The Definitive Watchlist Seeking the Same Brilliance as The Gray Horizon: Cult Guide

Dir: William Worthington

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: William Worthington

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

A young man trades places with a lookalike boxer and learns to fight for what he wants.

Dir: William Worthington

A wild man and genius becomes a master painter's disciple, but loses his divine gift when he finds love.

Dir: William Worthington

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

Wanting her sweetheart, Judd Minot, a Maine fisherman, to develop his sculpting talents, Mary Garland encourages him to accompany art connoisseur Henry Bliss to New York City. Once there, Judd forgets Mary and becomes smitten with Bliss's attractive daughter Myrna. Although he wins fame as an artist, the party society life he leads with Myrna causes his work to suffer. When Mary learns of Judd's stagnation and fast style of living, she rushes to New York to rescue him. When he sees her, Judd realizes that Mary is the prime inspiration for all his statues and renews his love for her.

Dir: William Worthington

Toyama's wife Sada secretly earns money as a Geisha girl to finance his studies in America, but she says that the money comes from her deceased grandfather. In America, Toyama becomes an assistant to Dr. Stone, studying cures for inherited vices. When Toyama learns that Sada has been sentenced to death for murdering a prominent banker who attacked her, Toyama disappears and gives in to his hereditary tendency to drink until Dr. Stone cures him. Unknown to Toyama, Sada's sentence is commuted to life imprisonment when she gives birth to their daughter. Meanwhile, Toyama marries Stone's half-Japanese daughter Emily to fulfill Stone's dying request. In Japan, after Toyama lectures women prisoners and recognizes Sada, he discovers that the child he and Emily adopted is really his own daughter. When Sada escapes and finds Toyama, he decides to commit harakiri, but as the prison guards approach, Sada drowns herself to save him.

Dir: William Worthington

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

When Gregory Van Houten went to the country to recuperate, he intended to remain only a few weeks and then return to plunge into the swirl of city gaieties. But when Van Houten returned he brought with him a country-girl wife and set upon himself the seal of new duties and obligations. Jean Haskins was the daughter of Farmer Haskins, who owned the place where Van Houten boarded. She was a simple child of nature, trustful and devoted to the new ideals of happiness that Van Houten brought into her young life. Farmer Haskins warned the young folks that they were storing trouble for themselves in marrying; he told them that their lives had been so different that they would eventually find that they could not continue happily. Nevertheless, they married and returned to town happy. At the first social function they attended, Gregory realized that his wife wasn't prepared for the butterfly life. One of Gregory's club friends, James Hanley, saw in the young bride a conquest. His attentions to Jean soon centered Gregory's suspicions upon them; meanwhile, Gregory turned to a woman in his own set for companionship. Upon an incident that looked worse than it really was, Gregory based cause for a divorce and won his case. Then he married the other woman, a society butterfly. The shock completely changed Jean's good, wholesome nature; she turned into a viper bent upon revenging herself upon the man who had violated his obligation and made a mockery of her love. Hanley gained his point, but in possessing himself of Jean gained more of companionship than her love as recompense. Years later Gregory and Jeanmet again and her beauty fired his heart with desire. Jean connived to reap her vengeance. When Hanley was called away Jean refused to accompany him, setting up as an excuse that a few months' separation would lead them to a better understanding of their position. Gregory takes advantage of a free field and Jean coyly leads him on. Gregory neglected the wife he married when he divorced Jean and turned all his attentions to Jean. Suddenly Hanley appeared upon the scene, and Jean made a way to a greater revenge than she had planned. The men engaged in a personal encounter and when Hanley seemed to be getting the better of the fight, Jean fired a revolver at the struggling forms and killed Hanley. The sudden outcome of the combat benumbed Gregory's senses. Jean placed the revolver in his hand just as the police entered and they found Gregory bending over the prostrate form of his rival. In the trial that ensued Jean swore that Gregory fired the shot, and her vengeance is almost completed by the verdict of the jury that Gregory was guilty of deliberate murder. But when the court guard goes to bring the prisoner to hear his doom, they find him dead upon the cot of his cell and Jean is left to contemplate the sad ending of her youthful romance.

