The Global Archive Complementing the Tone of The Safety Curtain: Cu...

Dir: Sidney Franklin

Bob Anderson and his bride Mary depart for a country inn on their honeymoon, but on the road they are robbed of all their valuables, including her wedding ring. The hotel clerk, who refuses to believe that they are married, allows them to sleep in the parlor but regards them with suspicion. Before dawn, Bob hears a scream; rushing into the room he discovers that a woman has been murdered. The police arrive and arrest him, after which he is tried, convicted, and sentenced to death. Having learned that further crimes have been committed in the hotel, Mary and her father set a trap for the criminal, whom they discover is the hotel clerk. After he confesses his guilt in the murder case, Mary tries frantically to reach the governor in time to prevent Bob's execution but is informed that it is too late. At that moment, Mary awakens and realizes that it was all a dream.

Dir: Sidney Franklin

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

Kathleen, a young Irish woman, is in love with Kenneth Wayne but is prevented from marrying him by her guardian John Carteret. John is haunted by memories of his thwarted love for Kathleen's aunt, Moonyean.

Dir: Sidney Franklin

Beverly Calhoun of New Jersey accompanies her cousin Oscar to claim the throne of the tiny kingdom of Graustark. When Oscar has a skiing accident, Beverly takes his place as Prince Oscar.

Dir: Sidney Franklin

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

The storyline is loosely-based on Buffalo candy-maker August Merckens' opera-singer daughter Baroness Platon Von Wrangel, who married the Russian leader in the fight for restoration of the Russian monarchy.

Dir: Sidney Franklin

Paul Ellison, who falls in love with Elsa, exchanges identities with his twin, Arthur, because he feels himself responsible for his brother's downfall, and assumes guilt for a murder. Five years later Elsa meets Arthur, whom she believes to be Paul, and they become engaged. In Rangoon, Paul is recognized by Elsa and Craig, a gambler. Though Paul confesses to the crime, Craig, in his dying moments, admits he is the real murderer. Elsa and the two brothers are then reconciled.

Dir: Sidney Franklin

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

Susan Allenby's (Enid Markey) father is killed during a robbery staged by Bannack's corrupt sheriff Tom Slade and his men, leaving her to care for her eight brothers and sisters. Andy Crawford and his father William take the orphans in, but after Andy's father is killed, the young prospector vows to avenge his death and clean up the town. Learning that Slade's deputy, Ned Skinner, is his father's murderer, Andy orders his arrest, but Slade ignores Andy, who finally kills Skinner in a duel. While Andy's vigilante committee is searching for the outlaws who held up the stage, Slade imprisons Susan in the saloon. Informed of the kidnapping by the children, Andy returns and rescues her, killing Slade in the process. The appreciative townspeople then name Andy the new sheriff, and Susan happily agrees to become his wife.

Dir: Sidney Franklin

A spoiled young rich girl is forced by misfortune to fight for survival in the slums and alleys, where she becomes involved with all manner of unpleasantness.

Dir: Sidney Franklin

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Not Guilty perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A Chinese mandarin hopes to regain favor with the Emporer by betrothing her to him, but he doesn't know she's secretly married to the American consul and pregnant.

Dir: Sidney Franklin

Josephine, a seemingly happily married mother, comforts her friend who has just found out that her husband is cheating on her with her own story: raised in an infamous dive and taught to steal money from her customers, one night she meets a well-known novelist and his wife who are "slumming" and who give her a sum of money in order for her to leave her surroundings, but her guardian takes it from her. She is eventually sent to a reformatory but escapes and finds the novelist, now divorced. She determines to once and for all escape the life she's in and offers herself to the novelist in exchange for a promise of marriage. Complications ensue. When the place is raided, Jo is sent to a reformatory, but she later escapes. So that she will not have to return to the reformatory, Harrison marries her "in name only," with the idea that after a few months they will divorce. When Nina, now unhappily married, starts pursuing Harrison, his friend Huntley McMerton helps Jo make Harrison jealous, whereupon he declares his love. Jo suggests that her friend should act similarly.

Dir: Sidney Franklin

After the half-breed daughter of a Comanche chief falls for a young engineer who deserts her, she turns to a white Indian agent who marries her.