Underground Favorites Mirroring the Impact of The Forbidden Lover: ...

Dir: Nat G. Deverich

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

Peggy Martin and her father need mortgage money from the oil well leased to a shady promoter, Brill, who receives a bribe from the foreclosing landlord to suspend the working, and also, by faking the well, which he knows is barren, scoops a profit on the shares. Peggy has a madcap girl friend, Tex, who goes to "vamp" Brill in order to save the Martins. Tex is saved from Brill's clutches by Billy, a young man whom Peggy knows by correspondence only. The landlord fires the well out of revenge, and Peggy is saved from its summit by a rope from an airplane containing Billy and a friend. The land is bought by a company, and the lovers come together.

Dir: Nat G. Deverich

Jimmy Ryder, full of dreams of conquering the world, marries Pidgie and together they go to the city to make their fortune, but fortune refuses to smile on them and they're reduced to living in poverty. One day Jimmy encounters Claire Barry, an old friend who retains an unrequited love for him, although she has since married the wealthy John Barry. Claire persuades her husband to finance Jimmy's oil-drilling explorations in return for a percentage of the profits. His first attempt fails, but Pidgie continues to lend her sympathy and support to her husband even though she is hurt at the growing attachment between Jimmy and Claire. After another attempt, Jimmy finally realizes his dream of wealth and success, until one day he overhears Pidgie comment that she has been living an invisible divorce. Finally realizing that the one thing he lacks is the consuming love he shared with Pidgie, he begs her forgiveness.