edward Bantree to fix a race in which Covington has wagered all his property on his beloved horse, Bess. Although Bess loses, Martha refuses to marry Jim to reclaim her family home. She moves to New York City with her father and Dan, but their savings are soon exhausted and Covington is forced to stand in bread lines. After Dan goes to work for Edward, he learns about the plot to fix the race. He tells Walter, who is later hired to defend Edward for Jim's murder. In lieu of cash, Walter demands the Halliday House deed as payment. Covington returns to his home with Dan, and gives Walter his blessing to marry Martha.

Dir: Edwin Carewe

The Escott family, on their way to Montana, is attacked by Indians. Army Lt. Joe Lanier afterwards finds little Elsie Escott, the only survivor, and brings her to his mother, who takes in the girl and raises her. Joe later leaves the army and becomes a successful miner, and over the years as he sees Elsie grow into a woman, he falls in love with her. Soon, however, a handsome stranger named Bob Stanton becomes his rival for Elsie's affections, and when Joe becomes jealous Elsie gets angry and makes plans to elope with Stanton. However, a war with Spain complicates everything.

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

Dir: Edwin Carewe

When her mother, the operatic idol of Paris, takes her to the United States and dies, Cora goes to live with Marie, a model for artist George Garnier. Although George is engaged to wealthy Helen Van Brooks, who is in love with Carl Wilson, a club-man, George and Cora fall in love. When Cora discovers the engagement, however, she leaves and becomes an opera star. Years later, after breaking his engagement, George visits Cora again, causing Mrs. Van Brooks to entreat Cora to give up George. At a wild party, Cora allows Jose, her long-time admirer, to make love to her, which provokes George's disgust until Marie explains Cora's behavior. When Jose, alone with Cora, attacks her, George and Marie burst in to see Jose, hit by a wine cooler hurled by Cora, fall backward through a window, fall to the street and die. After they learn that Helen and Wilson have eloped, Cora and George are able to marry.

Dir: Edwin Carewe

Sylvia Mason, a mysterious girl, lives in a cabin by herself and sells her bead work to the visitors at a large hotel nearby. At the hotel, Sylvia meets Easterner Henry Hilliard, who falls in love with her, but she refuses to marry him and will not explain her reasons. Thus Henry returns East without learning that Sylvia's father had been murdered by his private secretary Jack Leslie in revenge for her refusal to marry him. One night after Henry's departure, Leslie, now known as the outlaw "The Shadow", breaks into Sylvia's cabin. There is a struggle that leaves Sylvia unconscious, and when she awakens she finds a note claiming that because Leslie has violated her, she must marry him. Meanwhile Henry's mother, horrified that her son wants to marry this strange girl, informs Sylvia that their marriage would destroy him. Sylvia agrees to give up Henry, but he learns her story from Padre Constantine and goes to search for her. Sylvia has gone to Leslie and Henry follows. In the ensuing fight, Henry forces Leslie to admit with his dying breath that he has lied to Sylvia.

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

Dir: Edwin Carewe

A woman marries a German immigrant in New York, but loses him when her soiled past is revealed. He returns to Germany after the beginning of the First World War, where he becomes a high-ranking officer in the German army. His wife joins the Red Cross and, in a combat hospital, discovers her wounded husband. Her love for both her husband and her country lead her to a great sacrifice.

