Hidden Genre Gems for Fans of The Gambling Fool: Cult Guide

Dir: Edward LeSaint

When famous opera singer Elinore Duane undergoes an operation on her throat, she has a series of ether-induced visions. In one, she is transported to ancient Rome where she appears as a much-admired woman in love with Paul, a young heretic, and at odds with Lutor, the high priest. To save her love, she poisons Lutor with her ring. After several other visions which involve variations on this love triangle, Elinore awakens to discover that Lutor is actually her doctor, Sascha Jaccard, and that Paul is the son of a friend who has come to visit the recovering prima donna.

Dir: J.P. McGowan

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

Two rival mountain clans that have been feuding for years begin a new battle over the moonshine whiskey trade. A young man and a girl from each of the different clans try to end the feud, and wind up falling for each other.

Dir: J.P. McGowan

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: J.P. McGowan

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

Episode 1: "Helen's Race with Death" Helen Holmes, age three, accompanies her father, General Holmes, president of the C.W.R.R., to the beach depot each morning as he departs for his office. The nurse takes her to the park, and while her erstwhile guardian chats with the family chauffeur Helen forms a chance acquaintance with a stray dog. The pup, unused to affection, runs away and Helen goes in pursuit. Nearby is a miniature railroad and Storm, an orphan newsboy, seeking to learn the mysteries of the small engine, has struck up an acquaintance with the engineer. Storm is ambitious; he has dreams of operating a real locomotive when he grows up. The miniature train pulls out with its load of passengers. The pup, with Helen in close pursuit, runs in front of the train. Throwing aside his newspapers, Storm dashes forward, and seizing Helen, throws her out of harm's way. Helen likes her rescuer and he tells her of his great ambition to run a big locomotive just like his father before an accident ended his life. Meantime the nurse and chauffeur gather Helen up and she waves a farewell to her new-found friend. The years roll by. Helen, raised in luxury, has developed into a beautiful young girl, in whom is centered all her father's affections. She receives a message from her father, telling her to meet him on No. 19, and that he is bringing home his nephew and a friend of the latter's. After years of disappointments and hard work, Storm has become a fireman on the road presided over by General Holmes. On this day he pulls out on No. 245 over the Black Rock Pass. Half way over the grade the air pump on his engine breaks. The long train is brought to a stop. Connecting up an emergency telephone, the conductor, talking to the dispatches receives orders to "bring on train by hand brakes." With the crew on decks, No. 245 is again in motion. Passing the summit, the crew realizes it can no longer control the long drag of cars, for the freight's speed has put it on the schedule of No. 19, the passenger aboard of which is General Holmes. The crew decides to cut off the caboose and escape, but Storm doggedly insists on sticking to the engine. Writing a message on a white signal flag and wrapping it around a wrench, the conductor hurls it through the window of the first telegraph office they pass. The operator wires news of the runaway to the next station, but it is too late; No. 19 has left. This put the passenger in the path of the runaway. Helen learns of the danger from the operator, where she is waiting. She rushes out and mounts her pony and rides for the bridge, but reaches it just as it is raised to permit the passage of a battleship. Digging her spurs into her mount, she makes a wild attempt to reach it, but fails. Into the river go horse and rider. As she rises to the surface Helen strikes out for the opposite shore. The two trains are drawing closer together. Arrived on shore, Helen mounts her pony and resumes her race with death. Down the track she gallops to a switch, the lock of which she breaks with a stone. Seizing the lever, she throws the switch as the head end of the freight thunders into the passing track. The hind end just clears the switch as the passenger tears by. At the far end of the passing track three box cars are standing. As Storm, still at his post, see the impending collision he jumps to safety. Helen rushes forward and picks up the gallant fireman. She has repaid her debt to her newsboy hero.

Dir: J.P. McGowan

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: J.P. McGowan

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

On the American frontier in the last decades of the 19th century, Billie is a female cowboy who fights a series of bad men in this film serial.

Dir: J.P. McGowan

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: J.P. McGowan

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

Hawke, Jr., son of a famous New York detective, is challenged by his father to capture "The Blackbirds," a gang of smugglers, finds himself stranded in Algiers. Aware of Hawke's presence, Bechel, the Blackbirds' leader, instructs his accomplice, Leonie Sobatsky, to become friendly with the Crockers, a nouveau riche couple, and later in America, exchange a fake Oriental rug for a $10,000 genuine one which they recently purchased from one of Bechel's contacts. On the steamer returning to the United States, Leonie meets Nevil Trask, an English jewel thief posing as a nobleman. After Hawke secures a position in the Crocker home in New York as a guard for their jewels, Leonie, who now loves Trask without knowing that he is a thief, decides not to switch the rugs, but Hawke, eager to capture Bechel, tricks Leonie into taking the antique. When she sees Trask stealing the Crockers' jewels, they both confess their crimes and plan to reform. Hawke overhears, and follows them to Bechel's headquarters, where he captures the leader. After Trask and Leonie promise to marry, Hawke sets them free.

Dir: Edgar Jones

A mail-order bride arrives at a Maine lumber camp but doesn't like her prospective husband.

Dir: J.P. McGowan

A train that is carrying the formula for a valuable form of granulated gasoline disappears before it reaches its destination. Railroad investigators and the authorities try to determine where it is and who took it.