Underground Favorites Mirroring the Impact of The Honey Bee: Cult Guide

Dir: Rupert Julian

Ernestine Bergot is a child of the Paris streets. One day she begs a few sous from a student of the Latin quarter. He becomes interested in her, takes her to his studio, and declares he will adopt her. Later she meets Justin Chevassat, another artist, and a mutual infatuation springs up. Gradually Ernestine becomes a beautiful "vampire," hardened to any crime. One day she shoves her benefactor out of the studio window after robbing him of a large sum of money. When he dies as a result of the fall, Ernestine and Justin leave the Latin quarter. To further their schemes they take into partnership Sir Thomas Elgin, who poses as Ernestine's uncle. The woman changes her name to Sarah Brandon her reckless adventures soon make her known as the most evil woman in the city. Malgat, a banker's clerk who has access to the funds, is her first victim. Sir Thomas Elgin, acting as Sarah Brandon's decoy, feigns illness one day while walking in Boise de Bologne and attracts the attention of Count Ville Handry, who assists the supposed sick man to Sarah Brandon's home, where the woman proceeds to practice her wiles upon the old nobleman. In the end Count Handry asks her to marry him, and their engagement is announced. The Count's daughter Henriette objects, especially when Daniel Champcey, her betrothed, a French naval officer, informs her of Sarah Brandon's reputation. The Count persists, Daniel is ordered to China, and Henriette is left alone in her father's home with the mistress of the house and all the servants (by Sarah's conniving) turned against the daughter. Before leaving Daniel has mistakenly entrusted Henriette to the "tender" mercies of Chavessat, tool of Sarah. When Henriette is no longer able to endure the humiliation she suffers in her father's home, she begs Chavessat to take her away to some quiet spot where she can live respectably until she can get word to Daniel in China. Chavessat's treachery imprisoned Henriette in a house of ill repute, where he threatens, by starvation, to compel the girl to submit to his will. In the same building where Henriette is confined lives Malgat, the banker's clerk Sarah ruined, and it is through his discovery of Henriette's identity and his further activities in association with the Parisian police that Sarah is finally exposed at the moment when Count Handry, ruined by her iniquity, is about to commit suicide. Daniel has hurriedly returned to Paris in response to Henriette's appeal, and with Malgat and the girl, faces Sarah Brandon in Count Handry's home. Rather than submit to arrest Sarah Brandon drinks from a vial of poison and falls dead, as the police lead away to prison Chavessat and her other accomplice, Sir Thomas Elgin.

Dir: Rupert Julian

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

Anthony Eckhart, a student of Oriental music, meets Crocker in a Geisha house where he extricates the intoxicated man from the results of an attack upon a waiter. Crocker explains that his wife has left him and there is only drink left. Anthony discovers a woman with marvelous voice at the hotel and falls in love with her before he finds that she is Crocker's wife. He confesses to Crocker and offers to leave if Crocker will leave her alone. Crocker promises an answer, but comes to kill his wife. Anthony prevents him and at last Crocker proves a man.

Dir: Rupert Julian

Two families had been neighbors in the South for years; Maud, her brother Howard, and Cecil Lane were playmates. One day as they were playing on the lawn the fathers of Maud and Cecil betroth their children in a bumper of wine. Shortly thereafter Cecil's father loses his fortune through poor speculation and commits suicide. Maud is sent away to school. Cecil begins a musical education, remaining at home and growing up to be the village music teacher. Years later Maud returns home, and soon her brother Howard arrives with a foppish friend, Lord Lovelace, who straightaway lays siege to Maud's heart. Maud and Cecil meet at the village shrine and renew their childhood love. Against her will Maud consents to a betrothal with Lord Lovelace. On the night of the betrothal party Maud and Cecil plan to elope, but their arrangements are discovered and thwarted, a duel between Cecil and Howard developing with in the hour. Maud hears the shots fired, and beholding her brother slightly wounded sends Cecil away in anger. He leaves the village under the impression that Howard will die. Cecil goes far away, and in a great city his musical talents are recognized. Maud, meanwhile, in contrition, would have Cecil return to her, but he keeps his mother poorly informed and Maud is unable to get word to him. When Cecil composes the song, "Come Into the Garden, Maud," his fame is assured. At this time war breaks out and Cecil, Lord Lovelace and Howard become soldiers, eventually meeting on the battlefield. Lord Lovelace knows of Cecil's song and his great fame as its composer, and at the moment he is about to die of his wounds, Lord Lovelace sends word to Cecil, that Maud is waiting for Cecil in the garden. Believing that Cecil has been killed in battle at the same time her brother Howard and Lord Lovelace die of their wounds, Maud decides to dedicate her life to religion and enters a convent. When Cecil ultimately comes home he is too late to reach Maud with any communication. He spends the rest of his life in sorrow going every day to the convent walls and playing his famous song that Maud might hear and know that he thus awaits the final end, faithful to his childhood sweetheart.

Dir: Rupert Julian

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

In modern times Paul Winthrop visits an island and paints a picture of Joe, a picturesque pearl diver. He dresses him in pirate garb and when the picture is done Joe cannot take his eyes from it. The two men instinctively recognize each other. Joe is another Jean Lafitte, Paul is his antagonist of the years before. Later Joe stumbles across a case of pirate treasure buried along the shore. By a plate on the box he reads the name of the one-time owner, Jean Lafitte. With this treasure he is enabled to visit the United States, where in New York he again finds Paul Winthrop. Paul is in love with Lily Demorest, but her parents have signified their desire that she marry Robert Spurr, a millionaire. Joe is immediately attracted to her and decides to kidnap her. First his motive is charitable. He intends turning her over to Paul, who is timid about such action himself. Then he decides to keep her for himself, but Lily cries out for Paul and then to the pirate descendant dawns the true meaning of the curse fastened on his ancestor by the woman he coveted. So he returns her to Paul, and though it is difficult he finds some happiness in the thought of their reunion.

