The Essential Watchlist that Capture the Essence of The Midnight Br...

Dir: Edgar Jones

A mail-order bride arrives at a Maine lumber camp but doesn't like her prospective husband.

Dir: Alexander Butler

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

In Alberta, Canada, a Cornish emigrant unmasks a rustler posing as the girl's "blind" father.

Dir: William Humphrey

A young girl in Monte Carlo is engaged to a nobleman, but is really in love with someone else. A jewel thief named "The Black Spider" has been robbing the wealthy of Monte Carlo, and as a joke the girl steals her aunt's jewels. Unfortunately, a detective finds out and suspects her of being the real "The Black Spider".

Dir: Edward LeSaint

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

When famous opera singer Elinore Duane undergoes an operation on her throat, she has a series of ether-induced visions. In one, she is transported to ancient Rome where she appears as a much-admired woman in love with Paul, a young heretic, and at odds with Lutor, the high priest. To save her love, she poisons Lutor with her ring. After several other visions which involve variations on this love triangle, Elinore awakens to discover that Lutor is actually her doctor, Sascha Jaccard, and that Paul is the son of a friend who has come to visit the recovering prima donna.

Dir: William Humphrey

Joan Thursday loses her job because she refuses to fall for the floorwalker and determines to go on the stage. Her father, a drunkard and poolroom fiend, chases her out of the house. The only two friends she has to go to she finds out of town. but finds a friend in John Matthias, a young playwright, a member of the same boarding house. John Matthias, in love with Venetia Tankerville, does not propose to her because of her wealth, and when she leads him to it he declares his love, she acquiesces, and Helena, who enters then is told and congratulates the couple. Marbridge, a silent partner with Arlington in a theatrical enterprise, of which Nella, Marbridge's mistress, is leading lady, accepts a play which Matthias has written, and they decide to put it on, Matthias getting their promise of a small part for Joan. Matthias, fascinated by Joan's charms, proposes to her and wins a consent. On return of the eloping pair, Marbridge having eloped with Venetia in order to get her money, meets Joan and is struck by her beauty, which he openly admires, much to the embarrassment of Matthias, Tankerville and Venetia. Through his influence her small part is taken away and she is given a bigger part. The night of the first performance he meets Joan and takes her to his apartment, where he has everything prepared for her. Nella grows suspicious, follows them to the apartment, finds Joan in his arms, and her jealousy overcoming her, she fires and shoots Marbridge, who falls unconscious. Realizing what she has done, Nella runs to him and hysterically tries to recall her action. Marbridge's valet takes her away, revives Marbridge, who gets Matthias on the phone, and later, when Matthias and Arlington arrive, gives Joan and Venetia in Matthias's keeping and Nella in Arlington's, he dies.

Dir: William Humphrey

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

Vamp propositions a reform candidate for governor.

Dir: Robert N. Bradbury

A simple country girl, brutally mistreated by her stepfather, awakens first the sympathy, then the love, of The Boy. The Spider, who lusts after The Girl, makes a bargain with the stepfather and takes her to the city where, kept prisoner, she is soon broken in health and spirit. Cast out and near death, she is taken in by The Boy. Following the demise of The Spider, The Boy takes her to church, where he prays, and after many hours she is restored to health.

Dir: Charles Horan

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

While working as a flower girl in Devlin Maddox's nightclub, Nellie Vaughan meets wealthy young Pelton Van Teel and falls in love. Maddox, desirous of using Nellie to blackmail Van Teel, spreads a rumor that she is his mistress. This makes Nellie uncomfortable, and she demands that Van Teel marry her immediately, to which he agrees. Meanwhile, Van Teel has been losing money gambling to Maddox, who threatens to break up the marriage by producing a worthless check that the young husband has written. Venturing to Maddox's apartment for a showdown, Nellie pulls a gun and demands the check, accidentally shooting Maddox when he throws a lamp at her. Maddox plans to charge Nellie with assault, but when the police arrive, his butler, actually a detective employed by the elder Van Teel, exposes Maddox, who is then arrested, clearing the path for the couple's happiness.

Dir: William Humphrey

When Tony Merritt returns from college, his guardian, Bruce Donaldson, introduces him to Ethel Walling, with whom Bruce is secretly in love. Tony falls in love with Ethel and asks for Bruce's blessing. Bruce, believing that he is too old for Ethel, encourages the romance and Ethel consents to the marriage only to please Bruce. Meanwhile, an emissary of a foreign government steals the plans for a diving bell upon which Bruce has been working, and the theft is blamed on Tony. The plans are finally recovered, and upon returning home, Bruce discovers that Wanda, a girl of questionable reputation, is demanding money to release Tony from his promise of marriage. To save Tony, Bruce compromises himself with Wanda and allows Ethel to discover them. This forces Tony to realize the sacrifices that Bruce has made for him and he rushes to Ethel to confess. Finally realizing Bruce's love for her, Ethel goes to him and they are united.

Dir: William Humphrey

When elderly Joseph Moreau and his young wife Therese offer refuge to starving young dramatist Paul Savary, gossips begin to spread rumors of a love affair between the wife and the writer. For the good of all concerned, Paul moves into separate quarters. One day Paul overhears the gossip again at a café and challenges the purveyor of the lie to a duel. Moreau, for his own satisfaction, takes Paul's place in combat and is mortally wounded. Moreau staggers to Paul's apartment where he discovers Therese, who has come to beg the writer to refuse to fight. The husband dies cursing the traitorous couple, and then it is revealed that the whole incident was the narrative of Paul's new play, which he is reciting to Moreau and Therese.