Rare Cinematic Gems Exploring the Legacy of The Hawk: Cult Guide

Dir: Paul Scardon

A doctor transplants the brain of a girl who is in love with him into a girl he is in love with.

Dir: Paul Scardon

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

Bob Deering on his way to business meets his sweetheart, Molly Sherman. He arrives at Milliken and Co., stockbrokers, his place of employment, just in time to save Herman, Zalmon Pinsker's 14-year-old son, from a very rough engagement with the other messengers in the office. For this act Herman takes him to his father's shop and obtains a suit at wholesale, and it is here that Bob meets Ike Mandell, who is in love with Dora, the daughter of Pinsker. Previous to this meeting Pinsker re-engaged Mandell after having hired and fired him at least ten times, and also just previous to Bob's arrival with Herman, Moses Hecht and Israel Classman had an argument with Mandell, who, trying to look after Pinsker's business, tried to force them to pay certain notes which had been endorsed by Pinsker. Mrs. Pinsker and Dora arrive and realize that if Pinsker keeps up this pace of unorganized charity they will have little if any chance of obtaining the new dresses for which they came. Later the stock market closes on account of the war, and both Herman and Bob are out of a job. Bob calls upon Molly, who is a telephone operator in a hotel. There he meets "Red" Dorgan, who interests him in war orders. Clothing, sweaters, and shirts are needed for the allied armies, so Bob goes to Pinsker and agrees to get him a contract that will at once make him a rich man. Pinsker is overjoyed. Bob returns to Dorgan, and it is arranged that the manufacturer shall meet the commission. Ike Mandell has a cousin, Abie Lefkowitz, another clothing manufacturer, and he feels that if he can give Pinsker the double cross and get the business for Lefkowitz he will be able to marry Dora. Ike arranges with Dorgan to switch the order to Lefkowitz, who has to give Ike an advance commission of $8,000 for his work. Bob apprises Molly of what he has done for Pinsker, but she has her misgivings about Dorgan. The contestants for the big war order is requested by the commission, which has quarters in the hotel in which Molly is a telephone operator, to have samples of their goods at the commission's offices. The different clothing manufacturers comply, and when each at different times receives most encouraging reply concerning their samples each refuses domestic orders so that all time possible may be devoted to the commission's order. The hotel detective becomes suspicious and after a short conversation with a Scotland Yard man who has been on Dorgan's trail for months, they, with Bob, examine the commission's quarters. They are now firmly convinced that the scheme is a fake, and Bob conveys this information to Pinsker. He is greatly discomfited over the revelation, but Bob gets an idea which will net Pinsker a considerable sum. All the other clothing manufacturers are refusing domestic orders pending advices from the commission, so Bob helps Pinsker to corner the home market. This scheme is successfully executed. Ike Mandell, jealous, is busy instituting a strike among the employees, but his plan is soon frustrated by Bob. Lefkowitz scenting that something is wrong, goes to the hotel, where he is told of the fake affair. The crooks are captured. It is then that Lefkowitz tells of a $6,000 check and that it was made out to Bob. The police now go with Lefkowitz to the shop of Pinsker, where they try to fasten the check upon Bob, but he has given it to Dorgan, and Pinsker agrees that if his is the only signature on it, he, Pinsker, will make good for Bob. Molly goes to Pinsker, who introduces her to his new partner, Bob Deering, and assures her that she need not "hello" any more if she will marry this live businessman. Molly is pleased, and is further glad to know that Mandell has lost out with Dora, who is going to marry Glassman, who is now making his fortune through Bob's methods of wide-awake business.

Dir: Paul Scardon

Lawler, a dishonest promoter, has Winton in his power, the latter believing that he has killed Yawkey, Lawler's partner. For his silence, Lawler demands the hand of Winton's daughter Josephine. Meanwhile, Billy Mountain, a man whom Lawler has swindled, arrives and, disguised by a heavy beard, interests his old enemy in a proposition. He invites Lawler on his yacht and makes him a prisoner. Josephine, fearing that Lawler will expose her father, accompanies them when they sail for a South American country involved in a revolution. When they land, Josephine frees Lawler, who joins the forces of the government. Billy and his partner, allied with the revolutionaries, plan an attack on the president and his forces. In the battle, Billy is captured and sentenced to death, but when the tide turns in favor of the revolutionaries, he escapes. With the appearance of Yawkey, Josephine is freed from Lawler's power and begins life anew with Billy.

Dir: Paul Scardon

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

Gifted with charm of manner and a prepossessing appearance, Arsene Lupin, instead of employing his talents along legitimate lines, prefers to match his wits against those of the French police, with the result that he becomes the most celebrated crook of his time. Always after big game, he moves in the most exclusive circles of French society, and takes advantage of an opportunity to pass himself off as the Duke de Charmerace. Assuming the Duke's title and estates, he sets about the delicate task of stealing the rare works of art and the enormously valuable jewels belonging to a M. Guernay-Martin. As the first step in this direction he becomes engaged to Germaine, Guernay-Martin's daughter. Under the cloak of their hospitality he commits a series of audacious robberies, stealing old masters off the walls and always signing his name on the wallpaper to show he committed the theft. The distracted art collector calls in Guerchard, the shrewdest detective in Paris, but even under the nose of this sleuth, the thefts continue as before. Germaine's secretary, Sonla Kritchnoff, attracts more than the passing attention of Lupin and before he has finished with the Guernay-Martins he finds himself in love with her. Guerchard finally draws the net of suspicion so closely about Lupin that the latter is forced to leave the Guernay-Martin home and hide in his own apartment. Just before leaving he discovers that Sonia is also a thief, and the shock of this knowledge determines him to lead a straight life thereafter and take her along with him. Though Guerchard trails him to his hiding place he makes use of an ingenious concealed elevator and at the last exciting moment, slips from between the detective's fingers and escapes with Sonia to safety.

