The Definitive Guide Inspired by the Vision of The French Doll: Cul...

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

A story that begins on the South African veldt and goes to the drawing rooms of fashionable London Society.

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Judge Not; or the Woman of Mona Diggings perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Impoverished Molly Hanlon is befriended by crooked gambler Lee Kirk, she marries him in a phony ceremony. While frequenting Kirk's gambling den, Molly meets Miles Rand, the dissolute son of Judge Rand, whose obvious attraction for her encourages Kirk to swindle him out of his money. Penniless, Miles accepts a loan from Molly and returns East to study law. On the day that Molly learns that her marriage is not legal, the gambling den burns down and Kirk is presumed dead. After escaping with Kirk's money, Molly goes East where she encounters Miles, now a district attorney. In spite of the objections of Judge Rand, Molly accepts Miles's proposal, but after Kirk arrives in town, she calls off the engagement. When Kirk enters her apartment through a window, Molly kills him in a panic and is arrested for murder. The still faithful Miles defends her in court, and after her acquittal, she confesses her past and reunites with her old love.

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

Wanting to escape from the drab life of the country, Helen Wayne moves to the big city and becomes a secretary for the Calder family. Just before beginning her new job, however, Helen meets a man who promises to take the hungry girl to dinner. When she goes to the prearranged meeting place, she is arrested and her name is put on the police record. Some time later, Helen and young Rand Calder fall in love. As they are about to announce their engagement, Martin Ingleton, the man who earlier had caused Helen's arrest, attempts to ruin Rand's business ventures. When all of the principals go to court to fight the issue, Ingleton recognizes Helen and tries to label her a woman of unworthy character. Instead of causing Rand to admonish her, however, Ingleton instigates Helen to tell the judge her story and she is exonerated.

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

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

Margaret MacLean, who has been saved from life in a wheelchair by the miracle of medicine, vows to devote her life to caring for crippled children. She becomes a nurse in the children's ward of Dr. MacLean's hospital, but after the beloved doctor's death, his son Bob returns home from abroad and decrees that he is closing the ward and that Margaret's little charges must leave the hospital. Furious, Margaret quits her job and storms out, with Bob in pursuit. As he rushes across the street, Bob is struck by a car and must be hospitalized. During his convalescence, he realizes that he is in love with Margaret and decides to have a home built for her and her patients. Unable to locate Margaret, Bob hires detectives, who find her and bring her to the home. There Margaret finds that all her dreams have come true as she sees her little charges happily living in their new home and gladly accepts Bob's proposal of marriage.

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

Ambrosia is a sweet little girl of tender heart and loving disposition, who lives near to nature in fancy and ideals. Her mother dies, and she is sent to an aunt in the city, whom Ambrosia calls "Aunt Grouchy," to be reared as her own child. The aunt is of dignified and austere disposition, far different from Ambrosia's dead mother, and the atmosphere is a decided change from the freedom of country life and the tenderness of mother love. Ambrosia makes friends with the boy next door, and these two greatly enjoy their romps and play together. Ambrosia's cousin is in love with a poor young man, and her mother objects to his attentions, desiring for her daughter an advantageous marriage, regardless of the girl's wishes or thoughts of love. "Aunt Grouchy" is a disciple of Hindu mystics, and consults the "Swami," seeking his aid. The "Swami" practices hypnotism upon the daughter of "Aunt Grouchy," influences her to send a note breaking off the affair with the young man, and finally kidnaps the girl and holds her for ransom. Ambrosia and the boy next door discover where the girl is being held prisoner and inform the police. While the kidnappers' den is being raided, the "Swami" is at "Aunt Grouchy's" in the act of collecting the ransom money, under guise of a tribute to the Buddhist's god, but when the Secret Service men arrive and arrest him, his true character is exposed. The raid is accomplished at a critical moment, the girl is saved from harm, and when "Aunt Grouchy's" eyes are opened she realizes her past shortcomings. Conquering her proud disposition, she gives her sanction to her daughter's marriage to the poor young man, and Ambrosia lives happily ever after.

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

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

The cabaret act of husband-and-wife dancing team Peggy and Joe Blondin is broken up when Joe becomes consumptive and is ordered West to recuperate. Peggy remains in New York to maintain the couple's income but gradually becomes desperate when letters sent her by her husband request more and more money. Joe's letters actually are being intercepted and rewritten by millionaire Harlan Quinn, who has designs on Peggy and wishes to portray Joe's situation as hopeless. After receiving a particularly alarming letter, Peggy consents to sell her honor to Harlan, but Joe arrives, fully recovered, just as the villain knocks on her door. The two men fight until Peggy's stepfather, a drug addict who has been acting as Harlan's dupe, shoots Quinn. The police arrive and shoot the old man, after which Peggy and Joe begin a new life together.

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

Count Oudoff, a fortune-hunting European nobleman, marries a wealthy American widow and brings his new wife and her pretty young daughter Lianne back to Paris. When word gets around that Lianne stands to inherit a good deal of money when her rich grandmother passes away, every gold-digging nobleman in Paris sets his sights on her, but she's waiting for a special "prince" to sweep her away. When her distant cousin Basil arrives from Amerca on a mission from her grandmother to investigate the young girl's situation, Lianne believes that she might have finally found the "prince" she has sought.

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

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

Living with her drunkard father in the North Woods mountains, Betty Yarnell is shunned by the villagers whenever she ventures out to pick up her father from Abner Grimp's saloon, and her only friend is a little lamb. In debt to Abner, John Yarnell signs a note turning over his daughter to Abner in return for unlimited drinks. When Abner goes to the cabin to claim Betty, revenue officer Ralph McGibbon arrives from the city and rescues her. Abner sends his Indian partner Dark Cloud, but Ralph rescues Betty again, although he is badly beaten up. Betty nurses Ralph, and even sacrifices her lamb to prepare broth for him. The sheriff decides to auction off Betty to the highest bidder. Abner demands that she be turned over to him, but Ralph fights him and manages to win Betty.

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

Moralistic Aunt Elvira, has raised Elena Evans and believes that because of Elena's mother, Elena possesses "the scarlet strain." Aunt Elvira scolds Elena when the youngster is caught flirting with Van Presby. Elena and Van sneak out to a movie and then return home where Aunt Elvira demands that they get married. Van's uncle, Harvey Presby, prevents the hurried marriage and takes Elena to the home of Van's mother Edith Presby. Mrs. Presby accepts Elena and sends Van off to college. When Mrs. Presby discovers that Uncle Harvey, in whom she is interested herself, has developed an interest in Elena, she plans to marry Elena off to Joseph Fleming. Elena later rebels and refuses to marry Joseph. Van returns from college, and in a drunken state tries to take advantage of Elena. Uncle Harvey rescues her and marries Elena himself. "The scarlet strain" turns out to be the sin of a second marriage.

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

A poor hat-check girl loses her job and is forced to get a job as a dancer at a roadhouse. There she falls in love with the son of a rich businessman. The boy's father, believing her to be after the family's money, determines to embarrass her and show his son what she really is.