Underground Favorites Parallel to the Artistry of The Money Corral:...

Dir: William S. Hart

"Draw" Egan, a notorious bandit of New Mexico, has come to the end of his tether. His gang has been dispersed, many slain, and more in jail, and there is a reward of $1,000 offered for Egan, "dead or alive." While drinking in a saloon at Muscatine, Egan chances across Matt Buckton, a leading citizen of the neighboring village of Yellow Dog. Yellow Dog is a town infested with gunmen who make life miserable for the few respectable citizens. Buckton is on a still hunt for some strong men who will shoulder the unenviable responsibilities of sheriff, and put the fear of God and the law into the hearts of his undisciplined fellow-citizens. While Buckton is thinking over his seemingly impossible quest, the bully of Muscatine enters the saloon and accosting "Draw" Egan, finds himself crumpled upon the floor without opportunity for repartee. Buckton is so much impressed by the quietude and deftness of Draw Egan's work that he immediately offers him the job of cleaning out Yellow Dog. So Draw Egan, as William Blake, is installed as sheriff of Buckton's promising community. William Blake soon has the bullies and gunmen of Yellow Dog well in hand, with law and order restored by the capable ex-bandit. At the time when the respectable citizens are singing the praises of the new sheriff, one of the worst of Egan's old gang, Oregon Joe, strolls into town, sizes up the situation, and holding a threat of betrayal over the sheriff's head, proceeds with the aid of the tough element to undo the sheriff's good work. For himself Egan cares little, but while endeavoring to live down his past and lead a clean life, he has fallen in love with Buckton's daughter Myrtle. Day by day he submits to Oregon Joe's insults and the tough element gradually gets the upper hand. Things have reached such a pitch that one day the gunmen, headed by Oregon Joe, decide to drive the respectable citizens out of town and run the place for themselves. It is up to the sheriff to decide, and his manhood asserts itself. He confesses the evils of his past life, throws himself on the mercy of his fellow citizens and promises to surrender to the government if they will allow him one day to restore order. He makes good; the gunmen are whipped into submission and Oregon Joe, the blackmailer, meets his just reward. The sheriff surrenders and is locked up in the caboose, but the next morning a delegation of citizens greets him with the assurance that to them Draw Egan has ceased to exist and that Yellow Dog only recognizes Sheriff William Blake. Myrtle Buckton is one of the delegation.

Dir: William S. Hart

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

Bob Wiley had staked out a homestead in New Mexico, five miles from the border town of Lawton's Ridge. Wiley was a pioneer, a veteran of the Spanish-American War, and a devout believer in the superiority of his country to any other land on the face of the globe. He lived in a whitewashed cabin, over which the Stars and Stripes forever waved, with his little son, Bobby, and a faithful Indian, Joe Good-Boy. Wiley had lost his wife in the rough pioneer days. When his boy was yet a baby, he chanced on gold in the bed of a stream that ran through his clearing which gave him another incentive to save all he could and make his boy a rich man. While, however, he was drawing out more gold daily and his bank account in Lawton Ridge was growing steadily, a pair of corrupt local politicians, attracted by the wealth of the find, conspired to rob him of his homestead on a technicality. In this they succeeded and Bob Wiley finds himself dispossessed by the agents of a government he has served in its hour of need. He goes to Washington to prove his claim, gets no redress, and returns to find his land preempted and his little boy dead. His heart is filled with bitterness against his own country and he seeks revenge by joining the bandit forces of Pancho Zapilla who is preparing to raid Lawton's Ridge. Entering the village as a spy he tells the colonel in command of the American troops that Zapilla contemplates a raid on a town several miles distant. This information sends the troops off on a false scent and leaves Lawton's Ridge open to an attack by the bandits. But Wiley gradually awakens to the enormity of his offense and by courage and devotion he saves the town, thwarts the bandits, pledges his allegiance to the flag, and becomes once again a loyal, patriotic American.

