The Definitive Guide Deeply Connected to The Girl of Today: Cult Guide

Dir: John S. Robertson

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: John S. Robertson

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Come Out of the Kitchen perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Olivia Dangerfield and her brother are hired as servants in the household of the meticulous Mrs. Falkner. When another pair of servants is detained by the law, Olivia decides to pose as a master cook, though she knows little about the culinary arts. Meanwhile, Burton Crane, the boyfriend of Mrs. Falkner's daughter, becomes attracted to the "wonderful cook" at the Falkner home.

Dir: John S. Robertson

Phyllis Ashbrook hosts a party in the Adirondacks for her fiancé Roger Mason and their engaged friends, John Manning and Anita Webb. In a climbing expedition, Phyllis and John are separated from the others by a storm and seek refuge in a cabin. To save her reputation, Phyllis' parents insist that she marry John immediately, after which they may obtain a divorce and marry their respective partners. After the ceremony, John leaves for China to provide grounds for divorce, but upon discovering that he has mistakenly taken his new wife's suitcase, he returns to his apartment, where he finds Phyllis. Anita and Roger arrive and confess their devotion to each other, and when John and Phyllis realize that they, too, are in love, the divorce plans are abandoned.

Dir: John S. Robertson

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Make-Believe Wife perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

The eldest daughter of a poor preacher, Penelope Penn leaves her country home to seek her fortune in the big city. Taking a room in a boarding-house at 39 East, Penelope futilely searches for work as an actress until she secretly accepts a minor part in the chorus. Napoleon Gibbs, Jr., Penelope's fellow boarder, defends her good name against the criticism of other boarders who are scandalized by the girl's late hours. Penelope, having understudied the leading lady of the show, finally gets an opportunity to fill her role and scores a complete triumph. Napoleon, eager to congratulate her, waits backstage where he sees the stage manager escorting his new star home. When she arrives back at the boarding-house, Penelope explains to the crestfallen Napoleon that she has no interest in her stage manager. Napoleon then seizes upon the opportunity to propose, and is accepted.

Dir: John S. Robertson

Author Hilary Farrington and his wife Eloise have been married about a year, and although Hilary loves his wife, he has become engrossed in his writing and doesn't realize how lonely his wife has become. Eloise starts spending time in the company of Darrell McKnight, who neglects his own fiancée, Nora Gail. Eloise promises to go west with Darrell if her husband doesn't take her to his bungalow, where he is beginning his new book. Darrell tells Nora that he loves someone else. Nora decides to team up with Hilary to prevent a scandal. When Hilary leaves for his bungalow without asking Eloise to accompany him, she phones Darrell and tells him she will be ready to elope with him in half an hour. While Darrell waits outside the Farrington house, Hilary returns, having forgotten something. Eloise is dressing and does not hear Hilary enter the house. While he is looking for the forgotten item, Nora arrives and tells Hilary the whole story. They agree to work together to make Eloise and Darrell sick of each other. Hilary goes to Eloise's room and feigns surprise when he sees her preparing to leave. Darrell enters the house, and he and Eloise are taken aback when Hilary suggests the pair use his bungalow for their "honeymoon." When the two protest, Hilary convinces them to go by pulling out a gun. Darrell and Eloise encounter another surprise at the bungalow. The chauffeur reports that the car is out of gas, so all three principals have to stay in the bungalow. After a meal in which Hilary keeps reminding Eloise of their own honeymoon, Hilary says he will try to get gas for the car. Just as he is leaving, Nora appears, pretending she is lost and her car has broken down. Now Darrell believes that Hilary and Nora have planned an elopement of their own. Eloise become jealous, and everyone goes off to their rooms except for Hilary, who remains downstairs in the dark. Eloise calls her uncle, who is a Bishop, tells him everything that has happened, and begs him to come to the bungalow to help her get rid of Nora and Darrell. After a series of misadventures during the night, Eloise awakens first, finds Hilary's car, and discovers it has plenty of gas. She drives off and meets the Bishop at the train station. Back at the bungalow, Nora and Darrell have made up and decide to get married as soon as possible. Eloise and the Bishop arrive, and Nora and Darrell get married on the spot. Eloise and Hilary send everyone off in the car, then settle it for their own "second honeymoon."

