The Definitive Guide Inspired by the Vision of The Race: Cult Guide

Dir: George Marshall

When Dad Petzel is swindled out of the Busy Bee mine, his partner, Duke Farley, ventures East to capture the crooks. Meanwhile, Summers, one of the grafters, learns that Farley's other mine, the Worm, has struck gold and determines to take control of it, too. Using Meta Cooper, an innocent girl to whom Farley is attracted, Summers frames the cowboy for the Mann Act, hoping to force him into selling the mine, but Farley thwarts Summer's plan when he marries Meta instead. Undaunted, Summers hires a sea captain to shanghai Farley. At sea, Farley discovers that Petzel and the rest of the cowboys on their ranch had come East looking for him and were shanghaied by the same captain. Together, they take over the ship and return to land in time to save Meta and arrest Summers.

Dir: Maurice Campbell

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

Carver Endicott, a young sophisticate, is rejected by his fiancée for being too foppish and dull. When she feigns an interest in his father, Carver attempts to disgrace his family name by working as a farmhand and later as a busboy in a hotel. However, the newspapers only praise him for his self-sacrificing principles; and finding that he cannot bring shame to the family through menial labor, he takes up with a notorious actress. But when this maneuver also fails, he returns to his former fiancée, who has no further complaint about his being an inexperienced dullard.

Dir: Vernon Stallings

Krazy Kat is held in jail and Ignatz finally bails him out after encountering "guilt".

Dir: Lloyd Ingraham

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

While walking along the street one day, Arthur P. Hampton, an impoverished young doctor, and his chums, Stub Masters and Johnny Stokes, are persuaded to part with their last remaining funds by tag day solicitor Mary Jane Smith, with whom the doctor promptly falls in love. Doc's friends then hit upon a get-rich-quick scheme. Knowing that his Uncle George has promised a large sum of money upon his nephew's marriage, they persuade Doc to send out fake wedding invitations naming Mary Jane as the blushing bride. Uncle George, elated at the good news, writes to Mary Jane's aunt, Angelica Burns, an old sweetheart, to invite Mary Jane and Angelica to be his guests on an ocean voyage. Meanwhile, Mary Jane pays a visit to the doctor's office and, upon seeing the wedding invitations, becomes so flustered that she trips and sprains her ankle. Doc comes to her rescue and then begs her to pose as his wife. She agrees, but at ship-side, Stub and Johnnie confess all to Uncle George, who flies into a rage until Doc announces that he and Mary Jane have chosen a wedding at sea.

Dir: Edgar Jones

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

Dir: George Marshall

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Mary's Ankle perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Ruth Robin is the daughter of a millionaire, and is attending a seminary for girls at the time the story opens. Her father, Daniel Robin, is a recluse and lives in perpetual fear of death at the hands of a criminal band known as the "Terrible Thirteen." He has been forced Into membership of this band against his will. Daniel Robin is shot from behind by LaFarge, the leader of the "Terrible Thirteen," who is known as the Hound. While on his death bed Mr. Robin has his daughter summoned. He tells her in the presence of his trusted butler, Wayman, that she must recover a Peacock Fan stolen by the band, as it contains a secret affecting her. She must also accept thirteen separate keys as they are handed to her by an unknown hand, and follow the Instructions in each instance. Ruth agrees to these terms, and after her father's death starts out on the first mission. It takes her to the home of the Countess Zitka, where she finds the Peacock Fan. Later, she is forced to invade the headquarters of the "Terrible Thirteen," and still later another key takes her into the heart of Chinatown.

Dir: Jerome Storm

Ne'er-do-well Homer Cavender ventures to the city from Mainsville in an effort to find fame and fortune. Both elude him, and after clerking for two years, Homer returns home for a vacation. Impressed by his flashy clothes, the townspeople assume that Homer has achieved success. Attempting to win Rachel Prouty from his rival, Arthur Machim, Homer continues the deception by announcing that his employer, Kort and Bailly, has dispatched him to enroll stockholders for a proposed new plant to be built in Mainsville. Machim discovers the sham and denounces Homer as a crook. Meanwhile, Homer returns to New York, convinces his employers of the merits of his plan and comes home triumphant, with a proposal for both the new plant and for Rachel's hand in marriage.

Dir: Unknown Director

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

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Henry Edwards

A millionaire bets £25,000 that he can earn his own living for six months.

Dir: Malcolm St. Clair

A dancing instructor gets involved with a newly rich family.