The Definitive Guide Deeply Connected to The Pawn of Fortune: Cult Guide

Dir: Leopold Wharton

An Indian rajah determines to give the prince, his son, the advantages of an American university education, and brings him to the United States. Arriving at the university town they stop at the hotel there and are immediately besieged by the reporters who scent a good story, especially as it is reported that the rajah brings with him one of the famous jewels of the world, a magnificent diamond. Among the reporters is a young man on his first assignment who at once makes friends with the prince. In the meantime Nell Reardon, the "badger queen," is approached by Moreland, a "gentleman" crook, and threatened with exposure if she does not aid him to obtain possession of the rajah's jewel. She promises her aid and as a first step registers at the same hotel as the rajah, under the alias of the "Countess Mirska." Billy is assigned to interview her. The prince is struck with the woman's charms and persuades Billy to introduce him. At the instigation of Moreland. the woman persuades the prince to show her the diamond. Fearing his father's displeasure the young man secretly takes the jewel from the strong box. Seeing their opportunity, Moreland and Harley, his "pal," invite the prince to have some refreshments at the hotel café and the prince asks to have Billy included in the party. The jewel is passed around and admired. By accident, and while no one is looking, it falls from the case and lodges in the cuff of the reporter's trousers. Later, while in his own room, he discovers it and immediately runs back to the hotel to return it to the prince. Unable to find him, he decides to stay at the hotel for the night, takes a room and throws himself upon the bed, fully clothed. The anxiety of his responsibility preys upon his mind so that his slumbers are disturbed and his rest is a nightmare. In the meantime the prince discovers the loss, tells the crooks of it and they search the café together. The crooks secretly believe each other guilty, but when they tax one another with the crime they mutually prove their innocence. Without saying anything to each other they visit the reporter's home and search his room. Finding one another in the room their mutual distrust deepens. Billy's distraught mind causes him to talk in his sleep and while doing so he drops the jewel over the hotel balcony. It falls at the feet of the prince, but he does not enjoy its possession long. Harley, who has been spying upon him, knocks him out and escapes with the diamond. The further vicissitudes of the diamond are intensely interesting and lead up to the superb climax where the prince recovers it and sees the baffled crook, Moreland, go over the bridge into the ravine below in the trolley car in which he has tried to escape.

Dir: Leopold Wharton

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Leopold Wharton

A husband, mistakenly believing his wife has cheated on him and that he is now the father of their newborn son, throws both her and her child out of the house. Frantic to the point of madness, she abandons her baby, and when she gains her sanity she flees to Alaska to start a new life. However, her husband finds out and follows her there.

Dir: Leopold Wharton

Myra Maynard, is plagued by a wide variety of metaphysical assaults by the corrupt Black Order, a secret organization which uses magic, curses and any supernatural means possible to achieve its ends.

Dir: Leopold Wharton

Motion Picture News Booking Guide, October 1922 . . . centering about a faithful bookkeeper, who has difficulty in supporting his family. His cousin's children have every luxury, but are greedy and unscrupulous. Their father returns, apparently penniless, and they turn him out. Bookkeeper takes him in, and when he dies, he leaves millions to him. Bookkeeper establishes orphanage and takes in children. Court ruling strips fortune from him and he loses orphans but child of his own arrives, and he again finds complete happiness.

Dir: Leopold Wharton

Serial in 15 parts about a female crime-fighting reporter.

Dir: Leopold Wharton

Eugenicist Harry J. Haiselden warns a young couple who are considering marriage that they are ill-matched and will produce defective offspring. He is right; their baby is born defective, dies quickly, and floats up into heaven.

Dir: Leopold Wharton

A young man proposes a lottery with himself as the prize in marriage. However he finds himself very much in love with a woman other than the winner.

Dir: Leopold Wharton

The revenue men in New York are after the smugglers of opium and find that a certain Chinaman is in the habit of receiving a supply of the drug at stated periods. They follow him in the hope they will be led to the headquarters of the international band, who they feel sure are back of the traffic. The Chinaman fails to pay on time for the last supply he has received, and in turn the New York distributor is unable to send the money to the headquarters of the gang. This brings the chief to New York to investigate. While there he visits his broker, John Maxwell. He intends his visit to be secret, but is seen by one of the stenographers. This incenses him and angry words pass. In the meantime the Chinaman comes to the office and pays his bill. As the clerk is making out the receipt the detectives raid the place and find the dead body of the broker. All suspicion points to the clerk, who is accused of the murder of his employer. He is taken away by one of the detectives, but makes his escape. He goes to the North Country, makes application to join the Boundary Riders, and after a probation is accepted as an agent of law and order. On one of his patrols he finds a note that gives him a clue to the headquarters of the opium smugglers. The detective from the New York office of the Revenue Service comes to the camp of the riders to continue his investigations. There he recognizes the clerk. The clerk employs a clever woman investigator, who in guise of a Chinaman gets employment as a cook at the smugglers' headquarters. With the information she secures, he leads the revenue men to the headquarters of the gang. The raid is successful, but as all are congratulating the new member on his success the detective steps up and arrests him on the charge of murdering his employer. The investigator, however, has done her work well and produces a coat belonging to the head smuggler from which are torn two pieces which exactly match two pieces of cloth found in the hand of the dead man. This exonerates the clerk and puts added power in the hands of the government men.