Top-Tier Alternatives In the Shadow of The Moment of Victory: Cult Guide

Dir: David Smith

Anna Sewell's "autobiography" of a horse named Black Beauty is here expanded to include the adventures of the humans who surround the horse.

Dir: David Smith

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Baree, Son of Kazan perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Jim Carvel, whose father Henry, a newspaper owner, has been killed by the local political boss for exposing a theft ring, shoots his father's murderer and escapes to the Canadian Northwest where he befriends Nepeese, daughter of a local trapper named Pierre. Brutal trading post owner "Bush" McTaggart attacks Nepeese while she is alone in her cabin. Pierre arrives home and tries to defend his daughter, but McTaggart kills him. To clear himself, McTaggart blames Jim for the murder, and while a group of Indians track Jim down, kidnaps Nepeese. Jim is rescued by his half-breed friend De Bar while Baree, Nepeese's dog, hunts down and overcomes McTaggart. Freed from McTaggart's clutches, Nepeese marries Jim.

Dir: David Smith

Peggy (Bessie Love) and her sister Frances (Myrtle Reeves) live with their father, but because of his idleness, they must all move to humbler quarters. Peggy adapts quickly to their new surrounding, while Frances misses the social life she once enjoyed. Their neighbors are well off, and Peggy begins a romance with their son, whom she thinks is the chauffeur. Meanwhile, Frances has become involved with a roguish character and plans to elope with him. Peggy saves her sister from imminent disgrace, but comes close to compromising herself instead. Peggy's sweetheart comes to her rescue and now his true identity is revealed to the very grateful girl.

Dir: David Smith

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

Spunky young Alannah, an Irish immigrant living in a tenement, sells newspapers to support her family. She is soon helping a district attorney secure proof that the unjust town mayor is collecting bribes. For her reward, Alannah and her boyfriend Jimmy are appointed managers of a municipal restaurant.

Dir: David Smith

An opera diva touring with her company in South America charms everyone she meets except Johnny Armstrong, who has no use for her or any other woman. When she is taken captive by an Indian tribe, Johnny rescues her. On their way back to civilization Johnny sees a change in her brought about by the experience of being captured and rescued, and he begins to fall for her. However, the closer they get to civilization the more she begins to revert to the arrogant, attention-craving diva she had been. Johnny comes up with a plan he hopes will "bring back" the woman he has grown to love.

Dir: David Smith

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

Based on the play 'The Shaughraun', this is the story of Robert Ffolliat, a young Irish lad, who is done out of his land and sent off to a penal colony in Australia following false accusations by the greedy Kinchella. Conn the Shaughraun comes to his rescue, helps him to escape from the prison ship and return to Ireland where he is united with his sweetheart.

Dir: David Smith

A hobo hires out as a sheepman. The owner of the ranch is a mysterious individual, who is suspected of being Black Bill, a badly wanted man.

Dir: David Smith

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

Pegeen O'Neill must fend for herself when her father Dan becomes mentally unbalanced after his wife Mary's death. Dan spends his days searching for his wife, setting fires in the belief that the flames will illuminate his Mary. The townspeople, enraged at the arson that is slowly destroying their village, track down Dan and trap him in a burning cabin. Pegeen rushes to comfort her dying father, who consoles himself at death with the hallucination that his wife has returned in the figure of his daughter. Pegeen is then rescued from the raging fire by Jimmie, who proposes to the waif as he delivers her from the flames.

Dir: David Smith

Having been discharged as the Van Smuythes' coachman for drunkenness, Thomas McQuade has joined the Bed Liners in Madison square. It is freezing cold. Standing beside him is a young man, shabby but neat. They exchange confidences and Thomas learns that the young man has just been discharged from a hospital without a penny, his wife and child having been obliged to return to her mother. He had married against the wishes of his unforgiving relatives. Just then an automobile dashes up Fifth avenue and, when opposite the Bed Line, drops an extra tire. Thomas catches it and returns it to the owner, expecting at least a dollar for the service, but, instead the imposing gentleman asks him mysteriously if he knows the Van Smuythes, and on learning that he does, Thomas is forthwith taken to a palatial house in the Seventies and fed on cold fowl, tea biscuits and wine. While thus pleasantly occupied two women are mysteriously ushered into a side room, where his host, Prof. Cherubusco, the great clairvoyant, tells them that the Chaldean Chiroscope has been successful, for had it not said "By the fifth wheel of the chariot he shall come?" But the professor, learning instead that Thomas is the Van Smuythe's ex-coachman, throws him into the street. So back to the Bed Line goes Thomas, where he resumes his conversation with his new friend. Suddenly a sturdy girl rushes up to him. It is Annie, his sweetheart and maid at the Van Smuythe's, whom he has not seen for a month. She says his old position is waiting for him, but suddenly catching sight of the other man she screams, "Mr. Walter!" And then it appears that she had accompanied her mistress to the great clairvoyant and he had hold her where she would find her sweetheart, and she had also found "Mr. Walter." After paying the car fares home she vows to give her remaining $11.85 to Professor Cherubusco, "the greatest man in the world." Moving Picture World, February 2, 1918

Dir: David Smith

Forced to wear quaint short dresses and pigtails so that she will inspire her grandfather's sentimental poetry, nineteen-year-old Joy Havenith longs for companions of her own age. One day Johnny Hewitt, seeing her confide her troubles to her Aunt Lucilla's portrait, tells her that if she wishes hard enough, her dreams will come true. Not knowing his name, she thereafter thinks of him as her "wishing ring man." Soon Joy meets a married couple who invite her to the city. Because her grandparents will not let her leave until she is engaged, she lies that she is the fiancée of a man of whom her friends have spoken, Dr. John Hewitt, not realizing that he is her "wishing ring man." John agrees to play along for a month, to the dismay of his fiancée, Gale Maddox. After the wedding presents and bridesmaids have arrived, Joy, thinking that John loves Gale, leaves the rehearsal and returns home. John then finds her confiding to the portrait and declares his real love for her.