Hidden Genre Gems for Fans of The Luck of Geraldine Laird: Cult Guide

Dir: Edward Sloman

In the parched West, Louise MacLeod works as a secretary for Robert Powell, a lawyer defending businessman John Phelan, whom ranchers accuse of monopolizing water rights. Gordon, Louise's father, is one of the ranchers, and so Louise keeps him informed of Robert's strategy, with the result that the ranchers win their case. John, however, remains determined to control the area's water, and so he hires an engineer to dynamite a river in order to divert it from the ranchers and onto his own land. Robert then realizes the unscrupulousness of his former client, and defuses the engineer's bomb. Afterward, with the ranchers victorious, Robert concentrates less on water rights and more on Louise, with whom he soon begins a romance.

Dir: Edward Sloman

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

Rhoda Eldridge lives in the Paris Latin Quarter, learns at the death of her father Charles that her real name is Sayles and that she has an uncle somewhere in America. She travels to the States as a nursemaid but is discharged soon after her arrival. In the park, she finds an envelope containing a letter to Rosy Taylor from a Mrs. Du Vivier, along with a key, $2, and instructions to clean the Du Vivier mansion each week. When the penniless Rhoda learns that Rosy is dead, she cleans the home herself, and all is well until Jacques Le Clerc, Mrs. Du Vivier's brother, mistakes her for a thief and sends her to a reformatory. Rhoda, however, escapes and returns to the house. Upon discovering that Rosy has been dead for weeks, Jacques and his sister catch the mysterious housekeeper once again. Through the efforts of Jacques, who has fallen in love with her, Rhoda is united with her rich uncle, and to demonstrate her gratitude, she accepts the young man's marriage proposal.

Dir: Edward Sloman

"The Woman" is brought up on a farm by a miserly uncle who denies her the company of other young people. It is no wonder then that she is introduced by a traveling mining stock broker. When the uncle learns her plight, he puts her out. A storm is raging. The girl seeks shelter in the same place as the man who has seduced her. He persuades her to go to a nearby town and marry him. She does, but shortly after the ceremony she discovers that he is already married, when his wife and the police come and take him. Deserted and alone, the girl finds out that her uncle has been killed in the storm, and has left her his money. She takes it and goes to a small city where she lives. Five years later her little son is quite a lad, and they are living happily. The woman is known as a widow. Two men fall in love with her, a prominent physician and a broker. The broker wins his suit. Later her husband engages a chauffeur for the woman. When the man arrives at the house she discovers that it is the man who betrayed her. He threatens to expose her unless she keeps him supplied with money. She dares not refuse. He treats their son cruelly. One day the broker sees the chauffeur hit the lad and discharges him on the spot. The chauffeur again threatens the woman, this time telling her that if he does not get his job back he will reveal the truth about her. The woman goes to her husband's office when he is not in, and meets the chauffeur there. He flourishes a gun and a struggle ensues. The man is shot and the woman runs away. The coroner finds a locket in the hand of the dead man that belongs to the woman. He keeps the incriminating bit of evidence for the trial. The woman hides herself, unknowing that her husband has been arrested for the murder. A vision of the penitentiary causes her to hasten to court where she tells of the man's attack upon her. This testimony clears the husband, and both are discharged. She determines to have her mind free of the shadow of her secret, and tells her husband the true story of her life when they return home. She is forgiven.

Dir: Edward Sloman

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of A Woman's Daring perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Bob Stephany, "The Twinkler," is completing a long stretch in prison. He has saved the life of Old Doc, in charge of the dynamo room, and the old man promises to repay Bob, should the opportunity present itself, Bob's fiancée, Rose Burke, whose father, Daddy Burke, has a prison record, comes to visit Bob. She tells him she has but one dream, and that comes to her every night. She pictures Bob in a responsible position, and their living in a vine-clad cottage. Bob is won over by the idea and promises to go "straight." Freed from prison, "The Twinkler" sets about to get honest work. A crooked detective discovers him and he is forced to submit to blackmail rather than lose his job. The chief, Boss Corregan, meets Rose and makes advances to her. At the Political Ball he annoys the girl and Bob comes to her rescue. Daddy Burke, Rose and Bob disappear. The next day Corregan tells Bob to send for Rose to come to his office because he wishes to apologize to her. Bob suspects that Corregan has designs on Rose and tells her to bring his revolver with her. Corregan has Bob jailed on a false charge, and when Rose comes to his office she is greeted by Boss, who takes her into his arms. In the struggle which ensues. Rose fires Bob's revolver and Daddy, who is at the window, also fires a shot and runs away. The police arrive at the scene and find Corregan dead and Rose in a faint. Rose is held for the murder and Bob is released. He is unable to find Daddy and resorts to stealing to secure the money to fight for Rose's freedom. However, Rose is sentenced to execution. On the day before Rose's scheduled execution Bob meets Daddy Burke. The old man has been seriously injured and when told of Rose's predicament confesses that he was responsible for the fatal shot. Bob hurries to the Governor with Daddy's signed statement. The Governor sends his secretary to the prison with a pardon for Rose. Bob boards a train tor the prison city. A fearful storm comes up and all telegraph and telephone communication is cut off. Bob sees a well-groomed man displaying a wallet and he cannot resist the temptation to steal it. He escapes from the train and finds his way to a deserted cabin. Here he opens the wallet and to his horror discovers that he has robbed the Governor's secretary and has Rose's pardon in his possession. Realizing that all communication is cut off, Bob hurries to a nearby town. Here he sees a train and boards it. He arrives at the prison an hour after the time set for Rose's electrocution. There he learns that Old Doc, who has learned of "The Rose's" identity, has been the means of saving her life. He had placed a file in the dynamo and when the switch was turned on, the armature had burned out and it was necessary to send to another town for a new one. "The Twinkler" makes a clean breast of his guilt and produces Rose's pardon. The prison officials agree to forget the incident and set both Bob and Rose free. Old Doc smilingly watches them go.