Dir: William S. Hart

Angus McConnell is factor of the outpost of the Hudson Bay Company which is dignified by the name of Fort Lu Cerne. The summer has been disastrous for the trappers, and they are deeply in the company's debt for provision. Angus keeps account of what they owe in a little book, and one night this precious book disappears. Angus vows all manner of vengeance on the culprit who has taken it. He keeps close watch on the office, and at last he beholds Lois Le Moyne, belle of the outpost, rummaging about his desk. Unknown to him, she has come to make him a gift of a beautiful pair of moccasins, made with her own fair hands, so he concludes she is the thief, and has her thrown into the goal. Then Richard Sylvester, the company inspector, comes to Fort Lu Cerne on the rounds. He sees Lois, falls in love with her, and has her released. On his promise that he will have Angus dismissed as factor and himself appointed, she agrees to wed him. This he accomplishes, and Angus takes to the trail alone. But before the wedding can take place an epidemic of sickness breaks out, and in terror the cowardly Sylvester flees with his bodyguard. Angus, who has heard that the Blackfeet Indians are about to descend on the outpost to demand a white person to be sacrificed as an offering to the god who has brought down the plague, happily returns at this time and resumes the reins of authority. The Indian attack takes place, and after a thrilling fight, in which the whites are greatly outnumbered, Angus goes forth to offer himself as the victim. He is miraculously saved, however, and returns to the fort. But he finds that all the garrison have gone save Lois; and with these two great enemies along in a terrible situation there comes about a great finish to a remarkable film. -- Moving Picture World, June 3, 1916.

Dir: William S. Hart

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

Gambler "On-the-Level" Leigh gives up his profession for his little sister, Alice, whose precarious health demands that she move to the mountains. There, the gambler meets the fiery dance hall girl Coralie whose advances he rejects. His funds exhausted from the expense of the move, Level unwillingly returns to his old profession, but Coralie induces the dealer to "cold deck" Level, and he loses every cent. Out of desperation, Level decides to hold up the passengers of the stagecoach while unknown to him, Black Jack shoots and kills the driver for the express box. Learning of the driver's death, Level surrenders himself to the law and is jailed. Escaping from his cell, Level discovers Black Jack uncovering the express box and arrests him. Level returns to town with the real murderer, is cleared of all charges and is reunited with his sweetheart, Rose Larkin.

Dir: William S. Hart

Truthful Tulliver, a Westerner and a journeying newspaperman, followed by Silver Lode Thompson, printer and compositor, arrives in Glory Hole to start a newspaper. He is visited by York Cantrell, an Easterner, whose mining interests keep him in the vicinity. They stand at the office window watching two sisters, Grace and Daisy Burton. The girls are insulted by men hanging around the Forty Rod saloon and dance hall, run by "Deacon" Doyle and secretly owned by York Cantrell. Tulliver rushes to their assistance and incurs the enmity of Doyle. The next day Truthful states, under big headlines, that Doyle must go, and the following morning finds a notice on his door that Doyle will be in the Forty Rod Saloon at ten o'clock, and there is not a pen pusher in Arizona that can run him out of town. Truthful surprises Doyle and his henchmen by coming into the saloon through a rear door, and. from his horse, lassoes and pulls them out into the desert, where he tells them never to return to Glory Hole. That night Truthful is shot at from York Cantrell's room by Doyle, who has returned. Truthful then drives both from town, not knowing that York has wronged Daisy Burton. Daisy confesses to Grace, and Grace finds Truthful, who, misunderstanding, thinks she is the one who cares for Cantrell. He promises to bring him back, and reaches the railroad, intercepts Cantrell, and forces him to return. Then understanding comes. Cantrell wants to marry Daisy and live a new life, and Truthful comprehends his mistake. Grace turns toward him, with her thanks and relief, and sees him watching her with such eloquent eyes that hers fall for a moment. Then she comes to him and with happy faces, hands clasped, they see York Cantrell married to the sister, and as the priest blesses them, Truthful clasps her close.

