The Cult Collection Inspired by the Vision of The Forbidden Woman: ...

Dir: Harry Garson

Bored with his daily routine, Breckenridge Gamble accepts a secret mission from some oil magnates to deliver a message to President Losada of the South American Republic of Centralia. Upon his arrival, Gamble learns from Angela, the president's daughter, that her father has been imprisoned by Cortez, the leader of the revolutionaries. Gamble also is imprisoned but frees all the prisoners as well as himself by impersonating the prison comandante. After forming an army, Gamble delivers the message--a large money draft sufficient to pay the army and secure President Losada's government--and is rewarded with Angela's love.

Dir: Harry Garson

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

Following a night of particularly wild dissipation, Charles Meredyth decides to cure his son, Gallop, of his convivial habits, tells him that he has killed a taxi driver, and offers to help him escape. Gallop lands in a small southwestern town whose only inhabitants are its founder, Granville Truce; his daughter, Pauline; and a gang of Mexican bandits. Gallop discovers that Truce has developed a rust remover from cactus oil and markets the product. While routing the bandits, Gallop puts the town on the map and a ring on Pauline's finger.

Dir: Harry Garson

Marta Estevan is ready to leave the convent where she has been reared. Dona Luisa Artega, mother of Rafael and the young girl's guardian, arranges a marriage between the two, because she thinks that Marta's influence will rescue her son from the wild life he is leading and make a man of him. Marta rescues the American Bryton, when he is attacked by Indians, and falls in love with him. Rafael's mother sends Bryton away by telling him that the girl has entered a convent for life, and after telling Marta that Bryton had been killed on the trail she exacts a vow from the girl that she will marry her son. Marta marries Rafael. Bryton comes back after the marriage and after Marta has found out the true character of her husband. The story moves on from this point to a happy ending, but with much action of tense and strenuous nature in between. - Moving Picture World, May 15, 1920.

Dir: Harry Garson

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

John Craig, while rummaging through an old trunk, is reminded of his first sweetheart, Mary Ellen Anderson. A flashback shows their childhood together, their association while working on a local newspaper, and her assistance in preventing swindler Stuffy Shade from framing John as the perpetrator of a fraudulent oil venture. John ultimately discovers oil on the land in question and becomes the town hero. His dream ends when his wife, Mary Ellen, enters the attic with their two children.

Dir: Harry Garson

Phillip Griswold kidnaps his brother William's daughter for ransom, and frames Christmas tree peddler Pietro Balletti for it. In the course of hunting for Pietro, William accidentally kills the Italian's daughter.

Dir: Harry Garson

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

Joe Hanrahan, a tough patrolman, warns fight promoter Burke to repair the shaky gallery in his arena. Burke does not comply with this order, and Joe is suspended from the force for fighting in public with Battling Kennedy, Joe's rival for the affections of Marie Ducette. Burke then matches Joe and Kennedy in an exhibition bout in his arena. Joe knocks out Kennedy and, when the gallery collapses, injuring several people, arrests Burke. Joe is reinstated on the force and wins Marie.

Dir: Harry Garson

Joe Mulhall, a city fireman, and Otto Nelson, pride of the police force, vie for the hand of Nora McCarron. Joe and Rizzoli ring in a fire alarm in the industrial district, and Joe makes a daring rescue of two women, delivering them to Rizzoli. Officer Nelson, attracted to the scene, falls onto Joe from the roof, knocks him out, and makes a rescue; the newspapers give Nelson all the credit, and his stock rises with Nora. Joe asks Nora to the Fire and Police Ball, but he is delayed and she goes with Nelson; furthermore he disgraces himself by spilling refreshments on the mayor and the commissioner. That night Nora feels sorry for him and signals him from her window. In her father's office she is captured by two burglars; Nelson investigates and is knocked unconscious. Joe arrives, overcomes the burglars as they dynamite the safe, and wins the favor of Nora.

Dir: Harry Garson

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

Joe Regan, a kindly traffic cop, comes home with presents for Jerry Murphy, his young ward, and discovers that the boy has been hit by a car. The doctors advise a sea cure, and Joe takes Jerry to a seaside resort, where they meet Alicia Davidson. Joe falls in love with the girl, but her mother opposes the romance, disapproving of Joe's low social station. Joe later saves the entire Davidson family from certain death when the brakes of their car fail on a mountain road, and Mrs. Davidson then gives her grateful consent to a match between Joe and Alicia.

Dir: Harry Garson

Norma Harvey, a newspaperwoman who devotes much of her time to relieving the sufferings of slum children, still loves her childhood sweetheart, Craig Dunlap, a lawyer who tries to cover up his wife's kleptomania by bribing a witness at her trial. Dunlap, however, is exposed and disbarred. While working in the slums, Norma encounters him in a disreputable dive and takes him to her home along with little Mazie, a blind orphan. Two gossipy neighbors declare her morally unfit, and the child is removed from her custody. On Norma's advice, Dunlap decides to give his wife another chance, but he demands a divorce when he finds her rough-housing with friends. She refuses, but when he threatens to allow her to be arrested for the theft of a fur, she consents. After proving her worthiness, Norma regains the child and finds happiness with Craig.

Dir: Harry Garson

Zoe Blundell, peeved at the seeming negligence of her husband Theodore, retaliates by spending most of her evenings away from home, usually in the company of men. Theodore, not sufficiently impressed with the truth of the old adage, "There is safety in number," takes issue with her, with the result that quarrel after quarrel occurs. Hon. Peter Mottram, an old friend of Theodore's, attempts to establish a reconciliation between them and almost succeeds, until Zoe's petulance overturns his plans, and a wider breach than even is the result. Finally they separate and Zoe goes to Italy, where she is followed by an old flame, Leonard Ferris, who seeks to bring about a divorce between Zoe and her husband. In the meantime Theodore has found that although experience seems to have proved that it is impossible to live with a woman, neither can he live without one, and he is discovered living in a flat with a pretty young widow, Mrs. Annerly. Several complications occur, involving Leonard Ferris and Ethel Pierpont, whose mother has been angling for Ferris as a son-in-law. Peter Mottram again steps in and this time succeeds in bringing about a reconciliation between the estranged pair. - Moving Picture World, September 25, 1920.