Top-Tier Alternatives In the Shadow of The Pillory: Cult Guide

Dir: Frederick Sullivan

A dramatization of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem 'The Courtship of Miles Standish,' this is the story of the Pilgrims who fled religious persecution in England and came to America aboard the Mayflower. John Alden, After numerous adventures at sea and with Indians on land, John Alden is asked by his friend Myles Standish to seek for him the romantic favor of his secret beloved, Priscilla Mullens. But Priscilla has eyes for another: John Alden.

Dir: Frederick Sullivan

When her husband Jim strikes it rich, Grace, who has had a lifelong fear of poverty, strictly raises her daughter Florence to accept only luxury. When Florence is old enough to have suitors, she quickly rejects penniless artist Durland and marries rich playboy Alfred Griffin, but soon learns that he is an unfaithful spendthrift, so they soon become bitter enemies. In a final effort to ruin Florence's life, Alfred neatly arranges evidence to make her look like his murderer, then commits suicide, but the butler saw everything and is able to clear Florence of this charge; afterward she rushes to Durland and they plan to get married.

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

Dir: Frederick Sullivan

Mary Murdock, forced by circumstances to choose between the streets and theft, is caught breaking into the home of Robert Howard. He is inclined to listen to her plea for leniency, but, urged by his cruel and selfish wife, lets the law take its course. After serving her term she is unable to secure employment, due to her prison record, and seeks the two who are responsible for her plight. She finds Howard despondent over his wife's running away with another man and about to commit suicide. To the man who wanted to die the girl who wanted to live makes a proposition, to use his fortune to better prison conditions and lending those with a prison record a helping hand. She offers her own knowledge as her half of the partnership. He accepts and the plan proves so successful that Howard is appointed warden of a large prison. But matters sail along too smoothly and cleanly to suit the corrupt political ring and they start a blackmailing scheme against Howard. Mary's intuition senses a solution to Howard's vindication and she matches her brains against the political boss and his henchmen and clears the name of the man she loves and reaps her first real happiness as her reward.

Dir: Frederick Sullivan

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

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

Dir: Frederick Sullivan

Bob, John, and Edward--three young boys growing up in the same neighborhood--have vastly-different experiences with sex. Bob's father patiently explains "the birds and the bees" to him, and even takes him to a hospital to see the effects of venereal disease. John's and Edward's parents don't tell them anything, leaving the boys to find out "on the streets". Consequently, when they become adults, John--who's been "playing the field"--contracts syphilis and is stopped from marrying and infecting his sweetheart. Edward, on the other hand, has become addicted to "self-love" and masturbates himself into an insane asylum. Wholesome Bob marries and, naturally, lives happily ever after.

Dir: Frederick Sullivan

The many rejected suitors of Mary Brown form the "Broken Heart Club" and console each other in their misery. The last member decides that Mary needs a lesson and proceeds to give her one. He gets a fashion dummy and on his porch the rejected ones pay "Miss Hope" all sorts of attention. Mary falls for the ruse and starts an investigation. She doesn't find out who the guest is until she has promised to marry the man who had the brains to think up the trick.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Oh, Doctor, Doctor! perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Frederick Sullivan

A convent-raised girl falls under her father's executor's dark influence after her uncle dies. As she turns to evil and threatens society with her wealth, a doctor helps restore her true nature.

Dir: Frederick Sullivan

A married man suddenly inherits a fortune and finally has enough money to live his dream of becoming an artist. He moves his wife and daughter to a big expensive house and starts living the life of a "bohemian" artist. When he begins an affair with another woman, his wife leaves him and his daughter Alicia breaks off her engagement to a wealthy doctor and becomes involved in the "free love" movement espoused by one Herbert Rawlins. Rawlins, however, has his own plans for Alicia, and they don't involve "sharing" her with anyone else. Complications ensue.

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

Dir: Frederick Sullivan

A husband enters the wrong flat and finds twins babies, which he takes to the office to show the boys. He engages a German band to help with the celebration at a restaurant, but at this moment the real father arrives with the police.

Dir: Frederick Sullivan

Margery Carew and her widowed sister, Anna Prentice, find work in a brokerage firm, James Gray, the junior partner, soon falls in love with Margery, while his boss, William Cleves, does his best to seduce Anna. In fighting off William's advances, Anna kills him, but Margery, hoping to protect Anna's child, takes the blame and then escapes to the West, after which she gets married and begins a new life. Following a lengthy search, the police manage to track her down, but Margery still refuses to save herself by telling the truth about the murder, even though Anna and her child died several years before in a car crash. Finally, however, because he still loves her and because he has been stricken by a deadly disease that will kill him in a few months, James confesses to the murder, thereby freeing Margery to return to her husband.