Masterpiece Selection that Capture the Essence of The Road to Divorce: Cult Guide

Dir: Phil Rosen

A biographical film featuring the presidency and assassination of Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War.

Dir: Phil Rosen

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

Florentine Fair, a famous actress who is satiated with theatrical life, falls in love with Roger Dent, an unsophisticated youth with a passion for writing plays. Taking him to New York as her protégé, she encourages him to write. Although her lover Mortimer is insanely jealous at first, he finds merit in Dent's new play and finances him on Broadway. The young dramatist offers his hand in marriage to the actress, but she refuses him and accepts Mortimer.

Dir: Phil Rosen

Josephine is called to her Western home from an Eastern college and brings a party of girls with her, accompanied by one man.

Dir: Phil Rosen

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of West Is Best perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

The marriage of Jim and Esther spirals downhill rapidly when Esther purchases a sable coat for herself. Hoping to live up to her expensive accessory, Esther soon is keeping company with caddish Morrell. Jim brings his wife's galavanting to an abrupt end by committing suicide. Esther as an object lesson for young Alice Kendall, returns the fur coat that she's bought on impulse.

Dir: Phil Rosen

Fleur Forsyte marries Michael Mont, whose best friend, Wilfrid Desert, soon falls in love with her--a love she does nothing to discourage. Wilfrid tells Michael of his love for Fleur, indicating that he will do everything possible in the future to take her away from him. Michael confronts Fleur with Wilfrid's statement, and she professes to be ignorant of any wrongdoing. Michael fires Bicket, one of his shipping clerks, who was caught stealing books. When Bicket is reduced to selling balloons on the streets, his wife, Victorine, goes to Michael for help, and he sends her to Wilfrid, for whom she poses in the nude. Bicket learns about this situation and goes to Michael in a rage; together, the two men go to Wilfrid's studio, where Michael unexpectedly finds Fleur. She quickly assures Bicket that his wife has been faithful to him, for she herself was present each time Victorine posed for Wilfrid. But Michael believes that Fleur herself has been unfaithful, and he leaves her to Wilfrid. Fleur soon realizes that she loves only Michael and goes to him, asking to be taken back. Michael consents, but when Fleur tells him that she is pregnant, he is suspicious of the parentage until Fleur shows him a letter from Wilfrid that proves her fidelity.

Dir: Phil Rosen

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

Hal Whitney, an irresponsible young millionaire, befriends Timothy Payne, a wise old college professor whose life had been ruined by alcohol. After "adopting" Timothy as his father, Hal introduces him to his sweetheart, Helen Maynard. The outraged Helen breaks their engagement, certain that Timothy will be a bad influence on her hard-drinking fiancé. However, both men assist in each other's reformation, and Hal is soon reunited with Helen, while Timothy marries Hal's mother, Elizabeth, whom he had loved in his youth.

Dir: Phil Rosen

The girl is a schoolteacher in a cattle town, the hero a rather wild cowboy of good intentions but addicted to gambling. She saves him from a false accusation of robbery, thus awakening his better instincts.

Dir: Phil Rosen

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

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Phil Rosen

Isabella Echevaria, whose beauty has won her a legion of disappointed admirers, arrives with her retinue of servants at a fashionable French hotel, and there she encounters Gerald Rexford, a young Briton who remains indifferent to her charms. Isabella becomes determined to bring Gerald to his knees and follows him to Paris, where she arranges a meeting with him through a mutual acquaintance. Gerald falls in love with her, and Isabella finds that she truly loves him in return. They share their idyllic love in a small house in the country until Gerald's mother persuades Isabella that Gerald will never find lasting happiness with her. Isabella then arranges with John Strong to make Gerald jealous by allowing Gerald to find her in John's embrace. Gerald discovers them together, suspects the worst, and leaves Isabella; Strong then has a change of heart and tells Gerald of Isabella's noble deception. Gerald returns to her in time to prevent her from poisoning herself and declares his intention to marry her immediately.

Dir: Phil Rosen

The hero impersonates a "spook" bandit and aids in bringing the band to justice.