Hidden Genre Gems for Fans of The Savage Woman: Cult Guide

Dir: Edmund Mortimer

Gabrielle Jardee, daughter of a conservative Parisian family, is in love with an American, John Morgan, who her parents disapprove of. She is sent away from Paris to a small village, where her aunt lives with her sister and brother. The war comes and the Germans enter the town. She becomes the mistress of a German Kommandant. By means of a code which John understands she supplies the French Government with valuable information. In Berlin, she kills Karl and makes her escape to Paris, where she meets John, who offers her the love she thought she had lost. Moving Picture World

Dir: Edmund Mortimer

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

The four grown children of prominent Judge Appleton each spend one hour of meditation at his funeral to honor his last request, which allows them to see their lives unfold before them. None of them achieved his high moral standards in their lives prior to his death, and their meditation allows them realize the importance of following their father's high moral tenets.

Dir: Edmund Mortimer

Richard Garbin, willful son of Judge Garbin, one of England's most prominent jurists, is railroaded into prison. He escapes, vowing vengeance against Corton, the man who framed him and caused the death of one of his friends. Changing his name to Ragland, he meets his father at a dinner party. Judge Garbin proposes that Richard finish his prison sentence on the estate of his friend, Hugh Dunster. There Richard meets and falls in love with Dunster's daughter, Joan. Joan discovers why Richard is there and prevents him from carrying out his plan of revenge against Corton; they obtain Judge Garbin's blessing and sail for Africa.

Dir: Edmund Mortimer

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

Dan Prentiss, the special undercover agent of a mining company, is assigned to investigate a series of robberies involving gold shipments. He earns the friendship of Ann Donald by saving her life when her horse is frightened by his dog, Pal. Dan also meets both Ann's uncle, Sam, and his partner, Colton, who is one of Ann's suitors. Dan finally decides to trap the unknown robbers by driving the truck carrying the gold shipment himself. After he sets out on this perilous journey, Ann discovers that her uncle and Colton are the bandits and sets out to warn Dan. The sheriff's posse captures all of Sam's gang except Sam and Colton, who head for the hills. Dan tails them and captures Colton; wounded by the posse, Sam kills himself to avoid capture. Ann promises to wait for Buck, who plans to return for her as soon as his work permits.

Dir: Edmund Mortimer

Jimmy Valentine, a prisoner in Sing Sing for safe-cracking, although guilty, maintains his innocence. When he obtains a pardon, he goes straight, influenced by a beautiful girl named Rose.

Dir: Edmund Mortimer

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

After manicurist Katie Malloy rehabilitates Peter Crandall from his life of drinking and gambling, Peter falls in love with her and they marry. When he is dispatched home to New York after he suffers a gunshot wound at the hands of one of Katie's disappointed suitors, Peter's wealthy family hopes to annul the marriage. Katie follows her husband East where her sincerity wins the sympathy of her brother-in-law, Henry Gilsey, who arranges for Katie's social education while Peter is attending to business in the South. Meanwhile, when Katie discovers that Henry's wife Edith is carrying on an affair with another man, she sacrifices her own reputation and happiness to save Edith from the wrath of her husband. However, Peter sees through the deception, and his family, finally recognizing Katie's noble character, welcomes her as a new member.

Dir: Edmund Mortimer

Finding herself accused of a murder she didn't commit, Alice Carroll flees to Tangier, Morocco. District Attorney Henry Holcombe, meanwhile, has discovered that she is actually innocent and sets out to search for her. He finds her in Tanger, but she is under the influence of the shady Wilhelm von Linke, who owns a seedy gambling den. Complications ensue.

Dir: Edmund Mortimer

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

"In the days of the California Gold Rush of '49, Sandy is at odds with his partner, Falloner, over the latter's heavy drinking. Falloner is killed by Lasham, who many years before ran off with Falloner's wife. Sandy brings Falloner's children, Cissy and Jimmy, and their Aunt Betsey to Sacramento from Missouri. He then sets out to find the mother and to avenge his partner's death. Lasham induces Betsey to take the night boat for Sandy Bar with him, under the pretense of finding the children's mother. Sandy rides after them and swims to the steamer, arriving in time to save a frightened Betsey from Lasham. In a fight, Lasham is knocked overboard and drowns. The mother, who under the name Madame Le Blanc has been living with Lasham, helping him with his gambling and other nefarious schemes, becomes a novice in a convent. Sandy and Betsey are wed"--AFI catalog, 1921-1930.

Dir: Edmund Mortimer

Paul Bonard an artist, loses his memory when he receives a blow on the head from one of two apaches fighting over Wildcat, a sultry stepper in a cafe. He becomes an apache himself, falls in love with Wildcat and paints her portrait--his masterpiece. Wildcat learns Paul's identity and restores him to his family, though realizing that she will lose him. Surgery restores Paul's memory, but some subconscious force guides him back to the cafe and Wildcat's love.

Dir: Edmund Mortimer

Jean Lawrence (Marian Nixon), unsuccessful as a musical comedy actress, is near starvation when she is rescued by Nan Norton (Trilby Clark), a gangland sweetheart, in a restaurant off Broadway. Jean becomes involved with a counterfeit ring, then falls in love with Stephen Moore (John Gilbert), millionaire and amateur detective disguised as a counterfeiter. Moore rounds up the gang, removes his disguise, and marries Jean.