Cinematic Discoveries Following the Footsteps of The Married Flappe...

Dir: Richard Smith

Two female candidates for Chief of Police live across the hall from each other, and their political rivalry follows them home, leading to plenty of hi-jinks.

Dir: Stuart Paton

Whiskey smuggler Dubec, trades liquor to the Indians, takes revenge on the Royal North West Mounted Police pursuing him by killing the wife of post commander Sergeant Delisle and abducting his teen-aged daughter Nonette. After twelve years of futile searches, the eighteenth birthday celebration of Delisle's other daughter Julie is disrupted when Sergeant MacNair arrives to replace Delisle because Delisle cannot control the lawlessness in the camp. MacNair falls in love with Julie though she scorns him. When Dubec and Nonette, now his wife, return from the Klondike with a dance hall troupe of women, Delisle, not recognizing Dubec but resenting his flirtations with Julie, orders them to leave. Dubec captures Julie and MacNair, forcing Julie to dance, and offers her to the highest bidder. MacNair saves her just as Delisle, warned by Nonette of Dubec, arrives. Nonette is reunited with her father, and MacNair and Julie, now in love, embrace.

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

Dir: Stuart Paton

Being an unmarried man, Douglas Seward, a young engineer, is unable to secure a position with Terence Craver, a contractor. In search for a wife Seward meets Eileen Orton, who has been left destitute by the death of her father. He makes an agreement to support her if she present herself as his wife at Craver's office. She agrees and Seward secures a position and leaves for South America. The contractor, who has a mania for beautiful women, falls in love with Eileen, but she does not care for him, having become much attracted to Seward, who is sending her half his salary each week for her maintenance. Months later Seward comes to New York to see Eileen and arrives in time to protect her from Craver. The marriage lie no longer necessary, Seward proposes to Eileen, and they are forthwith made man and wife.

Dir: Stuart Paton

Episode 1: "The Bank Mystery" Mr. Carlow, a wealthy American living in London, is engaged to Lady Gwendolin, and has ordered from Arabin and Company, famous Fifth Avenue jewelers, a necklace worth two million dollars, to be made for her wedding present. She is anxious to see it, and he sends the junior partner of his London solicitors, Wade Hildreth, to America to get the jewel. He cables the young attorney's personal description to Arabin, and gives Wade his certified check for two million dollars. Wade makes ready to go with his secretary. Jean Marco. In New York is a master criminal known as the Gray Ghost. So perfect is his organization that he is never even suspected of the crimes and robberies which follow each other in quick succession. Only one member of the detective force really believes in his identity. This is Jerry Tyron. The Gray Ghost intercepts the message from Arabin. He prepares a reception for Hildreth, for he wishes to get the necklace and the check. Banker Olmstead is at dinner with his wife and son who is employed in the bank with him. His father is anxious that the books shall be in order, as the auditor is coming to examine them. He decides to go down to the bank. Young Olmstead is in the power of the Gray Ghost, to whom he has lost at cards. He goes to him to say that the game is up, and asks for mercy. Instead of helping him, the man plans to get him further into his power. Morn Light, a musical comedy star, whose connection with the Ghost is mysterious, arrives during their discussion. The Ghost asks her to retire, but she listens and watches. She sees the Ghost's men strike down Olmstead, and demands to know what is to be done with him. The Ghost tells her to mind her own business, and she is very angry. He sends her home. Olmstead has arrived at the bank and ordered the vault to be opened. The watchman is in the pay of the Ghost. Olmstead discovers his son's thefts from the bank. Suddenly he is shot down. It is the Ghost's men who have been introduced into the vault by the watchman. The men appear, carrying the boy. They place a revolver in his hand, and leave him lying upon his father's body. He comes to, and the watchman tells him that he has shot his father, and that the police are after him. He cannot believe it, but an officer rushes in and drags him out. In the car the officer changes his clothes to civilian attire, and when Olmstead demands to know what it means he is silenced. The Gray Ghost waits till one o'clock, and then he calls up Tyron and tells him that the bank has been robbed. Tyron sets out at once with a large force of police. They arrive at the bank, and find the unconscious watchman. The body of the banker has disappeared.

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

Dir: Stuart Paton

A conspiracy to take over the world is uncovered when several Latin diplomats visit the United States.

Dir: Stuart Paton

Tommy Buckman, the ne'er-do-well son of dime store magnate John Buckman, is given one last chance to succeed by surveying a possible location in New England for the opening of another store in his father's chain. Arriving in the town of Winton, Tommy lands in jail and, disowned by his father, is bailed out by Nina Potter, whose father owns the only dime store in town. Tommy accepts a job as a delivery boy in the Potter store and soon rises to the post of general manager. When Buckman opens the store across the street, Tommy, now an adroit manager, corners the market. Old Buckman is sent for, and when he arrives to discover that his own son has beaten him in business, he consents to Tommy's marriage to Nina and withdraws his store from the town of Winton.

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

Dir: Stuart Paton

Andrea Minghetti runs a California vineyard with the help of his pretty niece Bona, who cooks for the employees. A worker named Chico Piave, who belongs to a secret crime society, tries unsuccessfully to force himself on Bona, and later, he demands that Andrea give him both the young woman and a large sum in cash. Meanwhile, the wealthy Frank Harris accepts a job at the vineyard on a dare and is so impressed with Bona's cooking that he offers her a position in his mother's kitchen. Mrs. Harris treats Bona cruelly until word comes that Bona has inherited a fortune from Andrea, who has disappeared in her absence. Mrs. Harris' sudden kindness dismays Bona, who returns home and informs the police of Chico's earlier threats. Chico is arrested, but Andrea, who merely hid to escape the criminal, returns to the vineyard, as does Frank, who declares his love for Bona.

Dir: Stuart Paton

Lois Fox, upon whose shoulder is branded a Chinese ideograph resembling the letters "A. Y.," is rescued from a gang of Chinese ruffians by Brice Ferris. His servant Ming, in attempting to steal from her finger a ring that bears a mysterious green seal, is killed, and soon afterwards a stranger named Strang arrives, also in search of the girl. Despite Brice's efforts to protect her, Lois is abducted and taken to the headquarters of Lao Wing, the leader of a secret Chinese society known as the Tong. Ferris and chief of police Struber finally infiltrate the gang's headquarters and after a furious battle, Lois and Strang are freed. Strang, actually Lois' uncle, reveals that the sacred ring had belonged to an ancient Chinese order but had been stolen by Lois' father.

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

Dir: Stuart Paton

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Stuart Paton

A French professor and his daughter accompany Captain Nemo on an adventure aboard a submarine.