Dir: Edward Sloman

Having overslept on the morning of his wedding, James Page is rushing to the home of his bride, Marah Manning, when he sees Jed Baldwin being attacked. He goes to Jed's rescue and is arrested for his efforts. After being released, James discovers that Marah has called off the wedding; to console himself he ventures West with Baldwin. His troubles just begin when he arrives in Arizona and, mistaken for outlaw Pete Rawley, is thrown in jail. Meanwhile, the real Rawley holds up Marah and her father, who are searching for James and takes the two to his mountain retreat, where they believe that James is their captor. Then Pete's sweetheart Phoebe helps James escape, believing that he is Pete, and takes him to the mountain retreat where they find the real Rawley. After the couples straighten themselves out, Pete and Phoebe escape across the border and Marah forgives James.

Dir: Edward Sloman

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

When the unruly drinking party at "Big Bill" Darcey's hunting lodge runs out of liquor, they move to the lodge of Darcey's agent, Enoch Foyle, and finding attractive Nora Farnes waiting alone, harass her. Bill, who previously was interested only in pleasure, with his consumptive friend Sammy Goode, protects Nora, who, armed with a revolver, intends to confront Foyle for swindling her mother. When Foyle returns, Nora wounds him slightly. Bill brings her to his lodge for the night, and falling in love, convinces her to marry him to protect her name. As he is preparing to leave on his honeymoon, Bill learns that Foyle fleeced him of his fortune. Finding Nora at Foyle's lodge, he loses faith in her, and leaves with Sammy for the desert because of Sammy's illness. Lost and exhausted, Sammy makes a dying request that Bill return and listen to Nora's explanation. After Bill's rescue, he finds Nora dining with Foyle, but upon learning that she has hidden detectives to overhear Foyle's confession, Bill is reconciled with Nora, and they finish the dinner.

Dir: Edward Sloman

Wealthy banker John Sevier is engaged to Elaine Morier, who runs an upscale gambling club with her father Gerald. One night at the club John stops a fight between club employee Jim Hammond and a wealthy young customer named Tom Leonard. He takes Leonard home and meets his sister Marion. The next day he discovers that his banking partner, Jim Collins, has made too many bad investments with the bank's money and the institution is in danger of going under. John promises to use his own money to save the bank, but Elaine, outraged, breaks off their engagement. However, Marion and Tom congratulate him on his courage in putting up his own money to save the bank. Elaine and her father--who were scheming to take John for his money all along--realize that they made a mistake and try to get the two back together again. Complications ensue.

Dir: Edward Sloman

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

A gray-gowned woman at a masked ball entices wealthy society man Philip Greycourt, who is bored with easy conquests, to a hotel, then leaves without unmasking. Later, Philip visits the country home of John Villiers with a friend, and although Philip thinks that Villiers' second wife Helen, who flirts with him, is the masked woman, she denies having met him earlier. Helen's stepdaughter Catherine falls in love with Philip, but he scarcely notices her. When Villiers leaves for town one evening, Helen invites Philip to her sitting room and admits that she was the masked woman. Villiers returns unexpectedly, and seeing shadows of figures in a window embracing, he runs inside. The maid warns Helen, and Philip enters another room, where Catherine lies in bed. As Villiers pounds on the door, Catherine accepts Philip's proposal. They marry the next day; later, after Villiers dies, Helen attempts to seduce Philip, and jealously tells Catherine, whom Philip now loves, of their past. When Philip learns that Catherine has left to board a steamer, he follows, and they enjoy a honeymoon cruise.

Dir: Edward Sloman

Episode 1: "Fate and Death" Arthur and Esther Stanley and son, little Arthur, en route from Virginia to England, are victims of a train wreck. Father and mother are killed but the child escapes death. Quabba, the gypsy, now the king of the band, learns of the accident from his followers. He hastens to the wreck and finds the bodies of Arthur and Esther Stanley but finds no trace of their son. De Vaux, the conspirator, who has been shadowing the Stanleys, is also present at the wreck. He finds little Arthur and discovers The Diamond From the Sky suspended from his neck. He transfers the jewel to his pocket and disappears into the night carrying off little Arthur. Later Quabba sees De Vaux carrying the child into an orphanage, temporarily used as a hospital. Quabba awaits his chance and steals the child.

Dir: Edward Sloman

Lone Star, an Indian lad of superior intelligence, marvels at the efficacy of the white man's medical methods. He later goes East to secure an education and release his tribe from the practices of the medicine man. After a medical course in college Lone Star goes to New York and here becomes a noted surgeon. He meets Helen Mattes, the daughter of a rich New Yorker, and falls in love with the girl. Her father objects to his daughter mating with an Indian and he brings Helen to the same conclusion. A short time after the girl has told Lone Star that she can never marry him he saves her life by a very delicate operation. Then, disgusted with so-called "high society." he returns to the Indian village and there sets about to give them the benefit of his education.