Dir: Edwin Carewe

John Wheeler, a traction magnate, becomes heavily involved and is obliged to sell a large timber tract he owns in the Hudson Bay district. He owns the property jointly with Henri Corteau, and the deed is filed in the office of Magistrate Le Blanc, at Chalet. Bruce Mitchell, a wealthy young man about town, who is infatuated with Lois Wheeler, the madcap daughter of Wheeler, readily agrees to take over the property. In the northland the elder Corteau has died suddenly, and the Magistrate's office, together with the Wheeler-Corteau deed, is destroyed by fire. The Magistrate receives word of the transfer between Wheeler and Mitchell and he sends for Jean Corteau, the son and heir of the late Henri Corteau, and asks him for the deed his father held, telling him he wishes to make a copy of it. When he adds that it is the only copy in existence, Jean walks out, saying he intends to keep the land himself. Meantime Mitchell has pressed his suit for the hand of Lois, and she takes a violent dislike to him. She resents it because he tries to make plain that her father is under obligations to him. Soon afterward Mitchell goes to Wheeler and wants to know why the deed has not arrived. Wheeler hopelessly shows him a letter from the Magistrate, telling of Jean's action. Mitchell threatens to jail Wheeler, accusing him of obtaining money under false pretenses. Lois overhears the threat and also Mitchell's offer to let the matter drop if Lois will marry him. Lois agrees to this proposal providing her father's innocence cannot be proved. Lois goes to the northland and seeks out Jean. He will not see her, saying he will not have any dealings with women. The next day she sets out, dressed in boy's clothes, on a dog sled for Jean's home in the forest. Pierre, a guide, accompanies her. They arrive in sight of Jean's cabin at nightfall, when Pierre attempts to force his attentions upon Lois. She flees and seeks refuge in Jean's cabin, stumbling in his door in a faint. Later, she tells Jean she has become lest from a lumber camp, and asks if she may remain a while with him. He tells her he has always wanted a boy companion and helper, and that since she came like a "wounded snowbird" to his cabin, she may stay. Although Jean is brutal and primitive in many ways Lois soon finds he has a gentle nature. The next day Jean discovers Lois is a girl, when her fair falls out from under her cap. She confesses her identity and he is angry. But he consents to her remaining, and he fetches some of his mother's clothes for her. Her one desire to get the deed is realized when she is dressing and finds the document hidden away behind a small mirror on the wall. That night she urges Jean to drink heavily, hoping to get away. He becomes fascinated with her and tells her he is going to save her father. He reaches for the deed and finds it gone. Her manner betrays Lois, and she confesses having the paper. Meanwhile Mitchell and Wheeler have come north in search of Lois. Pierre tells Mitchell she is living with Jean. In a jealous rage he goes to seek out Lois. He has Wheeler arrested and then sets out for Jean's cabin. Arrived there he sarcastically accuses Lois of a common liaison with Jean. Jean demands that Mitchell apologize. He refuses and they fight. Both are seriously wounded. Mitchell staggers out of the cabin in the snow. Lois, left with the unconscious Jean, decides to steal the deed and leave. On the edge of a cliff Lois sees Mitchell fall to his death. Then a vision of Jean left alone in his helpless condition comes to her. She turns back and joins Jean. She nurses him back to strength and they go to the aid of Wheeler, intending to marry and live in New York. But after they are wed they hearken to the call of the north, and go back to the life where their love was born.

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

Dir: Edwin Carewe

Big-hearted Prue, living in the slums, and Danny O'Maddigan, a reformed crook, want to buy a birthday cake for Prue's 75-year-old grandmother. They live across the hall from Ellen Rutherford, the destitute widow of Steven Rutherford, Jr., who was disinherited by his father, a wealthy candy manufacturer. Prue, who works at the candy factory, gives Ellen the money that was meant for her grandmother's cake so Ellen will be able to care for her son Bobby. Frustrated over the loss of the money, Danny steals the price of a cake from the factory's safe, leaving the safe's door open in his haste to depart. Danny's former gang arrives and cleans out the safe, and Danny is convicted of the crime and sent to prison for four years. While Danny is in prison, Bobby is struck by his grandfather's car and slightly injured. Stricken with remorse, Mr. Rutherford effects a reconciliation with his daughter-in-law and promises to use his influence to bring about Danny's release from prison.

Dir: Edwin Carewe

Corporal Blake is sent to apprehend the murderer of François Breault. All evidence points to Jan Thoreau as the guilty man. Blake arrives at Thoreau's cabin while he is away and is greeted by his wife Marie. Posing as a friend of her husband, Blake learns that Thoreau and Breault had quarreled shortly before the murder. This, together with Breault's dying accusation that Thoreau was his murderer, seems undeniable evidence. Blake, fascinated by Marie, agrees to let Thoreau escape, providing that she become his mistress. After much anguish, she consents. When Thoreau arrives, Blake arrests him, but during the night Marie helps him escape. Blake goes in pursuit. Meanwhile, officers at the post have received the dying confession of Pastamoo that he committed the murder. They hurry to Thoreau's cabin where the chase has led pursuer and pursued around in a circle and back to the cabin. Blake mistakes another officer for Thoreau and fires at him. The officer returns the shot, killing Blake. Thoreau and Marie then learn that they are free from suspicion.