Underground Favorites Parallel to the Artistry of The Leopard Woman...

Dir: Wesley Ruggles

Department store clerk John Percival Billings, an avid reader of romance, falls in love with Suzanna Juárez when he sees her picture on a cigar box. With the lucky dime he receives from a customer, John buys a cigar and thereby obtains information that he sells to a group of conspirators for $5,000. John spends the money on a trip to Santo Dinero and meets Suzanna, whose father, President Estaban Juárez, is struggling to avert a revolution. Eventually, John saves the government and wins Suzanna.

Dir: Wesley Ruggles

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

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Wesley Ruggles

Chorus girl Rosalie Ryan catches the eye of Bob Westbrook, a wealthy playboy. He proposes to her but she refuses, mainly because of his heavy drinking. However, after being brazenly insulted by his family, she accepts his proposal, just to get under their skin. She finds out that Bob's sister Phyllis is planning to run off with Martyn Edwards, a cad who once betrayed a close friend of Rosalie's. Rosalie goes to Phyllis' apartment to talk her out of it, but soon finds herself involved in, and arrested for, a murder.

Dir: Wesley Ruggles

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

When World War I breaks out, young West Point cadet Gerald Ackland, who is studying in Paris, joins the French army as a fighter pilot. His French fiancee, Martha Landeau, and her father flee to the family farm, which is near the Marne River, for safety. When German troops take over the area, they raid Marthe's farm and attempt to ravage her--but suddenly, out of the sky, comes a French fighter plane that scatters the Germans--and its pilot is none other than Gerald. However, that's not the end of their troubles, by any means.

Dir: Wesley Ruggles

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Wesley Ruggles

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

Hugh Carver is an athletic star and a freshman at Prescott College. He falls in love with Cynthia Day, a popular girl who loves to go to parties. He finds that it is impossible to please her and still keep up with his studies and his athletic training, and soon the two face some difficult decisions.

Dir: Wesley Ruggles

Charlie Everard elopes with chorus girl Mary Smith against the will of his father, and Everard, Sr., has his son shanghaied aboard a sailing vessel. Believing herself deserted, Mary joins her chorus friend, Gwen, and refuses an offer from Everard's lawyer to have the marriage annulled. Charlie returns to her but reproaches her for associating with the theater set. After the birth of their child, alone and facing poverty, she surrenders the baby to the grandparents. Three years later, however, Everard, Sr., experiences a change of heart, and mother, father, and child are united.

Dir: Wesley Ruggles

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

Muriel Gray causes her father so much trouble that he takes out an insurance policy that will cover him for any damages she causes. The insurance company, irritated at Muriel's reckless driving habits, sends one of its agents to marry her, but she sets out to win a confirmed bachelor. The insurance agent is the best man at their wedding.

Dir: Wesley Ruggles

Always follow what your heart is telling you.

Dir: Wesley Ruggles

When newlywed Robert Ellis suspects that his missing wife is having a clandestine affair, he appeals to his friend, Pat Murphy, to find her. Pat's search leads him to the Waldorf-Astoria where he finds a woman named Edna Ellis and, assuming that she is Ellis' errant wife, kidnaps her and returns her to Ellis. Complications arise when the real Mrs. Ellis arrives home and discovers another woman. After several comic incidents, Pat falls in love with Edna and Ellis learns that his wife's secret rendezvous was with her sister.