Hidden Genre Gems for Fans of The Mother Instinct: Cult Guide

Dir: Lambert Hillyer

John Haynes, known as "Hardwood," is a boss lumberjack in the great Northwest woods. During a Saturday-night revel with his pals, he receives a letter informing him he has inherited a modest shop in New Orleans from his late uncle. He has no idea what that means, but he travels to New Orleans to take over his new business, and is dismayed to learns he is now the proprietor of a shop that sells petticoats.

Dir: Lambert Hillyer

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

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Lambert Hillyer

Claire Curtis, Jimmie Strong and Mary have spent their childhood together in the country. Upon reaching adulthood, Claire goes to New York and becomes a success on stage. Jimmie, who has always dreamed of becoming an inventor, goes to New York to sell the machine he invented, and there he renews his acquaintance with Claire. Soon their old friendship ripens into love. Meanwhile, back in the country, Ralph and David Harding, who are making Jimmie's machine, plan to steal the right to it. Back in New York, Mary appears and informs Claire that she loves Jimmie, and the actress resolves to give her a chance to win him. When it appears that the Hardings' scheme to steal Jimmie's machine will succeed, however, Mary's ardor turns cold. Claire and Jimmie then rush back to the country in time to avert the takeover and save his firm from bankruptcy.

Dir: Lambert Hillyer

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

Buckskin Hamilton guides a wagon train across the wasteland, caring well for the pioneers he escorts, but hoping to solve the murder of his brother by one of the travellers.

Dir: Lambert Hillyer

Gambler Oak Miller seeks revenge on the man who misused his sister Rose, who is ill and under the care of the woman Oak loves, Barbara. The man Oak seeks, Granger, is planning to rob a wagon train with the collusion of the Indians under Chief Long Knife. When Barbara's brother is accused of killing her lascivious stepfather, Oak takes the blame and is arrested just before he is needed to save the threatened wagon train.

Dir: Lambert Hillyer

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

Bruce Thornton, a forest ranger, arrests Ruth Melier, who is accused of murdering her stepfather. However, Ruth reveals that her brutal husband, Horgan, is the murderer. Bruce and a fellow ranger capture Horgan and his gang of timber thieves, establishing Ruth's innocence.

Dir: Lambert Hillyer

After losing his money and horse in the trail town of Chloride, Arizona, in a crooked faro game run by Wes Prentice, the owner of of the local land company, cowboy Careless Carmody becomes sheriff of Chloride. Unknown to Carmody, Prentice is selling land that has no titles to naive settlers, then reselling the land to other buyers. After saving pretty young Ruth Fellows from the unwanted attentions of a local ruffian, Carmody finds himself more and more attracted to her. However, things take a turn for the worse when Prentice has Carmody serve Ruth with papers throwing her off the land he has just sold her. Complications ensue.

Dir: Lambert Hillyer

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

Mrs. Hugh Manners tires of her husband, a stodgy lawyer, and arranges to divorce him. She gives a party to celebrate her freedom and becomes involved with Preston Ducayne, a gambler, and Olga Kazanoff, an adventuress. Ducayne is killed and suspicion points to Mrs. Manners until her husband establishes her innocence.

Dir: Lambert Hillyer

Three men, Lucky Bill (Tom Mix), Landry (J. Gordon Russell), and Morgan (Jim Mason) are in love with the same girl, pretty Molly (Betty Jewel). Lucky Bill finally wins her with his skillful horsemanship and dogged determination.

Dir: Lambert Hillyer

Sea captain "Hurricane" Hardy searches for treasure in the Sahara Desert and encounters Helen Maitland, the last remaining member of a missionary group. He offers her protection and carries her to the coast, with the intention of claiming her for himself when she recuperates. At a rundown seacoast hotel, Helen befriends Ralph Alden, a young man fighting off addiction and despair, as well as a three-year-old orphan named "Peroxide" whom Leon Roche, the proprietor, is rearing. Hurricane Hardy decides to attack Helen, but the touch of the child's white hands fills him with shame and remorse. Hurricane reforms and adopts the child, leaving Helen free to rehabilitate Ralph, her new love.