Top-Tier Alternatives Exploring the Legacy of The Red Circle: Cult ...

Dir: George Ridgwell

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Richard Smith

Two female candidates for Chief of Police live across the hall from each other, and their political rivalry follows them home, leading to plenty of hi-jinks.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Lunatics in Politics perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: George Ridgwell

A vaudeville act which falls flat after starting off with great promise furnishes the theme for this two-reel O. Henry story. No one is able to ascertain the cause, and after the cast creates so much disturbance in a restaurant that they are arrested and taken before the police sergeant do his judicious questions enable the police matron to fathom the mystery; that is, that the situation where the star always breaks down and weeps is because the leading man is in love with her and trying to show it in his singing.

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.

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

Dir: George Ridgwell

Two women are waitresses in a cheap restaurant. None of the male customers ever look Tildy's way, while Aileen is the recipient of many attentions. One day one of the customers, who has lost his job and imbibed too freely, hugs and kisses Tildy. She is so elated she cannot keep her secret; takes various steps to beautify herself, and sees visions of future happiness. After a lapse of a few days, the customer reappears and apologizes for his disgraceful conduct, and departs leaving the poor waitress almost broken-hearted.

Dir: George Ridgwell

A country girl runs away to town, and achieves success as an actress. A struggling actor desiring a part in her company visits her home town, absorbs local color, and on his return brings a faded rose from the girl's mother, and poses as one of her country neighbors with such success that the girl cancels all engagements and returns home. Then the actor decides to follow her.

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

Dir: George Ridgwell

Count Giuseppe Rizzo, pressed by his creditors, marries June Baxter, heiress to a large fortune, for her money. As the wedding party emerges from the church, Phillipa Garrie, once mistress to the Count, but now cast aside, attempts to stab him. Humiliated, and realizing a. side of the Count's nature unknown to her, June secludes herself in her home and orders him out of her sight. To avoid notoriety, she leaves town to take up her home near the site of the plant left her by her father. Together, with Clay Foster, superintendent of the plant, she devotes her time to the welfare of her workmen. By threats of creating public scandal, the Count blackmails June, compelling the payments of large sums of money. As their work at the plant draws them closer together, the seeds of love take root within the breast of Clay Foster and with them a deep hatred for the Count, who refuses to give June a divorce. After a while, however, hard pressed by his creditors, and a heavy loser at gambling, the Count agrees to grant her a divorce if June will make a settlement upon him. June, determined, leaves for New York, and registers at the Count's hotel. Unbeknown to June, Clay Foster follows her to protect her from harm. The Count's demands upon June are staggering and she refuses to comply with them. The Count is enraged and June saves herself only by her presence of mind. Clay Foster enters the scene, and threatens to kill the Count if he does June any bodily harm. Adventure and complication follow each other in quick succession. Thirteen, the number on the door of .the Count's room in the hotel, has begun to cast its spell about. That night, the Count is murdered. Suspicion falls upon Clay, and he is arrested for the murder. Yet, as the numerous complications begin to untangle themselves, we find that the Count was killed, not by June, because of her fear of him alive; not by Clay, because of his hatred for him; not by Phillipa, because he had blighted her life; nor by Antonio, her father, who had sworn to take vengeance, but by one with no personal ties, urged on merely by the sight of the Count's winnings that night, and cursed by the awful spell, unable to escape the talons of number thirteen.

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.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Brief Debut of Tildy perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Unknown Director

The Judge needs a present for his wife's birthday, so Harry suggests a new corset. They go to the shop, but he's so embarrassed to ask the saleslady he hides in a phone booth.Harry goes in, but finds a GUY wearing one, and runs out.They both dress as women to get back in, but Mrs. Rummy gets there and chases him out.

Dir: George Ridgwell

Genevieve Connors, a girl of the slums, is taken to wealthy Mrs. Vanderbeck's country home for a week's vacation. Although neighbor Evelyn Carlisle refers to Genevieve as a "gutter brat," her cousin Dick takes an interest in Genevieve after he rescues her when her canoe overturns. He gathers water lilies for her and notes that their fragrance and purity have not been affected by the slime and mud clinging to their roots. Although he arranges for Genevieve to take a stenography course and promises her a position with his older brother Willard later, Mrs. Lawson, Evelyn's aunt, rudely turns her away. Dick, about to leave for the war, accidentally meets Genevieve again. He buys her water lilies, and sees that she is installed as Willard's secretary. Meanwhile, Mrs. Lawson's dissipated son Dwight knocks down a policeman during a gambling raid and, thinking him dead, hides out. After Genevieve receives a note from Dwight asking for clothes and money, Mrs. Lawson suspiciously pursues her, but Dick follows and proves Genevieve's innocence.