The Definitive Guide Inspired by the Vision of The Girl from Nowher...

Dir: George Archainbaud

Bess Hulette is disappointed and feels ignored when her husband Aleck accepts a partnership in an ad agency owned by Stephen Graves. She tells her neighbor, Mrs. Leonard, about her predicament. One day a young woman, Dorothy Delamore, is injured in a car accident just outside the Hulettes' home. Bess meets Dorothy's brother, Jack, who is attracted to her. Noticing his attraction, Mrs. Leonard--who is cheating on her own husband--urges Bess to take up with Jack. Still feeling ignored by her husband, Bess accepts an invitation to a party at Jack's house, but finds out that things aren't exactly what they seem.

Dir: George Archainbaud

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

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: George Archainbaud

Dr. David Carewe's already unhappy marriage is made worse when his wife Helen's refuses to have children. Helen poses as the wife of gambler Robert Spencer in Europe, while David falls in love with Spencer's wife Madeline. When news reaches David that Spencer and his supposed wife have been killed, he weds Madeline and they have a daughter, June. Helen suddenly reappears, but David renounces her and continues to live happily with Madeline. Eighteen years later, June falls in love with a young man who is revealed as the son of Spencer and a woman to whom he was married before Madeline. Rather than ruin the budding romance, Madeline asks Helen to pose as June's mother, which restores June's name and allows the young lovers to marry.

Dir: Bruno Ziener

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

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Edgar Jones

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

Dir: George Archainbaud

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Eva, wo bist du? perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Violetta D'Arcy turns down the proposal of Jack Harrington, whom she believes to be poor, and instead marries the wealthy Robert Van Ellstrom. Her husband's fortune, however, is not sufficient to cover her gambling debts, so she pawns her sister-in-law's jewels and accepts money from Jack's father, who wishes to be introduced into society. When Harrington, Sr. makes improper advances towards Violetta, Robert fights him, and in the struggle, Harrington, Sr. shoots Jack in the arm. Believing that he has killed his son, Harrington commits suicide. Despondent and ashamed, Violetta tries to drown herself, but Robert intercedes and takes her in his arms.

Dir: Robert N. Bradbury

A simple country girl, brutally mistreated by her stepfather, awakens first the sympathy, then the love, of The Boy. The Spider, who lusts after The Girl, makes a bargain with the stepfather and takes her to the city where, kept prisoner, she is soon broken in health and spirit. Cast out and near death, she is taken in by The Boy. Following the demise of The Spider, The Boy takes her to church, where he prays, and after many hours she is restored to health.

Dir: George Archainbaud

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

After graduating from finishing school, Claire Wilson falls into the hands of wealthy rake Mason Forbes. After installing her as his mistress, Mason abandons Claire to marry socialite Grace Hughes. Out of revenge, Grace marries Harold, Mason's younger brother and the two couples live together under one roof. Mason tires of his wife and begs Claire to leave her husband, but she is pregnant and refuses. An indifferent mother, Claire leaves her child with a nurse while she spends her time with Mason in cabarets. When Claire and Harold are reconciled after the near fatal illness of their child, Mason, furious, divulges Claire's sordid past to his brother. Although overwhelmed by the revelation, Harold forgives Claire and Mason, rejected, turns to alcohol.

Dir: George Archainbaud

Adoree, a young Belgian girl, half-mad by the war horrors that she has experienced,is found by the Hudsons, a wealthy American couple who take the amnesia-stricken girl back to the United States with them. Soon after, Roger Hudson is called away to business in South America, and when his wife Claire discovers that Adoree is pregnant, she convinces the girl to allow the Hudsons to claim the child as theirs. The child is born and Dr. Thorn cables Hudson to come home because his wife has given birth. Meanwhile, Adoree, longing for her baby, steals the infant and disappears. Finding the girl's coat near a lake, Hudson assumes that she has drowned and dynamites the lake in order to locate her body. The explosions restore Adoree's memory, and she recalls her marriage to the Vicomte Jean de Michelet, who happens to be in town raising money for Belgian relief. The vicomte is brought to his wife and the family is happily reunited.

Dir: George Archainbaud

Once a wealthy man, John Pollard now resides in reduced circumstances in Washington, D.C. with his pretty daughter Polly. Despite the poor conditions, Polly manages to move in good social circles and meets multimillionaire George Singleton and Lieutenant Richard Travers, at the home of Mrs. Madison Derwent. Also at the Derwent mansion is Baron Wootchi, a Japanese diplomat trying to obtain valuable plans that are in Travers' possession. Old Pollard owes Singleton money and tries to persuade his daughter to marry the millionaire. Polly refuses and accepts Travers' proposal instead, until her father informs her that Singleton can seize their house unless Polly pays off the debt by becoming his wife. Meanwhile the Baron offers Pollard $50,000 to produce the documents in Travers' keeping. Pollard steals the papers and goes to a roadhouse to turn them over to the Baron. Discovering the theft, Polly follows and confronts the Baron at gunpoint. Finally, Travers learns the truth of the affair, pays Pollard's debt to Singleton and wins Polly.