Hand-Picked Alternatives Movies That Echo the Spirit of The Prey: C...

Dir: Edgar Jones

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

Dir: Wilfred Lucas

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

Brian O'Farrell (Snowy Baker), is an English 'new chum' who takes a job at an Australian cattle station. He is teased by station hands because of his appearance (including spats and a monocle) but he soon impresses them with his skills at riding and boxing. The station manager, John MacDonald (Wilfred Lucas), takes O'Farrell to Sydney to meet his daughter Edith (Kathleen Key) who is working in the slums. Edith is kidnapped by criminals after witnessing a crime but O'Farrell rescues her. It is later revealed he is the owner of the station.

Dir: George L. Sargent

John Slocum has always been a worthy young man. When a boy of twelve his Uncle Henry introduced him to little Bess De Voe, telling them that when they grew up they should marry. John's uncle sends him to the New York manager of a publishing house with instructions to "give him a job at what he is worth, and keep him on until he makes good." John thanks him, but stipulates that he does not intend to marry Bess. As the story opens, John is living in a New York boarding house. There is a waitress and general slavey there, called Little Mary, with whom John is in love. He tells her the "sad" story of his life, makes himself out good for nothing, and then proposes to her. They agree to start a joint bank account and save up to get married. For months they pinch and save. As time goes on Uncle Henry pays a visit to the city. John insists that his uncle shall take lunch with him. John takes Uncle Henry to his room, and the "old boy" is amazed to find that John has pictures of motion picture actresses plastered all over his walls, and that his own favorite and ward, Bess, is the bright particular star of the exhibit. John, however, is unaware of the real identity of the actress, and is still in love with Mary. After lunch Mary is introduced, but the uncle only frowns and carries John away to Bess. Uncle Henry declares that they must marry or he is through with them. Mary finds two tickets for a Belgian Relief Fund raffle, and with John she goes down to see what the ticket has won. To their great surprise he wins a sable overcoat. John puts it on. It feels fine, but he declares they will pawn it next day. John swells up in the coat. Everybody laughs at the contrast between it and his suit and shoes. Finally he gets a suit and shoes to match the coat in elegance, taking the money out of the "hope chest." By this time the joint bank account of John and Mary has ebbed away until the original balance of $381.20 has shrunk to $103.06. At this dark moment John overhears his boss and a friend discussing stocks and predicting that American Airoplanes stock will jump a mile before night, and that a hundred dollars will make a young fortune. John takes the cue and buys American Airoplanes. He watches the market closely, pyramiding his stock, and while Uncle Henry is demanding of Bess that she marry John instantly John is piling up a fortune. The broker hands him his check. Bundles and packages commence to arrive for him at the boarding house. Mary surveys the pile in dismay as she wonders where the joint account has gone. When John comes, Mary tells him to go marry Bess with all her fine clothes. John hands her a fat roll of bills, and tells her to go and buy clothes. John leaves the boarding house and Mary becomes despondent. She determines to dress up and win him back. John has gone to visit Bess in obedience to a request from her. He meets Bess at the tavern, and she takes a large amount of money from him. Mary, finely dressed, appears at the tavern. Crow, the boss of the publishing house, sees her and likes her appearance. It so happens that Bess has prevailed upon John to take her to the Tavern also, and they occupy a booth near to the one in which Crow is trying to ply Mary with wine. Crow contrives to let Mary see John and Bess in their booth. Crow drags Mary away, but John has seen her and dashes after. He locates Crow and Mary in a booth to which Crow has forcibly taken her, and John casts Crow violently aside and embraces Mary. Crow recovers sufficiently to beg Mary's pardon, while Bess departs. Late as is the hour, John finds a minister and marries Mary.

Dir: George L. Sargent

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

Mary, the maid in a boardinghouse, falls in love with boarder John Slocum. Planning to marry, the couple jointly opens a savings account. In order to increase the account, John deprives himself of the barest necessities until he realizes that his scraggly appearance is making him the laughingstock of his office. After winning a lottery, John takes his winnings and invests them in fine clothes which allow him entry into exclusive restaurants where he eavesdrops on the brokers for stock tips. Meanwhile, Mary, suspicious of John's new raiment, believes that he is having an affair, but is pleasantly surprised when the tips pay off, making John a millionaire.

