Masterpiece Selection that Capture the Essence of The Make-Believe ...

Dir: John S. Robertson

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: John S. Robertson

During World War I, Washington, D.C. society girl Nancy Craddock decides to enlist in the Food Administration on the theory that "eggs will win the war."

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

Dir: John S. Robertson

Mary Malloy works as a scullery maid in a hotel. She meets reporter Bob Norton, who soon falls in love with her. When Mary learns that one of her friends is to be evicted, she pawns an old silver goblet with her family crest in order to get money to forestall the eviction. The pawnbrokers, realizing how valuable the goblet is, hatch a scheme to use Mary as a patsy while they substitute fake pearls for the real thing. Bob, however, becomes suspicious.

Dir: John S. Robertson

Olivia Dangerfield and her brother are hired as servants in the household of the meticulous Mrs. Falkner. When another pair of servants is detained by the law, Olivia decides to pose as a master cook, though she knows little about the culinary arts. Meanwhile, Burton Crane, the boyfriend of Mrs. Falkner's daughter, becomes attracted to the "wonderful cook" at the Falkner home.

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

Dir: John S. Robertson

When a girl's lover kills her husband she offers herself to her father-in-law in exchange for his freedom.

Dir: John S. Robertson

Exotic Russian actress Lisa Parsinova tires of her glamorous life on the New York stage and returns, under her actual identity as Lizzie Parsons, to her small New England hometown. But she is pursued by a young man who is in love with the famed Russian alter ego.

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

Dir: John S. Robertson

The people of Thrums ostracize 12-year-old Grizel and her mother, known as The Painted Lady, until newcomer Tommy Sandys, a highly-imaginative boy, comes to the girl's rescue and they become inseparable friends. Six years later Tommy returns from London, where he has achieved success as an author, and finds that Grizel still loves him. In a sentimental gesture he proposes, but she, realizing that he does not love her, rejects him. In London, Tommy is lionized by Lady Pippinworth, and he follows her to Switzerland. Having lost her mother and believing that Tommy needs her, Grizel comes to him but is overcome by grief to see his love for Lady Pippinworth. Remorseful, Tommy returns home, and after his careful nursing Grizel regains her sanity.

Dir: John S. Robertson

Prudence, a young society woman and aviatrix, is forbidden to continue flying by her fiancé Hewitt and her father. In defiance, she stages her own kidnapping, but Hewitt discovers the ruse and arranges a real abduction to teach her a lesson. His plan backfires, and the kidnappers rob him and capture Prudence. In order to save herself, Prudence pretends to join the gang. In an attempted robbery of Hewitt's house, the police surprise the thieves, but Prudence escapes to her own house where she is reunited with her family and fiancé. Hewitt and her father, in their relief at Prudence's homecoming, relent and allow her to continue her aeronautical pursuits.

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

Dir: John S. Robertson

During World War I, beautiful and patriotic Leslie Selden is courted by two ardent admirers: Jack Wynn, a young man not yet taken by the draft, and Dr. Wolff, a Danish scientist who is actually a German agent. When Jack learns that Wolff is masterminding a plot to bomb several munitions factories and destroy the water system in New York City, he goes to the spy's home and confronts him. Wolff locks him up, then forges a note to Leslie claiming that the young man has run away to escape the draft. Her suspicions aroused, Leslie alerts the authorities and plants a dictograph in Wolff's house, through which she learns of the scheduled bombings. Accompanied by the police, she arrives at Wolff's residence just in time to prevent Jack's murder and the destruction of the city.

Dir: John S. Robertson

A young man with little means wants to marry a rich girl, and thinks up a scheme to get rich.