Dir: John S. Robertson

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of 39 East perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Having sold his share in a mine, Gregory Drake blows it up in pique when it turns out to be good, and disappears, leaving Helen Ogden sole owner, as her father was killed in the mine. Later, in New York, Helen is much sought because of her money. Dr. Granger, a worker among the poor, induces her to see his "family," as he calls the many in want. Helen becomes interested and is loved by the poor for her good deeds among them. She buys a pin from Jack Burton on the bread line. Later Dr. Granger secures him employment as a reporter. Jack loves Helen, and she begins to feel affection for him, but he realizes that her money stands between them. Richard Drake, Gregory's son, is operating a get-rich-quick investment scheme in New York when his father turns up. By changing the names on the old sales document Gregory has reserved, the swindlers are able to steal the mine from Helen. She feels that now she and Jack are on a plane, but Dr. Granger convinces her that they must both work to recover the mine. This Helen does by becoming a stenographer at the "Money Mill" and after many adventures she and Jack are united through Dr. Granger.

Dir: John S. Robertson

Exotic Russian actress Lisa Parsinova tires of her glamorous life on the New York stage and returns, under her actual identity as Lizzie Parsons, to her small New England hometown. But she is pursued by a young man who is in love with the famed Russian alter ego.

Dir: John S. Robertson

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Let's Elope perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

While traveling to meet her sweetheart, Richard Carr, in the capital of the Grand Duchy of Bonaluria, Peggy Dare's train compartment door is thrust open and a little boy is thrown at her feet. Peggy is so taken with the child, who tells her that his name is Manouche, that she looks after him. She foils an attempt to kill Manouche, before arriving in Bonaluria where she learns from Richard that the boy is really the Grand Duke. Peggy and Manouche are then separated as Peggy goes to live with Richard's mother and the boy returns to court. However, the power hungry Prince Henri, who is madly in love with Peggy, abducts the little duke and holds him ransom for Peggy's affections. For the sake of the child, Peggy agrees to go away with the prince and accompanies him to the castle. Carr, believing that Peggy has betrayed him, follows and is imprisoned by the prince. They are all rescued when the Royal Guards, summoned by Peggy, arrive and arrest the prince. Carr then apologizes to Peggy for his suspicions, and together they sail for America.

Dir: John S. Robertson

The people of Thrums ostracize 12-year-old Grizel and her mother, known as The Painted Lady, until newcomer Tommy Sandys, a highly-imaginative boy, comes to the girl's rescue and they become inseparable friends. Six years later Tommy returns from London, where he has achieved success as an author, and finds that Grizel still loves him. In a sentimental gesture he proposes, but she, realizing that he does not love her, rejects him. In London, Tommy is lionized by Lady Pippinworth, and he follows her to Switzerland. Having lost her mother and believing that Tommy needs her, Grizel comes to him but is overcome by grief to see his love for Lady Pippinworth. Remorseful, Tommy returns home, and after his careful nursing Grizel regains her sanity.

Dir: John S. Robertson

A boy called "Mascot," presumably the son of smuggler Captain Stark, is raised by Mr. Deane, the British military governor of Kingston after the boy's ship is captured. Years later in London, Mascot, now known as Stanley Deane, is the lawyer for the radical organization of mill employees called "The Well." Stanley falls in love with mill owner Amos Buckingham's daughter Alice, whom he knew when they were children. But Buckingham hates Stanley for his aid to the workmen and turns Alice against him by telling of his mysterious parentage. The workmen plan to blow up the Buckingham mansion and kill its master who, unknown to anyone, has disguised himself and gained admittance to The Well to study the real condition of the men. Stanley saves Alice, but after the explosion, a charred body supposed to be that of Buckingham is found and Stanley and all in The Well are arrested for murder. When Buckingham, still in disguise as a member of The Well is convicted, he discloses that the explosion was accidental and that the body was one he had used in his experiments. After Buckingham takes the blame for the bitterness of his workmen, everyone is acquitted. Stanley then discovers that his father is really a Boston banker and, freed of the aspersions cast upon his name, is welcomed by Buckingham as his son-in-law.