Dir: Paul Scardon

At a reception given for the vacationing Prince Zarl of Zorania, secretly the emissary of Zorania set on negotiating a treaty with the United States, Geoffrey Wynne, apparently a society dandy, but in reality a secret service agent, meets the prince. During the reception, Wynne is summoned to Washington where he learns that the treaty has been stolen and is being held for $15,000,000 ransom. Discovering that one of the thieves is an Italian named Farnelli, Wynne enlists the aid of his fiancée, Irene Mitchell, in apprehending the thief. Irene meets the Italian who offers to accompany her to New York. En route, Wynne overtakes them, chloroforms Farnelli and rips off his disguise to reveal Prince Zarl. Zarl then admits that he has stolen the treaty in order to cover his gambling debts.

Dir: Paul Scardon

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

John Olsen, the foreman in an iron foundry, is persuaded by two of the workmen to rob the company safe, an operation so successful that the three decide to embark on a career of safe cracking. While pulling a job, John breaks his leg and is forced to take refuge in the home of Belle Foliot, whose husband is serving a life sentence. As she tends John's injured leg, Belle falls in love with him and decides to join the gang, and when she becomes trapped during a robbery, John remains at the scene of the crime so that she can escape. Following his five year prison term, John declares that he is going straight, whereupon Belle leaves him. John marries and buys a farm, but one day his arresting officer, Lieut. Reilly, appears and reveals his past to his wife and the townspeople. As a result, the farmers shun him and his wife divorces him. He is about to break into the bank when Belle and Reilly arrive. Promising to go straight, Belle accompanies John out West to a new life.

Dir: Paul Scardon

Stanley Ormsby, a dramatic critic, runs foul of an author and dramatic company who have just put on a new play which he announces as "rotten." On his way home from the play, after waiving aside the author's pleas for a merciful criticism, his adventures begin. He interferes between a couple quarreling on the street and is rebuffed. Later he gets an assignment from his editor to go to a certain apartment house to interview a singer. Entering the place he is diverted from his mission by a woman falling apparently dead at his feet, before the door of Apartment 29. Carrying her inside he finds her to be the woman of the quarrel, and there finds also her husband shot. There alone, he realizes suddenly that circumstances are against him and wishes to flee. The playwright, who lives in the same building, offers refuge, but in return asks a large sum of money, which Ormsby is only too glad to give. A girl in the playwright's apartment hides him while the police search the place. He has a dozen hairbreadth escapes and is finally shocked as the playwright demands a bribe to keep him hidden. Finally Ormsby escapes from the house with the girl, only to run into a nest of thugs, who attack him. He is then rescued by the very police, who then charge him with murder, after which...well, it winds up all right, but it was a hair-raising experience, mates.

Dir: Paul Scardon

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

Jerry Rufus, a river pirate, loves Claire Dawson, an actress, but because she has so many wealthy suitors, he incorrectly believes she plans to marry for money. Jerry learns that a large gold shipment secretly stored in nail kegs is to be delivered to a certain dock, and by substituting kegs of sand for the ones containing gold, he succeeds in obtaining the treasure and sinking it near the shore. When he proposes to Claire, he is astonished to learn that she has always loved him, and the two marry. Soon, however, Detective Ryan, who has been trailing Jerry for some time, convinces Claire to badger her husband for money. Anxious to please her, Jerry digs up the kegs, and as he is about to open one, Ryan appears. Ryan is discouraged and Jerry relieved to find that the barrel contains only sand, the pirate having stolen the wrong kegs.

Dir: Paul Scardon

Hal Page, the weakling brother of Stephen Page, the town mayor, falls in love with Carline Shrefton, who throws over Burt Staley to entangle Hal in her self-serving schemes. Furious over her abrupt departure, Staley shows up at Carline's, and a jealous fight with Hal ensues in which Staley is shot and killed with Carline's gun. After Hal confesses to the deed, Stephen quietly sends him off to Spain. One year later, Stephen announces his engagement to Marion Hayward, the daughter of the district attorney, who is pressing charges against James Reed, a corrupt politician and Carline's new husband. To save Reed, Carline threatens Stephen with exposure, but he refuses to bend to her demands. Just days before Carline is to reveal her story about Staley, Hal appears and confesses to Hayward that Carline is the true killer. After verifying Hal's story, Hayward grills Carline, who finally admits her guilt. A matured Hal is restored to his family and Reed is sent away for his crimes.

Dir: Paul Scardon

Jimmie Hallet is walking through a heavy fog one night when, seemingly out of nowhere, a girl appears, shoves a bundle of papers and a slip of paper with an address on it into Jimmie's hands, then disappears. Intrigued, he goes to the address on the paper, and is promptly knocked out by a blackjack. When he wakes up the next morning he discovers the dead body of a man named Greye-Stratton and learns that the "mystery girl" was Stratton's daughter Peggy. Jimmie soon finds himself questioned by the police about her father/s murder and mixed up with a gang of thieves and killers led by a mysterious thug named Ling.