The Auteur's Selection Complementing the Tone of The Lamplighter: C...

Dir: Eduardo Notari

A crime drama in the Gennariello-series. The police detective in Naples that is confronted with modern gangsters and crime events.

Dir: Howard M. Mitchell

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

During his daily duties, Casey the Cop rescues a woman who's soon his sweetheart. Later, she learns from her banker uncle that her inheritance has been stolen, and he's accusing Casey's own cashier brother. Casey is on the case.

Dir: Harley Knoles

Jim McDonald, the foreman of a shipbuilding plant and head of the labor union, strives to combat the anarchistic propaganda being put forth by Klimoff, the leader of a Bolshevik gang whose goal is to disrupt the country with strikes and anarchy. Despite McDonald's efforts, a strike is called, resulting in chaos. McDonald's child is knocked down by runaway horses abandoned by their striking driver, and dies. Mob scenes take place in America, as well as in Russia. Eventually, the unrest is quelled with an armistice called between Capital and Labor for a year, during which time wages are to be increased to reflect the cost of living, and leaders are to work out a common plan for their mutual advantage. The strikers now realize that they have been pawns of the Bolsheviks and call off the strike, agreeing to the plan.

Dir: Edgar Jones

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

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

Dir: Dallas M. Fitzgerald

Confidence artist Flossie Golden attempts to fleece foolish but wealthy James Venable with a breach-of-promise suit. Venable's shrewd attorney, Richard Harding, outwits Flossie by proposing that she marry Venable and live on an allowance of $3,000 per year. Flossie is determined to get even with Harding for ruining her plans. In an attempt to con him, she poses as Innocence Page, but falls in love and marries him instead. Larry, Flossie's former accomplice, endeavors to blackmail her with her errant past, but Harding is already cognizant of the facts and Larry fails.

Dir: Bruno Ziener

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

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Howard M. Mitchell

Heart-of-Oak, an Indian, shakes the dust of a Western reservation for a college career in the east. Heart-of-Oak is the son of a noted chief, and has taken the preservation of his race deeply at heart. His younger sister, Little Fawn, worships him. At college the Indian quickly becomes a favorite. He wins a place on the varsity crew, and finds a friend in a fellow oarsman Granville Wingham, a young American of wealthy parents. Granville's sister Carolyn also has a high regard for Heart-of-Oak, though the attachment never becomes romantic, Carolyn being betrothed to a young man whom she has known since childhood. Little Fawn wins a scholarship in the Indian school in the West, and surprises her brother by announcing that she is ready to return east with him the second year to share his studies. Carolyn befriends Little Fawn in her strange surroundings. At the sophomore ball, dressed in an Indian costume, she innocently captures Granville's admiration. On their return West for the summer Little Fawn secretly cherishes memories of the handsome white student who has covertly made love to her. Wingham, the elder, owns a ranch near the reservation. His son and daughter visit the property. They see a great deal of Heart-of-Oak and his sister. With deep foreboding the Indian watches Little Fawn and his friend. He talks gravely with the girl, telling her that for the sake of her own people she should not think of marriage outside her ancestral race. The Indian puts his trust in his college friend, whom he believes to be the soul of honor. When the disillusionment comes Heart-of-Oak tracks the runaways into the wilderness. The deep-rooted passion of the redskin for revenge takes possession of this educated Winnebago, who reverts to the type of his savage forebears. Ordering his sister into the hills, he closes in ferocious man-to-man battle with her lover, until the white man, bound and helpless, lies at the mercy of his erstwhile friend. Meanwhile, Carolyn has been summoned by the ruthless Indian. His vengeance is to be complete. But Little Fawn, driven back to the place by anxiety for the man she loves, is in time to sacrifice her own life for the safety of the white woman, his fury quenched by the sight of his sister, dead at his feet, Heart-of-Oak commands his victims to return to their own people, that he may be alone with his next of kin.

Dir: Wilfred Lucas

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

Brian O'Farrell (Snowy Baker), is an English 'new chum' who takes a job at an Australian cattle station. He is teased by station hands because of his appearance (including spats and a monocle) but he soon impresses them with his skills at riding and boxing. The station manager, John MacDonald (Wilfred Lucas), takes O'Farrell to Sydney to meet his daughter Edith (Kathleen Key) who is working in the slums. Edith is kidnapped by criminals after witnessing a crime but O'Farrell rescues her. It is later revealed he is the owner of the station.

Dir: Robert N. Bradbury

A simple country girl, brutally mistreated by her stepfather, awakens first the sympathy, then the love, of The Boy. The Spider, who lusts after The Girl, makes a bargain with the stepfather and takes her to the city where, kept prisoner, she is soon broken in health and spirit. Cast out and near death, she is taken in by The Boy. Following the demise of The Spider, The Boy takes her to church, where he prays, and after many hours she is restored to health.

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.