Essential Cult Cinema Mirroring the Impact of The Palace of Pleasur...

Dir: William Parke

Bruce Wendell, the son of West Virginia coal mine owner James Wendell, graduates from West Point and prepares to lead a fighting unit to the front during World War I. As his father lies dying, however, he convinces Bruce to remain at home and guard the mine. Bruce's fiancée Ann Blair assumes that he is a coward and breaks off their engagement, but her brother Bobbie remains Bruce's loyal friend. Meyer, a German agent, persuades railroad president Parrish to refuse to transport Wendell's coal, but when Bruce adamantly refuses to close the mine, the spy's men decide to blow it up. While Ann is being abducted by Meyer, Bobbie is buried in an explosion at the mine. Bruce rescues Bobbie and then sends a plea to Lieutenant Parrish to rescue Ann. Meyer and his gang are captured and Ann renews her vow of love to Bruce.

Dir: Emmett J. Flynn

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

Mrs. Bernice Bristol Flint threatens to destroy the reputation of an innocent woman unless her wealthy husband John grants her a divorce, and although John has not betrayed his wife, he agrees to give her a large sum in alimony in order to maintain her silence. Bernice hopes to marry millionaire Howard Turner, with whom she has been carrying on a flirtation, and when he confesses that he does not love her, she angrily resolves to ruin him. Howard falls in love with the refreshingly innocent Marjorie Lansing, who agrees to become his wife. Because of Bernice's interference, however, their marriage is a stormy one, and finally Bernice and her unscrupulous lawyer, Elijah Stone, suggest that Marjorie sue for divorce. She refuses, and later, Howard's attorney, William Jackson, discovers Bernice's schemes and succeeds in reuniting Howard and Marjorie. Defeated, Bernice shoots herself.

Dir: Emmett J. Flynn

Lucille Cameron, the spirited daughter of a Kentucky colonel, discovers that her father is nearly bankrupt as a result of his dealings with New York horseman and stock promoter Jim De Luce. At a Red Cross benefit at the Cameron estate, which the family is sorely in danger of losing, Lucille meets and falls in love with Lieutenant Gregory Haines, who has been sent home from active duty in France to convalesce. Hoping to retrieve the family fortune, Lucille enters the Cameron filly, Southern Pride, in a horse race. Despite De Luce's plotting, Southern Pride wins the race, and Gregory, who has proved his love for Lucille, wins a wife.

Dir: Emmett J. Flynn

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

Successful Parisian dancer Yvonne Halbert grows tired of the overwatchfulness of her aunt and runs away to America. Disguised and hiding out in the steerage of a boat, Yvonne meets violinist Luigi. She dances to Luigi's accompaniment in a Greenwich Village cabaret, where she is discovered by David Marston, the producer who had negotiated to bring the famous Yvonne to America. Marston signs the supposed unknown performer and intends to bill her under the name of Yvonne, whom he believes has broken her contract with him. Apache dancer Cecile claims to be the real Yvonne, but matters are straightened out with the arrival of Aunt Marie. Yvonne marries Lawrence Bartlett, the author of the play that features her in America.

Dir: Bruno Ziener

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Edgar Jones

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

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

Dir: Dallas M. Fitzgerald

Confidence artist Flossie Golden attempts to fleece foolish but wealthy James Venable with a breach-of-promise suit. Venable's shrewd attorney, Richard Harding, outwits Flossie by proposing that she marry Venable and live on an allowance of $3,000 per year. Flossie is determined to get even with Harding for ruining her plans. In an attempt to con him, she poses as Innocence Page, but falls in love and marries him instead. Larry, Flossie's former accomplice, endeavors to blackmail her with her errant past, but Harding is already cognizant of the facts and Larry fails.

Dir: Emmett J. Flynn

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Eva, wo bist du? perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

In a prologue, the evolution of banditry from the road agent to the modern automobile bandit is depicted. In the main story, Marian Calvert, traveling along the California coast with her uncle and his family to a weekend party, becomes infatuated with the infamous Lincoln Highwayman when he robs them of their jewelry and leaves in his high powered auto. At the party, when late arrival Jimmy Clunder drops one of the stolen jewels, Marian's suspicions are aroused even though he explains he found it on the road. Steele, a secret service man at the party, who is in love with Marian, vows to capture the criminal, while the Governor of California appoints Captain Claver from the Sacramento police and his assistant to catch him. When Jimmy, with the help of his very intelligent dog Spike, holds up Steele and Marian to prove Steele's incompetence, Marian, convinced that Jimmy is the thief, falls more in love with him. After Jimmy, masquerading as a paymaster of a copper mine, captures the real thieves, the policemen, he wins a reward and Marian's love.

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: F. Martin Thornton

In Paris an orphan cartoonist loves a man with a mad wife, who dies in time to prevent her marriage to a jilted Comte.