Essential Cult Cinema Mirroring the Impact of The Heart of Lady Ala...

Dir: August Blom

A melodrama about a dead brothers wish for atonement regarding a child he never recognized as his. Gerd, is now 18, adopted by a shoemaker, is surprised by the message that she actually belongs to a wealthy family who now wants to take care of her.

Dir: August Blom

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

Chancellor von Rallenstein forces Princess Irene to marry Prince Deima instead of her true love, Pawlow. The secret lovers seek to get married anyway, sending the Chancellor into a rage.

Dir: August Blom

The ballet pupil Camilla Favier tells the author Jean Mayol that she had learned all lines of the main character in his new play. When the stage manager announces that the leading lady is sick, Jean suggests that Camilla could replace her this evening. Camilla makes a huge success, and she and Jean fall in love. Jean introduces her to his friend, the painter Paul Rich, who wants to make a painting of her. While she is in his atelier, Jean gets a love letter from Yvette Simon, the wife of a rich rentier, asking for a rendezvous in the wood. In Jean's empty apartment Camilla finds the letter and is devastated. In revenge she reveals the secret love story for Mr. Simon and his guests at a big party. Later she finds a new love message from Yvette Simon. She brings it to Mr. Simon, who gets furious, grabs a pistol and goes to Jean's apartment. Camilla repents and rushes away to warn Jean and Yvette. To deceive her husband Yvette dresses herself in Camilla's clothes, but he recognizes her nonetheless and kills her. Camilla is shocked and brought to a hospital by Paul, who takes care of her afterwards. When Jean turns up and approaches her, she rejects him and stays with Paul.

Dir: August Blom

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

A wealthy young man, Edgar, sees a shop-girl, Ellen, and is immediately attracted to her. He buys her flowers. They meet next Sunday and, presumably, often thereafter. Three months later Ellen is pregnant. The couple decide to marry, and Edgar tells his mother. His father convinces him not to marry.

Dir: August Blom

Muriel Yorke has a fond husband, but he is so absorbed in his duties as head of the detective bureau that he has little time to devote to his wife. He is inattentive, not intentionally, but the fact remains that all of Muriel's pretty arts designed to distract him from his work are in vain. Time hangs heavily on her hands; she takes her meals alone, and gradually sinks into a state of melancholy. One evening while in search of recreation, Muriel visits a fashionable café unattended, and there meets Eric Le Blanc, a gentleman in manners, but in reality the chief of a band of international conspirators. He introduces himself as the Baron de Corril and Muriel keeps her identity a secret. Their friendship soon ripens into love, but Yorke is so deeply absorbed in his duties that he fails to notice the change that has come over his wife. In the interim, Le Blanc receives secret information from one of his spies that inspector Yorke has in his possession a description of every member of the gang and Le Blanc is urged to obtain possession of these at once. This he undertakes to accomplish and breaks into Yorke' s house on the same evening. During his search for the incriminating evidence, he comes face to face with Muriel, and for the first time learns her identity. He hides the real purpose of his visit to the house and explains that love had prompted him to follow her from the museum, at which they earlier had held a rendezvous. She aids him to escape, but in the meantime inspector Yorke has been attracted by strange noises in the house and makes an investigation. He enters his wife's bedroom and finding her apparently asleep, continues his search. He finds finger prints on the door and later identifies them as those of Le Blanc, the conspirator. When Muriel learns that her husband is preparing to raid on the apartment of the conspirator, she hesitates between love and duty and finally decides to warn her lover of his danger. She hastens to his apartments and implores him to escape while there is yet time. She points out that they may both leave the place without being seen, but Le Blanc refuses, and prates that her love has made him a better man, and that he proposes to accept punishment for his crimes and then lead a better life. In the meantime Yorke has obtained proof of his wife's perfidy, and with two detectives breaks into Le Blanc's apartments. Standing in the center of the drawing-room is the guilty pair awaiting the blow that is about to fall. Inspector Yorke glares scornfully at his wife for a few seconds; then challenges Le Blanc and orders his arrest. As the detectives are taking him from the room Muriel makes a move as if to rescue him, but Yorke grasps her by the wrists, and. after burning her soul with his reproaches, casts her aside as an object unworthy. She is left to her own conscience.

Dir: August Blom

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

Two crowned heads come to a mutual understanding, resulting in a signed treaty. This document is badly sought by the ambassador of another power, and he schemes to possess himself of its contents. The treaty is placed in the hands of Captain Brassor for safe carriage. Miller, an emissary of Count Hints," drugs Captain Brassor and his English sailor lad, and gets a copy of the treaty. Later he is chased through the fields after the English tar has cut the telegraph wires, and the water obliterates the copy of the treaty, rendering it useless. The treaty is delivered, but Count Hintz still schemes, and enlists a countess to get it from Count Berberlil. She manages to drug him, and Hintz and Miller are about to take it, when the English sailor puts in a claim with a revolver, and saves the situation.

Dir: August Blom

Hamlet suspects his uncle has murdered his father to claim the throne of Denmark and the hand of Hamlet's mother, but the prince cannot decide whether or not he should take vengeance.

Dir: August Blom

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

A comet, passing by Earth, causes rioting, social unrest, and major disasters that destroy the world.

Dir: August Blom

After Sylvia Lafont's dance partner falls ill a replacement must be found quickly in order to perform the famous Vampire Dance. A newspaper ad is placed a number of hopefuls respond but Sylvia quickly chooses Oscar but tragedy results.

Dir: August Blom

Young white girls who were kidnapped and held captive and in imminent danger of being sexually molested. And the moor slaveholder will incorporate the poor girls in his harem.