Hidden Genre Gems for Fans of The Hunchback of Notre Dame: Cult Guide

Dir: Edgar Jones

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

Dir: Wallace Worsley

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

Helen Rowland is unresponsive towards her rich husband Henry and spends most of her time at social events. Henry agrees to give financial assistance to young clergyman John Sterling for his missionary cause if Helen can become interested in Sterling's work in the slums. Helen becomes so interested in Sterling's mission work that she admits to Henry that she is in love with the clergyman. Henry then insists that Sterling arouse Helen's hatred. Sterling feigns drunkenness and Helen is so disgusted that she hurries home. Henry is remorseful about the scheme, but confesses he did it out of love for her, and so Helen discovers, finally, that she loves her husband.

Dir: Edward LeSaint

When famous opera singer Elinore Duane undergoes an operation on her throat, she has a series of ether-induced visions. In one, she is transported to ancient Rome where she appears as a much-admired woman in love with Paul, a young heretic, and at odds with Lutor, the high priest. To save her love, she poisons Lutor with her ring. After several other visions which involve variations on this love triangle, Elinore awakens to discover that Lutor is actually her doctor, Sascha Jaccard, and that Paul is the son of a friend who has come to visit the recovering prima donna.

Dir: F. Martin Thornton

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

In Paris an orphan cartoonist loves a man with a mad wife, who dies in time to prevent her marriage to a jilted Comte.

Dir: Wallace Worsley

Neysa von Igel, who is living with her supposed grandfather Adolph Schmidt, loves America, although she believes herself to be German-born. Unknown to Neysa, when she was three years old, her American-born parents were killed in Germany by Emil Koenig, whose punishment was to be sent to the United States to work in the interest of the government of the Fatherland, and who is now associated with Schmidt in his manufacturing enterprise. Koenig demands that Neysa work in behalf of Germany. She revolts and escapes to the home of David Hale, who had been her grandfather's attorney but who is now in the service of the United States Government. Hale and Neysa are married and depart for France, where the girl again encounters Koenig, and, after many thrilling adventures, she kills him in self-defense.

Dir: Bruno Ziener

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

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Wallace Worsley

Mary Thorne, a quarter-breed Native American, returns home from the East with a college degree and an air of refinement, although she relishes the freedom of her father Marshall's mountain cabin. When Mark Hamilton and Chester Martin visit the cabin on a hunting expedition, Mary, in a spirit of mischief, dons her Indian clothing and convinces them that she is full-blooded. Mark falls deeply in love with the girl, while Chester, contemptuous of her Indian background, though attracted to her, decides to possess her. While her father is hunting for gold at Lost Lake, Chester enters Mary's room and attacks her. Mark rescues her, after which he realizes, by the modern décor of her room, that Mary is a cultured young lady. Later, Marshall is killed by an Indian guard at Lost Lake, but Mary inherits the gold he discovered and marries Mark.

Dir: Wallace Worsley

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

Unknown to his proud, wealthy family, Granger Hollister marries telephone operator Margery Harding. Granger presents his new wife at an engagement party given for his sister Jane, but Jane's fiance', Lord Cecil Graydon, threatens to break off the betrothal unless Granger's marriage is annulled. To please his sister, Granger sacrifices Margery, who seeks work and later gives birth. After her baby's death, Margery goes West, where she befriends and old miner who later leaves her his fortune. Meanwhile, Granger becomes involved in a fraudulent mining deal, and because of George Osborne's perjured testimony, he is sent to prison for five years. When he escapes, Margery agrees to hide him and is ultimately responsible for obtaining his pardon. Granger then remarries the wife he had abandoned.

Dir: William Parke

Bruce Wendell, the son of West Virginia coal mine owner James Wendell, graduates from West Point and prepares to lead a fighting unit to the front during World War I. As his father lies dying, however, he convinces Bruce to remain at home and guard the mine. Bruce's fiancée Ann Blair assumes that he is a coward and breaks off their engagement, but her brother Bobbie remains Bruce's loyal friend. Meyer, a German agent, persuades railroad president Parrish to refuse to transport Wendell's coal, but when Bruce adamantly refuses to close the mine, the spy's men decide to blow it up. While Ann is being abducted by Meyer, Bobbie is buried in an explosion at the mine. Bruce rescues Bobbie and then sends a plea to Lieutenant Parrish to rescue Ann. Meyer and his gang are captured and Ann renews her vow of love to Bruce.

Dir: Wallace Worsley

Wealthy heiress Diane Westfall, bored with her life, hops into a green van and sets out to seek adventure. She doesn't know that four men are pursuing her--her cousin Carl, who wants her inheritance; Baron Tregar of the small Balkan country of Houdania, who believes that Diane may be the rightful heir to the Houdanian throne; Prince Ronador, who also believes she may be the heir to the throne but wants to kill her so he can get control of it; and Philip Poynter, a young American friend of Baron Tregar's who has met and fallen in love with Diane, and sets out to protect her.