Masterpiece Selection that Capture the Essence of The Make-Believe Wife: Cult Guide

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.

Dir: John S. Robertson

After serving a term in prison for a crime he did not commit, a man exacts revenge upon the two people who framed him.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Test of Honor 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

To prove his theory that environment rather than heredity determines a man's character, Dr. Burnell adopts young Richard, the son of an imprisoned crook Morgan. Upon graduating from college, Richard proposes to Virginia Denton, but several days before the wedding, Morgan appears and threatens to reveal himself as Richard's father unless the young man aids him in a number of robberies. Through Robert Hargraves, Dr. Burnell discovers Richard's part in the crimes and starts to believe that his theory is incorrect. When Morgan decides to rob the Denton home, Richard arranges with Dr. Burnell to trap them in the act, but it is Virginia who discovers the two rifling the safe, and she immediately breaks the engagement. After the police arrive, however, Morgan reveals that Richard is actually Dr. Burnell's son, kidnapped by Morgan at an early age. His name cleared, Richard marries Virginia.

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

Gossip spreads quickly throughout a small New England village when Betty Taradine extravagantly entertains wounded Colonel Preedy, billeted at her home. After a bank official suggests that Betty, deeply in debt, raise money on the life insurance policy of her husband, who left years earlier because of her extravagances, Betty sends herself a telegram announcing her husband's death. Preedy's aide, Captain Peter Rymill, in reality Betty's husband, arrives, and falling in love with her again, agrees to keep his identity secret. Although Betty flirts with Preedy to irritate Peter, Preedy really loves Betty's friend, Penelope Moon. One night, Preedy sneaks into Betty's bedroom to steal Penelope's picture, and hides in the closet when Peter enters seeking reconciliation. Peter then hides under the bed when Reverend Ambrose Liptrott, who loves Betty, and his spinster sister Tabitha, arrive to investigate rumors. After Peter and Preedy explain themselves, Preedy confesses his love to Penelope, and Peter and Betty are reunited.

Dir: John S. Robertson

While traveling to meet her sweetheart, Richard Carr, in the capital of the Grand Duchy of Bonaluria, Peggy Dare's train compartment door is thrust open and a little boy is thrown at her feet. Peggy is so taken with the child, who tells her that his name is Manouche, that she looks after him. She foils an attempt to kill Manouche, before arriving in Bonaluria where she learns from Richard that the boy is really the Grand Duke. Peggy and Manouche are then separated as Peggy goes to live with Richard's mother and the boy returns to court. However, the power hungry Prince Henri, who is madly in love with Peggy, abducts the little duke and holds him ransom for Peggy's affections. For the sake of the child, Peggy agrees to go away with the prince and accompanies him to the castle. Carr, believing that Peggy has betrayed him, follows and is imprisoned by the prince. They are all rescued when the Royal Guards, summoned by Peggy, arrive and arrest the prince. Carr then apologizes to Peggy for his suspicions, and together they sail for America.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Menace 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

Dr. Henry Jekyll experiments with scientific means of revealing the hidden, dark side of man and releases a murderer from within himself.

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

Dir: John S. Robertson

Barnabetta Dreary's grim life of slaving for her Amish father Barnaby and her two brothers, is surprisingly changed when Barnaby marries Juliet Miller. Known as Erstwhile Susan, she becomes fond of Barnabetta, and because she retains control of her fortune, induces the other Drearys to relieve Barnabetta of some of her drudgery. After Barnaby has a stroke brought on when Susan proposes sending Barnabetta to school, she goes to a prep school where the president, Doctor Barrett, and a trustee, State Senator Jordan, both fall for her newly acquired charm, to the dismay of Jordan's sister who loves Barrett. When the sister interferes with Barnabetta's plan to work in the school after graduation, Barnabetta helps Jordan win his campaign for governor, and after exposing him to her family's crude table manners, Barnabetta accepts Jordan's marriage proposal, while Susan succeeds in reforming Barnaby and his sons.

Dir: John S. Robertson

The eldest daughter of a poor preacher, Penelope Penn leaves her country home to seek her fortune in the big city. Taking a room in a boarding-house at 39 East, Penelope futilely searches for work as an actress until she secretly accepts a minor part in the chorus. Napoleon Gibbs, Jr., Penelope's fellow boarder, defends her good name against the criticism of other boarders who are scandalized by the girl's late hours. Penelope, having understudied the leading lady of the show, finally gets an opportunity to fill her role and scores a complete triumph. Napoleon, eager to congratulate her, waits backstage where he sees the stage manager escorting his new star home. When she arrives back at the boarding-house, Penelope explains to the crestfallen Napoleon that she has no interest in her stage manager. Napoleon then seizes upon the opportunity to propose, and is accepted.