Dir: William S. Hart

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

Jim Houston, the "Shootin' Iron" Parson, comes to Barren Gulch to reform the morals of the frontier community. He receives the support of "Birdshot" Bivens, the sheriff of the county. Jim's wife, Mary, however, is a weak character. She falls a prey to the seduction of Dr. Hardy, the village gambler and saloon keeper, and elopes with him. Jim Houston, forsaking the ministry, goes to the mountains and cares for his child in a log cabin home. Later the child falls very ill. Mary, in a mountain storm, comes unwittingly to their door. Dr. Hardy is sent for as the only physician in the district. He ministers to the child and confronts Houston, who intends to kill him. Mary is asked to make her choice between Houston and Dr. Hardy. She points towards the child and goes to its bedside. Houston forgives his wife and instead of killing Hardy permits him to go unharmed.

Dir: William S. Hart

"Selfish" Yates operates a disreputable saloon on the desert's edge in Arizona. Sisters Mary and Betty Adams, who lost their father crossing the desert, arrive in the town of Thirsty Center and appeal to Yates for help and work. Yates is none too helpful, suggesting dance-hall work for Mary. She refuses, instead taking a menial job assisting Yates' cook. Yates is a hard case, but little by little Mary's influence works a renewal of humanity in him, until at last he finds himself tested by crisis.

Dir: William S. Hart

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

Robert "Bob" Sands a rowdy cowboy, leads his friends in tearing up an Arizona town that has gone distressingly "dry," until members of the Law-and-Order League hog-tie Bob and ship him East on a passenger train. Bob, out for adventure, goes on to New York and becomes the guardian of the wild-tempered Larry Harrington, a millionaire's son. Larry commissions Bob to deliver love letters to waitress Mary Lee, an entanglement forbidden by Harrington, Sr., but Bob falls in love with the girl himself. Mary decides that she prefers cowboys to millionaires, and Bob and Mary wed and return to the West.

Dir: William S. Hart

Ice Harding, leader of a band of outlaws, covets the pinto leader of a band of wild horses, and after a long chase, ropes and breaks him. Ice and "The King" become fast friends and when the rest of the gang object to the King because his peculiar markings betray their presence, Ice breaks with the gang, determined to play a lone hand rather than give up his horse. But he searches for the girl he loves and finds her a siren on the Barbary Coast instead of the girl he thought she was, and broken hearted, he returns to the mountains. It is the King who ultimately carries him to happiness.

Dir: William S. Hart

Cliff Hudspeth, the leader of a band of outlaws in Arizona, has won his place by the killing of notorious gun-bullies. At their headquarters, in the Gila Mountains, in consultation with "Ace High," his lieutenant, he plans depredations on the neighboring settlements. Although Hudspeth is powerful, their rule is disputed by El Salvador, a half-breed, and his following of desperadoes. Desert Pass is the scene of many conflicts between the contending bands. Rumors of the arrival of miners with gold causes El Salvador to send "Cactus" Fuller, his henchman, to levy tribute by a hold-up, which is successful. Flushed with triumph, he boasts in the "Golden Fleece" saloon of the ignominies to which he would treat Cliff Hudspeth if he ever met him. Hudspeth arrives and makes Cactus, whom he throws out of the saloon, realize that something must be done to retrieve a shattered reputation. Coming out of the saloon, Hudspeth sees Norma Wright, a milliner, standing at the door of her little store, and waves her inside, as he anticipates trouble. The shooting commences and Cactus is defeated. As Hudspeth is preparing to leave town Norma denounces him as a cold-blooded murderer. Stung almost to madness by the girl's accusation, he seizes her and gallops out of town. At his retreat he locks the stupefied girl in a room and seeks to drown the memory of her words with whiskey. The whiskey, and his awakened conscience, bring him to review his life, and, half delirious, he sees his victims pass reproachfully before him. The girl, too, becomes aware of the human side of the man and next morning she brings him around to her way of thinking and extracts a pledge that he will never willingly kill another human being. Soon after there comes from a member of the legislature offer of a pardon and restoration to citizenship if Cliff will undertake to rid Arizona of El Salvador. Hearing of Cliff's new appointment, El Salvador is wild with rage, and burns the town and drags Norma away to the mountains. Cliff Hudspeth rescues her and kills El Salvador, although mortally wounded himself. He places the girl on a horse, which bears her to safety, and passes away consoled that his last killing was in her defense.