Dir: Edward LeSaint

When famous opera singer Elinore Duane undergoes an operation on her throat, she has a series of ether-induced visions. In one, she is transported to ancient Rome where she appears as a much-admired woman in love with Paul, a young heretic, and at odds with Lutor, the high priest. To save her love, she poisons Lutor with her ring. After several other visions which involve variations on this love triangle, Elinore awakens to discover that Lutor is actually her doctor, Sascha Jaccard, and that Paul is the son of a friend who has come to visit the recovering prima donna.

Dir: Maurice Elvey

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

A lady marries a horse trainer but withholds herself until her crippled brother is cured.

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: George L. Sargent

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

Jim Hall tries to discourage his daughter Natalie's love of dancing, but the girl finds a warm friend in old Carlo, a musician. Natalie's beauty attracts Brace's attention. At the latter's orders, Spud Howell kidnaps the girl. Hall, attempting to interfere, is slain. Marston, assistant district attorney, is ignorant of the fact that his uncle, Fisk, is the head of the vice ring. Marston discovers Natalie's predicament and rescues her. Falling in love with the girl, he obtains a position for her in a friend's office. Natalie resigns when her employer later makes love to her. The girl lands a position in the chorus of a musical comedy company. Her dancing attracts the manager's attention and when the principal falls ill, Natalie takes her place. The girl's wonderful dancing makes her famous. Marston, who had lost track of Natalie, finds her again when he visits the theater. Fisk, madly in love with the girl, invites her to a dinner he is giving. Carlo, employed at the restaurant where this function is held, recognizes in Fisk the man who had blasted his life. When Natalie and Fisk's friends accompany the man to his apartment, Carlo follows. Marston trails the party in an auto. Later, Fisk contrives to get Natalie alone. Marston, hearing the girl's cries for help, batters down the door. He comes in time to see Carlo, who had climbed through a window, shoot the girl's assailant. Brace, in coming to his master's assistance, shoots at Marston but misses and kills Carlo. While the murderer is placed under arrest, Marston takes Natalie in his arms.

Dir: George L. Sargent

Father made millions in pork, and was proud of the fact, but his society loving wife wanted to forget that there was ever such a thing as a pig. Consequently she sent her daughter Susan off to a finishing school where she absorbed a blasé manner. Father was anything hut pleased with the change. One day at the club father came in contact with "Speed" Cannon and was so impressed with the effect his presence had upon people, that he determined to try an experiment. He visits "Speed's" office and on a pretext gets him to his palatial home. As they arrive a burglar has terrorized its women occupants. "Speed" proves a hero, but Susan evinces only a passing interest. "Speed," however, is smitten with the languorous Susan, and welcomes the opportunity of seeing her again. "Speed's" courtship is as fast as he is himself. After two weeks he manages to smuggle Susan away from a reception in honor of Count Englantine. He secures her consent to their marriage, but she shows so little interest "Speed" is nonplussed. She is discovered by mother, who whisks her to the Count, who proposes. Susan puts him off. "Speed" again finds her and proposes that they elope. Susan thinks that would be romantic. Father lends his aid; but it is unavailing, for Susan is so slow that mother discovers her. "Speed" is all broken up, but father has a tip on the market, and his woes arc forgotten as he talks over the details with "Speed." Next day "Speed" starts father's stock movement. Susan dismisses the Count and writes "Speed," declaring her love. The maid gets the notes mixed. "Speed" is broken-hearted and sends an attendant for a gun, while the Count dashes to Susan. She quickly disillusions him and dashes in search for "Speed." She finds him in time to prevent his killing himself, with an empty gun. She whisks him back to the office. Father hikes to the office with a minister. Mother, becoming suspicious, visits the office where the ceremony is being performed. Father holds her long enough to have Susan and "Speed" married. Mother is sore until she learns father's fortune has been augmented and accepts "Speed" because he made it possible.

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.