Hidden Genre Gems for Fans of The Mystery Club: Cult Guide

Dir: Herbert Blaché

An opium-addicted choirmaster develops an obsession for a beautiful young girl and will not stop short of murder in order to have her.

Dir: Herbert Blaché

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Man Who Stayed at Home perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

In a Virginia resort town in August 1918, Christopher Brent is viewed as a slacker because he refuses to enlist. Secretly, Christopher is observing German spies who are passing information about coastal fortifications for invasion preparations. Seeing Christopher consort with Mrs. Miriam Lee, also from the secret service, his fiancee Molly Preston, who had been bothered by the talk about him, becomes jealous. When Molly's brother Norman discovers a German code book in Mrs. Lee's possession, Christopher, who obtained the book when he destroyed the wireless of the chief spy, Carl Sanderson, who also loves Molly, is suspected of aiding the Germans. After Christopher saves a hotel when the spies ignite a bomb to signal a U-boat, captures a list of enemy spies, kills several spies, and with the help of a U.S. destroyer, sinks the U-boat, he is honored by the town. Molly then asks to be forgiven.

Dir: Herbert Blaché

Georgiana Carley, the woman, and Richard Coleman, the man, have been friends since childhood, and have grown to love each other without having become aware of the fact. Sam Coast, a wealthy young man, formerly a rough miner, has also fallen in love with Georgiana, and is determined to let nothing stand in his path to obtain her for his wife. Georgiana is of wealthy family, and her brother, through money left him by his parents, has a considerable fortune. This brother, Steven Carley, is of a lovable but weak disposition, given to speculation, and Georgiana has great trouble in preventing him from losing his money. During the Philippine war many young men volunteer for service. Among them Dick Coleman, who obtains a lieutenant's commission, and he prepares to leave for the Philippines. Before leaving he realizes that he loves Georgiana, and decides to propose to her with the intention of marrying her on his return. Sam Coast is aware of the affection existing between Dick and Georgiana. and uses every effort to prevent them coming together. He has himself proposed to Georgiana and has been refused. When Dick calls upon Georgiana shortly before leaving for the Philippines with the intention of proposing, Sam breaks into the conversation and keeps the two young people apart, and finally informs Dick that he has proposed to Georgiana himself and has been accepted. This naturally upsets Dick very much and causes him to leave Georgiana without making any declaration. He acts in such a strange way that Georgiana cannot understand what is wrong with him. He finally leaves for the Philippines followed by an agent of Coast's who has also enlisted, and whom Coast has employed to prevent any correspondence passing between Dick and Georgiana while he is in the Philippines. Sam's next step is to accomplish the ruin of the Carley family. In order to force Georgiana into such a position that she must either accept him and his wealth, or suffer hardship and poverty. Georgiana, however, is obdurate, and in spite of the loss of her fortune and even her reputation, still keeps the family together. Through an ambush of Dick's regiment in the Philippines, Dick is believed to be dead, and Georgiana learns the news in the papers. She is again confronted by Coast, and the situation has become such that he has it in his power to dishonor her brother's name. To prevent this, she makes the final sacrifice of her own love for her family, and agrees to marry him. Dick Coleman, however, was not killed in the Philippines, but simply wounded and taken prisoner by the Filipinos. He escapes and unexpectedly arrives at the Carley home just in time to prevent the marriage.

Dir: Herbert Blaché

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

A woman sold as a bride to the local Rajah is saved by her lover and his loyal tiger.

Dir: Herbert Blaché

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Herbert Blaché

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

A young profligate son of a wealthy merchant falls in love with the daughter of an inventor, who has devoted the best years of his life to perfecting the machinery of his employer's plants. After an accident has caused the death of the inventor, the merchant, none too scrupulous, lays claim to an unpatented invention. Not aware of his father's acts, the merchant's son is courting the inventor's daughter, but parental opposition is interposed. Offering his son a half interest in his business if he will renounce his love for the girl, the father is dumbfounded when his son refuses and decides he wants the girl more than the money. Ordered from home, the son secures a job as stevedore on the docks. The foreman takes a dislike to the boy and tries to browbeat him. After a quarrel, the boy accidentally pushes the foreman into the river, runs away and tells his sweetheart that he has committed murder. Detectives pursuing him, arrest and bring him to headquarters, where he is sentenced to Blackwell's Island. During his sojourn on Blackwell's Island, he learns that the man he is supposed to have murdered is alive, and, enraged at the injustice of his sentence, he breaks jail. In the meantime his young sweetheart has also discovered his innocence through a friendly attaché of the Governor's office, and with his assistance dashes to Albany, where the Governor is persuaded to issue a pardon for her young hero. The next and last scene discloses the happy couple in their own little home.

Dir: Herbert Blaché

Abraham Jacobs, an itinerant Jewish country peddler, saves his pennies until he can afford to open a small second-hand clothing store. Unfortunately, Abraham's son Sonny has not inherited his father's decent, hard working instincts, and when his mistress, Mrs. Morgan, is in need of money, Sammy robs Abraham's safe and then disappears. Time passes, and oil is discovered on a tract of land left to Abraham by his late wife. Although he can now afford to live in comfort with his adopted daughter Mary, Abraham still strongly feels the loss of his son. His life is finally made complete when Sammy returns repentant to marry Abraham's housekeeper Sarah, and the old peddler, his struggles now over, is able to spend the rest of his days surrounded by his family.

Dir: Herbert Blaché

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

Trotty Veck, the licensed messenger, reconsiders his promise to allow the marriage of his daughter Meg to Richard, after being advised by Alderman Cute that it is a sin for the poor to wed. After his day's labors, he meets William Fern with his infant daughter Lillian seeking shelter from the authorities, who have threatened to hang him. The kind-hearted little man takes them to his humble home for the night. Far after midnight, Trotty, seated by the fireside and soothed by the chimes, falls asleep and dreams. His dream first takes him to the belfry of the old church, where the spirit of the chimes chides him for having done something he should not, and endeavors to show that the consequences might be, by picturing the future. In this vision, Trotty sees his daughter Meg living in poverty and acting as mother to Fern's daughter Lil, now grown to girlhood, Fern, in prison for his demonstration against the rich, and Richard, a drunkard from disappointment. Sir Joseph Bowley visits the little home and offers to adopt Lil, but instead mistreats her so that she is compelled to escape, but finally, upon promise from Sir Joseph to free her father, gives herself up to him, only to be ejected in time from his fine home with an unfortunate infant. She goes back to Meg and dies from the effect of her ill-treatment, leaving the infant to Meg, who in turn is compelled to leave her home due to her poverty. Going to the bridge, Meg attempts to end all for herself and infant. At this point Trotty's dreams come to an end. He now realizes that the poor as well as the rich have a right to marry, and hastens to correct his error. This done, he goes to check Fern, leading one of his meetings. Knowing the influence little Lil has on her father takes her and induces Fern to give up his plans. Trotty and Richard are taken prisoners by Sir Joseph's servants and brought before this despot, who instead of compelling Trotty to submit to his terms, is himself forced to sign a document giving the poor their rights.

Dir: Herbert Blaché

Satan decides to ruin the innocence of ambitious Everygirl, who has a beautiful voice and wishes to pursue a career singing in opera. He thus assumes human form and follows her in order to make sure that she accepts his terms.

Dir: Herbert Blaché

A crooked promoter commits two murders in his efforts to gain wealth and influence. He is shot on the night of his election as governor and repents of his crimes on his deathbed.