Dir: William Worthington

Goro Mariyama uses the profits from his ethically run gambling house to help the poor. Gambler Blair Whitcomb accuses Goro of cheating, then shoots him after losing a $10,000 bet. Goro survives a punctured lung only through the efforts of nurse Gloria Manning, Blair's fiancée. When Goro confesses his love for Gloria, he is shocked to hear of her engagement. Following his recovery, Goro discovers that Blair has given him a bad check, and demands that the gambler pay his debt in person. Although Blair complies, Goro has him arrested for attempted murder. Gloria pleads for her fiancé's release, revealing that she can never love Goro because he is of a different race. The disappointed Goro enables Blair's escape as payment to Gloria for saving his life.

Dir: William Worthington

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

When Sasamoto commits treason during the Great War to pay off gambling debts, his twin brother Yamashito assumes his identity and tracks him down.

Dir: William Worthington

Howard Dana and his partner in adventures, Olga Veloski, discover that Sam Brockton, millionaire from the west, has arrived in town and they arrange to fleece him. They plan an old confidence game and locate the scene in one of the residences of wealth, knowing that the occupants of "Millionaire's Row" are spending the summer at various resorts. Agnes Darling and her father come to town for a day or two from their summer home in the mountains. Mr. Darling's automobile breaks down and as Brockton passes, he offers his services to help make repairs. In this way he discovers that Agnes is a charming girl and falls in love. The incident has been observed by Olga and her accomplice and when the repaired automobile drives away, Olga attracts Brockton's attention. She tells him that if he will come to her home the next day she will introduce him to Agnes, who is supposed to call at Olga's residence. Olga and her accomplice manage to avoid the caretaker in the house they have selected for their work. At the appointed time Brockton arrives and through an old confidence game he is robbed. The scene of the robbery happens to be the town residence of the Darlings. Just as the trick is being turned, Mr. Darling and Agnes arrive at their home. Upon entering the house, the Darlings are amazed to find that the house has been entered. They come upon Brockton, who is so frank and interesting in his explanation that he ingratiates himself with Agnes and her father, and they invite him to their country home. The two sharpers escape and join another member of the confidence gang, a crook known as "Dippy" Lewis. When Olga observes a striking resemblance between "Dippy" and Brockton, she decides to use the crook to an advantage. Olga overheard the invitation Brockton had received from the Darlings and dresses "Dippy" to resemble him. She sends him to the mountains and he is received by the Darlings. "Dippy's" criminal instincts lead him to commit several robberies among the hotel guests, and when Brockton arrives he finds himself under suspicion. He is puzzled at Miss Darling's conduct toward him. Olga has directed members of her gang to chloroform Brockton and dispose of him in a cellar, that he may not by any mischance reach the mountains before "Dippy" Lewis arrives there. The striking resemblance between the two mislead the toughs and they chloroform "Dippy" and confine him in a cellar. Agnes is perplexed at the strange transition in Brockton's manner, for he really is of a gentlemanly type in strong contrast to "Dippy," whom the girl had previously mistaken for him. The Darling family decide to return to the city and invite Brockton to call upon them there. Olga hears of this and plans to have "Dippy" again impersonate Brockton. When Olga attempts to locate "Dippy," she discovers that he is a prisoner. Before she can have him released, Brockton makes his visit to the Darlings, a fact of which Olga is not aware. Thus it is that she goes on with her plans, sends "Dippy" to call at the Darling home and there the two men meet and settle matters.

Dir: William Worthington

Japanese-American law student Suki Iota falls in love with his guardian's niece Rei Oaki, who has just arrived from Japan to cultivate her singing voice. After Suki goes East to law school, Rei, thinking Suki wants an American girl, gets Tom Kirby, the son of the Chinatown boss, to teach her American ways of dress and behavior. On his return, Suki is displeased with Rei's change and believes her to be Tom's girl when he sees them celebrating the Chinese New Year. Suki is appointed assistant district attorney and, with the whole city watching because of anonymous death threats sent to him, he steadfastly prosecutes a murder case until Tom confesses to him. To protect Rei, Suki removes himself from the case. Labeled a coward and a traitor to justice, Suki remains silent until Tom publicly confesses. Now regarded as a hero, Suki defends Tom. Rei confesses she never loved Tom, and her romance with Suki begins anew.