Masterpiece Selection that Capture the Essence of The Price of Malice: Cult Guide

Dir: O.A.C. Lund

The story relates how a hunchback in revenge against a woman who has repulsed him, lures her stepdaughter to the stage and assists her to become a dancer. The girl, whose name is Elaine, has two lovers, for one of whom, John Butler, she forms a sincere attachment. Her stepmother goes to see her dance, and the hunchback, still enraged at her, murders the woman. The hunchback goes mad and is killed by falling from a cliff. Butler, Elaine's lover, is accused of killing him. but Elaine clears him of the charge by proving the hunchback was the murderer of her stepmother. Elaine and Butler find that their mutual loves will make them happy in marriage.

Dir: O.A.C. Lund

Because she has been dishonored by playboy John Radon, Stella Dean, a simple country girl, flees to the city to hide her guilt. There she develops a reputation as a profligate member of the chorus line, and eventually obtains great wealth as the courtesan known as the Black Nightingale. One day she meets Milton Taylor, an artist from her home town who knew her when she was an innocent country girl, and he prevails upon her to pose as his model of the Madonna. Stella agrees and is cleansed by the experience. When Milton discovers Stella's reputation, however, he begins to drink and leaves her, his illusions shattered. Repentant, Stella converts her mansion into a refuge for foundlings and returns to her home town of Pleasantville where, her soul cleansed, she is reconciled with Milton.

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

Dir: O.A.C. Lund

A Nihilist Russian, Olga Petcoff goes after her younger sister killer, only to find herself being the romantic interest of several military men willing to wage war to win her heart.

Dir: O.A.C. Lund

Phoebe Lester, a little country girl, whispers to her pet hen, "You've laid an egg for a man from New York. Ain't you proud?" and while taking breakfast to Philip, the new boarder, who came from that distant place, she gazes at him as if he has come from an unknown land. Returning to the city with a newfound love and regained health, Philip struggles to sell his poems to bring his "egg" girl to her New York. In the meantime, Phoebe's brown hen proves to be a golden one, and her egg money buys a ticket to Philip and her Wonderland. On the train, Laura, a flashily-dressed woman, meets Phoebe and, tempting her with a nice new dress, takes her to her house. There, Owen, a former employer of Philip, is fascinated by her simplicity. Such grandeur and strange "fizzy" drinks overwhelm her, but Providence intervenes, when the little brown hen hops into the street with Phoebe scrambling after. A big-hearted policeman finds her and takes her to Philip, and acts as "bridesmaid" at their wedding. Their little home, built on much love and little food, is brightened by the adoption of Johnny, an abandoned baby, that Philip finds on the dumbwaiter. Johnny brings good luck and Philip secures a good job through Owen and in nicer quarters their cup of happiness seems to be full, when Owen, to further his ends, contrives to get Philip to gamble with borrowed money. Phoebe, convinced by trickery, that Philip is unfaithful, is heart-broken and believes that love and her New York are unreal after all. But, the yielding, grief-stricken country girl awakens Owen's better self, and with his help the unhappy household is reunited.

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

Dir: O.A.C. Lund

The mining district of Cobalt, Ontario, is the setting for the greater share of the picture, and there is careful attention paid to the scenes taken on board the millionaire's yacht, when Gresham is determined to get to his bank in time to prove to the clearing house committee that he is solvent and in so doing foils the Baylis attempt to take his mine away from him. It is not alone for the control of the mine that there is a struggle, but there is a girl in the story who is sought after by the two big men. Alice Chandler is worth the struggle. For a long time there seems little hope for Gresham, but the great moment comes when he is able to save Alice's life by carrying her to safety through a wild day, in which they both are at the mercy of the overflowing waters from a dam.

Dir: O.A.C. Lund

The story deals with the coming of Henry Minuet, the son of the governor of New Amsterdam, to Danvers, now Salem, Mass., for the sake of buying grain for the helpless colony that he represents. Accidentally he sees Priscilla Elliott, the daughter of Danvers' physician, and while they do not speak the same language, they love each other from the start. Though Miss Elliott is sought for by Salvation Hibbens, she does not care for him because he is helpless away from his mother's apron strings. Then, too, she cares too much for Henry Minuet, and when her father dies, Salvation's mother tried to force her to marry Salvation through threats, but fails. The mother then makes trouble for Priscilla by having her declared a witch and while she is shunned by Danvers' society, she cares little, because Henry is with her. Finally the both of them are put in prison. A messenger comes from his father to learn what has been his fate. As soon as the governor of Danvers learns the name of the prisoner, he orders him set at liberty, but he has escaped in the meantime. Because of the escape, the mayor informs the Dutch messenger that he will not have anything to do with the colony of New Amsterdam under any circumstances. The soldiers capture Henry, while Priscilla is away. But Henry manages to inform her that it is best that she go and live at his father's house in New Amsterdam. Priscilla obeys, and leaves Henry, who, in the mean time, is released from prison and sent home. On his way to New Amsterdam, he meets Priscilla, who does not feel at home in his father's house, because his parents plan that Henry should marry Gretchen. Seeing that neither in Danvers nor in New Amsterdam could both of them find the peace and happiness that their love entitles them to, so they decide that by themselves, away from their friends they will find the happiness that only true love can give.

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

Dir: O.A.C. Lund

Although Margaret "Peg" Martyn of the Carolina territory loves Terry, a poor poet, her father, Sir Wyndham Martyn, wishes her to marry the ancient Arthur Elliott. At the engagement party, Peg's wish that "the pirates might get her" comes true when Captain Bones and his men ransack Martyn's estate and carry Peg off to their ship. The most vicious mate of the crew, Flatnose Tim, wants to kill Peg, so to save herself, she feigns death. The pirates are about to bury her in their secret treasure cave when she fools them into believing that she is a ghost. After Tim discovers her deception, however, she is taken back to the ship, where Terry, now commanding his own ship and crew, rescues her. Impressed with Terry's bravery, Sir Martyn finally blesses the poet's marriage to his daughter, after which the couple returns to the cave to retrieve the pirate treasure.

Dir: O.A.C. Lund

According to Richard Standhope's will, his daughter Laura and her long-lost twin brother Larry must be reunited by a certain date or the estate will revert to her avaricious guardian, Andrew Brean. Following Standhope's death, Laura and her sweetheart, Jim Watson, read in her deceased mother's diary that Andrew had broken up the Standhopes' marriage soon after the twins' birth by unjustly accusing Mrs. Standhope of infidelity. Laura was then sent to boarding school, while little Larry, placed in his father's care, was neglected and later became a thief. As Laura and Jim ponder Larry's whereabouts, the house is robbed by none other than Larry, now called "the Kid," and his cohort "the Snail." Reunited, the twins arrange to meet Andrew at a local restaurant. Fearful of losing the estate, Andrew and his henchmen attack Jim and the twins, but in the end, Laura and Larry arrive at the will reading in time to save their fortune.

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

Dir: O.A.C. Lund

Howard Fiske is to marry June Paige, but in losing his fortune, she is forced to marry Bracken, a wealthy investor. Fiske reads Boccaccio's "Federigo's Falcon," and in a dream sequence we see the story enacted. The book inspires Fiske to take June back against all odds.

Dir: O.A.C. Lund

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.