The Recommended Vault Deeply Connected to The Half-Way Girl: Cult G...

Dir: John Francis Dillon

Bored with her life as the daughter of wealthy parents, Corinne Chilvers answers an ad in the paper for a woman with a lurid past. Hired to secure a declaration of marriage from South American millionaire Nicholas Fenwick, Corinne assumes the identity of a masked dancer to attract Fenwick's attention. Competing with Corinne for Fenwick's affections is Pansy Hartley, a woman who actually does have a shady past. After a series of misadventures, Fenwick falls in love with Corinne, whose parents, scandalized by their daughter's escapades, disown her. Reporting to her employers that Fenwick has proposed to her, Corinne discovers that the young man is not a millionaire, but rather the object of a publicity stunt, which is aborted when Corinne and Fenwick really do get married. Fenwick then approaches Corinne's parents and persuades them to forgive their daughter for her scandalous behavior.

Dir: John Francis Dillon

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Nancy Comes Home perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Nancy Worthing, who comes home from boarding school to find that her parents have no time for her, pawns some of her mother's jewels to buy the clothes necessary for entering society. She persuades her father's chauffeur, Phil Ballou, to take her to a notorious cabaret, where a shooting occurs. In the confusion, Phil is arrested as the assailant, and when Nancy's parents learn of the missing jewels, they bring further charges against him. At the trial, Phil reveals that he is the son of wealthy parents who simply wished to earn his own living, and Nancy clears his name by confessing all. Phil and Nancy, united by their ordeals, begin a romance.

Dir: John Francis Dillon

A young lady, who "hates the law" rises from the tenements to society. Financial reverses lead her to commit a series of burglaries as "The Bird". She becomes involved with the detective investigating the burglaries. After she confesses and pays for her crimes, they marry.

Dir: John Francis Dillon

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

Working as a manicurist at the Ritz, Helen Thurston, is in love with her wealthy patron, Jack Standring, but the young man's mother wants him to marry a rich debutante. Helen is informed that she has inherited her grandfather's millions, and she proceeds as quickly as possible to acquire expensive clothing and jewelry on credit. Jack, however, is not impressed. Soon Helen learns that she has inherited only $1,000, the remainder of the fortune having gone to her cousin Spindrift. The creditors hound her for their money, and at a grand ball at the Standring home, a detective threatens to arrest her. Touched by her poverty, Jack decides to elope with her. Finally Spindrift violates the conditions of the will, and Helen inherits the entire fortune.

Dir: John Francis Dillon

Eddie appears as a squatter named "Black Jack," who makes a strong fight for his rights against armed aggression. In the course of the story he kidnaps his own boy.

Dir: John Francis Dillon

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Heiress for a Day perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A terrible toothache causes Jack Robin to stop his automobile in front of the home of Dorothy Mason. Noticing a flat tire, Jack attaches his automatic pump and forgets about it as he listens enthralled to Dorothy's singing. When the sound of the burst tire brings Dorothy running out, Jack feigns injury so he can be nursed by her. After he leaves the house, and Dorothy's father discovers some important invention plans missing, Harlan Graves, Dorothy's suitor, suggests that Jack stole them. Jack, suspecting Graves, breaks into Graves' home to clear himself and meets a real burglar, "Spider" Kelly, who adopts Jack as his guide. They blow up a safe at a house party where Jack suspects the plans to be hidden. The papers are found, Graves is arrested and Spider, disappointed that Jack made such a mess in blowing the safe, goes off, leaving Dorothy and Jack happily alone.

Dir: John Francis Dillon

The relatives of dying Edward Woodruff, Nina Leffingwell, her brother Frederic, and her cousin Basil, whom she wants to marry, scheme to inherit Woodruff's wealth. Since Woodruff continually calls for an imagined granddaughter, the child of his daughter who died before they could patch up a quarrel which estranged them, Nina gets Doll, a Follies girl, to impersonate the granddaughter, try to endear herself to Woodruff, and thus inherit the money. Doll would then be paid off and the relatives would get the inheritance. When Doll's administrations cause Woodruff to recover, Nina sends for Woodruff's grandson Ned, whom he disowned for marrying beneath him, hoping that Ned will send Doll away. When Ned seems to fall in love with Doll, Nina tells Woodruff that Ned and Doll are secretly meeting in the estate lodge. Woodruff investigates and finds that Doll and Ned are married and have a baby boy. Delighted, Woodruff forgives Ned.

Dir: John Francis Dillon

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of A Prisoner for Life perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Diana Rosson, a wealthy and beautiful woman, drives to her country home to escape the unwelcome attentions of her many suitors, particularly Trotwell, her guardian's favorite. Arriving in the middle of a raging storm, Diana rushes into the house only to be attacked by robbers. Passing by the house, Dick Webster hears her cries and rescues her, and the two quickly become friends. Diana falls in love with Dick, but his hatred of the rich prevents him from returning her affections. Anxious to win him, Diana tells Dick that she has a twin sister who insists on earning her own living. Dick agrees to deliver a message to the sister and promptly falls in love with the demure young woman, unaware that she actually is Diana. They marry, but when Horace Sciven falsely accuses Diana of stealing a violin, she is taken to the police station, where her husband discovers her true identity. Realizing that her deception was prompted by love, Dick forgives his young wife.

Dir: Edgar Jones

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

Dir: John Francis Dillon

Brewster, the bean king, has an option of renewal on a certain bean canning plant owned by Ellis. Ellis does not desire to renew and hires Wingate, a shyster lawyer, to help him. Brewster has to send Betty to renew the contract. Later he sends his lawyer to help her and Ellis' man persuades her that he is a plotter. There follows plot and counter-plot, but all-innocently Betty carries the day.