Dir: Rupert Julian

When Marie Louise, the daughter of the town factor, returns home from school, Julio Sandoval, a reckless young half-breed ruled by his animal instincts, develops a passion for the girl, even though she is engaged to Captain McKeever of the mounted police. Meeting Marie when she is alone in the woods one day, the half-breed carries her to his cabin on the mountain top where he collapses from an attack of mountain fever brought on by overexertion. Taking pity on Julio, Marie nurses him back to health, and when the rescue party arrives, she does not betray him. Upon her return to town, Marie learns that McKeever has been taken prisoner by the outlaw Joe Bedotte. Marie pleads with Julio to rescue the captain, and in gratitude, he goes to the mountains, frees the captain and surrenders his own life as a consequence.

Dir: Rupert Julian

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

While Major Abercrombie and wife were hurrying through a Persian forest, in order that Mrs. Abercrombie might reach an English settlement to bear her child, a tent was hurriedly pitched, and there a little girl was born. The mother surrendered her life and Major Abercrombie went mad with grief. He ran into the forest and was killed by lions. Usun Hassan, while passing with his huntsmen, discovered the tent and sent Malec, his secretary, to investigate. Malec found the dead body of Mrs. Abercrombie and heard the faint cry of her baby. The body of the woman was buried and the babe was carried to Hassan's harem. There she grew to become a beautiful girl, with Malec acting as her tutor. They called her Rokaia. Hassan having decided she should marry a merchant whom she loathed, Rokaia readily listened to Malec's proposal that she go with him to France. Having provided her with clothes, money and tickets, Malec was detected while helping the girl escape. Malec hid himself away to save his head, while Rokaia proceeded to France. Arriving at Marseilles the girl was robbed of her purse, thus becoming easy prey for a young gallant who made her acquaintance and started to take her to his apartments. Rokaia was struck by an automobile and her admirer found safety in flight. The motor was owned by Marquis De Tonquin, who helped Rokaia into the tonneau and drove her to his home. There she was found to be little hurt. The Marquis about this time received a letter from the Parisian college where his son, Marcel, was being educated, stating that the boy was incorrigible. Believing that there must be a "woman in the case," the Marquis prevailed upon Rokaia to go to Paris as his son's companion. Marcel did not look upon the girl as his father would have him, but secured separate lodgings for her, where he lived, and treated her with utmost respect. The day Rokaia arrived in Paris she halted before a Persian bird-vendor and asked the directions to Marcel's lodgings. It so happened that Malec had just arrived from Persia and lived at the Asiatic lodgings where the bird-vendor stopped. He heard the man's gossip about the girl who spoke in his own tongue and bought his birds. Malec believed he was on the trail of the girl be sought, and went to the address the bird-vendor gave him, and there found Rokaia. Through hypnotic influence he controlled the girl so far as to cause her to go away with him. Marcel was informed by his fellow students, when he returned, after a brief absence from his lodgings, that Rokaia had just departed, and the note she left for him confirmed the story. When a drayman called for Rokaia's trunk, Marcel learned her address, and leading a party of students, went to her rescue. The happy ending was attained when Marcel and Rokaia were married.

Dir: Rupert Julian

A propagandistic view of the First World War, showing the political greed of the German Kaiser Wilhelm, the resistance of some of his own soldiers, and fanciful prediction of the nature of the war's end.

Dir: Rupert Julian

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

Ex-convict Dale Revenal arrives at Dudley Appleton's ranch bearing a letter of introduction from John Silver, Appleton's old friend. Appleton hires Dale, who, through his winning manner, soon wins the respect of the ranch hands and the love of the ranch owner's daughter Mary Jane. Believing himself unworthy of her, Dale tells Mary Jane that he has a wife and child in Arizona, and she reluctantly agrees to marry Jack Nelda, a local rancher. Nelda realizes that Mary Jane is still in love with Dale and plots with Bessie Dupont and her brother Pinto to kill him. Bessie, however, warns Dale, but when he confronts Nelda at the saloon, Pinto shoots him, wounding him in the shoulder. John Silver comes to Dale's aid and Nelda is killed. Silver reveals that Dale's "wife" in Arizona is really his sister, and Dale finally accepts Mary Jane's love.

Dir: Rupert Julian

Miner Dan Stuyvesant finally strikes it rich, but on his way to report his claim, he is shot. When Jack Dedlow, the head of a gang of outlaws, hears this news, he rides to Stuyvesant's cabin intending to secure the claim for himself. There the outlaws find Stuyvesant's daughter Hilda, the sweetheart of Tom Flynn, and are about to draw cards for her when Dago Sam pulls out his guns and spirits her out the door. Because Tom is his only friend, Sam determines to protect Hilda from the gang, but when Tom suspiciously questions his intentions toward Hilda, Sam decides to live up to the town's poor opinion of him. Hilda saves herself by declaring her faith in Sam and, his spirits restored, he returns her to Tom. Dedlow is killed in a fight at Sam's cabin, and Tom and Sam renew their friendship.

Dir: Rupert Julian

A heartwarming retelling of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' where Ebeneezer Scrooge is visited by three spirits in an attempt to save his soul.