The Essential Watchlist that Capture the Essence of The Scarab Ring...

Dir: Edward José

When two love-sick young people run off to be married, and aren't caught, they usually get married. It was different with Grace Vernon and Hugh Ridgway, though. Worn out by the social affairs given in honor of their approaching marriage, they elope in the wee small hours of a certain summer morning, and being mistaken for housebreakers by the gardener and other members of the household, are pursued. A couple of cops as added starters make the chase even more interesting, and they don't breathe easily until, a couple of hours after climbing a rope ladder up the side of an ocean liner, they come out from their hiding place and find themselves at sea. Not nearly so much "at sea" then, however, as later, when Hugh finds that Grace is much smitten with Henry Veath, an old-time friend of his. Hugh cares nothing about the fact that Lady Tenny, another passenger, seems to care more for his society than for anyone else. Comes a typhoon, the ship is dashed on the rocks, and in the ensuing darkness and panic Hugh makes a brave attempt to save one who clings closely to him, one he thinks to be Grace. Then blackness, and with returning consciousness and the light, the realization that he is cast away on a strange tropical isle, the isle of Nedra, with Lady Tenny. Add to this that they are found and worshiped as two gods by the savage natives of the isle; that their enforced wedding is interrupted by the landing of a U.S. ship; that Hugh goes home only to find Grace married to Veath; that he finds that he doesn't care a particle; that he rushes back to Lady Tenny, and you have just a bare conception of this romantic love story.

Dir: Edward José

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

Laura Ward a selfish girl steals a large sum of money, her twin sister Agnes is mistakenly accused of the crime and sent to prison. Meanwhile, Laura abandons her sweetheart, alcoholic architect Richard Leigh, to marry an elderly millionaire named William Benedict, but she soon renews her affair. When a detective catches the lovers together, Agnes, just released from prison, agrees to pose as Richard's mistress, thereby saving Laura's marriage. Through Agnes's influence, Richard is regenerated, and the two eventually marry. Later, however, Laura reappears, and Agnes finds Richard drinking and embracing her. In a rage, William shoots and kills Laura, but Agnes forgives her erring husband and takes him home.

Dir: Edward José

Fedora, a beautiful and elegant woman of Russian society, travels to Paris in search of her fiance's murderer.

Dir: Edward José

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

Harold R. Peat tries to enlist in the United States army so that he may fight in World War I but is rejected by the recruiting officer. He is despondent until he and his friend, Old Bill, concoct a scheme whereby they are both accepted. After a stint in training camp, Harry bids his sweetheart Mary goodbye and accompanies Bill to France. Following several adventures at the front, Bill is killed and Harold, in trying to save a load of ammunition, is wounded. Harold spends some time in a French hospital, after which Mary comes to France to bring her heroic private home.

Dir: Edward José

After a harsh childhood, orphan Jane Eyre is hired by Edward Rochester, the brooding lord of a mysterious manor house, to care for his young daughter.

Dir: Edward José

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

An orphan in Africa unwittingly marries an abusive man, falls in love with and gets pregnant by an amnesiac, runs away and becomes a novelist.

Dir: Edward José

In the blossom time in spring, in the sunny southland, Anabel Lee returned home from the young ladies' finishing academy. Warner Richmond, the favorite of society and beloved by all the maids for miles around, received notice to come to his grandfather's home to stay with him during his last days. Warner did so and on his arrival was warned by his grandfather to forego the society of the fair sex, but Warner one day passed by where Anabel sat reading and to her he was her prince charming. Forced to marry Anabel, Warner insisted on keeping the marriage a secret on account of his grandfather's wishes. Just after the grandfather died, leaving Warner a large fortune, he became enamored with an opera singer of fame. Destroying all records of his marriage to Anabel, he then married the opera singer, but love in this case lasted until she secured all his money. Soon believing her husband dead. Anabel married the sweetheart of her childhood days. No cloud darkened the sky of their happiness until Warner came wandering in his drunken travels to the old countryside again. Attended in his delirium by Anabel's doctor husband, he gives out the story of his life. The doctor returns to find Anabel gone with her child. He follows. Warner in his delirium overturns a lamp and the house burns to the ground with all evidence to clear Anabel's name. But love finds the way.

Dir: Edward José

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

In sixteenth century Greece, Gismonda, the Duchess of Athens, entertains a stream of suitors, although she only loves her little son Francesco. Prince Zaccaria, who wishes to become the duke of Athens, kidnaps Francesco and throws him into a pit holding a huge lion. The duchess, terrified that her child is in danger, offers to marry the man who rescues her boy. The deed is accomplished by a humble huntsman, Almerio, but Gismonda soon breaks her promise, not wishing to marry a commoner. To persuade him to release her from her vow, the duchess visits Almerio one night but is seen by Zaccaria and his cohort Gregoras leaving the hut in the morning. Zaccaria determines to kill the huntsman, but Gismonda stabs him at Almerio's door. Having discovered who was responsible for Francesco's entrapment, Gismonda has Gregoras arrested. Finally realizing her great love for Almerio, she bestows on him the title of duke and marries him.

Dir: Edward José

Frank Clamart, abandoned illegitimate son of a wealthy merchant, flees to Paris and joins a gang of "society crooks" led by Chu-Chu and Leontine Petrovsky, his sometime-lover. To prove his prowess to the gang and to Leontine, with whom he has fallen in love, Frank attempts to rob the house of a well-to-do family but is shot by the owner. As Leontine escapes unharmed, Frank is inspected by the owner's wife, who, recognizing a birthmark on Frank's wrist, identifies him as her husband's missing half-brother. Nursed back to health by his sister-in-law, Frank agrees to renounce his life of crime, but when a jealous Chu-Chu breaks into the house and steals the family jewels, Frank is suspected. To exonerate himself, Frank tricks Chu-Chu and retrieves the gems. Determined to have revenge, Chu-Chu tries once more to rob the house and, when caught by Frank, shoots him in the shoulder. Frank pursues Chu-Chu in a taxicab, forces him over a cliff, then leaves with his new love, the cab driver, who fires a shot that kills Chu-Chu.

Dir: Edward José

Brilliant young architect Gaston De Nerac returns to London from France to marry his cousin Joanna Rushworth. To prevent Joanna's father from losing his business, Gaston borrows money from a rival suitor with the stipulation that he postpone the marriage and refrain from communication with Joanna for two years. After the suitor convinces Joanna that Gaston bartered her love for money, she marries the suitor. When Gaston learns of this, he begins a reckless, cynical life as a traveling musician known as Paragot. In the London slums, he makes the acquaintance of Asticot, a ragamuffin. They wander through France and Paragot adopts Blanquette, an itinerant singer, after her aged partner dies. Years later, when the happy threesome perform at a peasant wedding, Paragot encounters Joanna, who has learned the truth. After Joanna's husband is killed in the street, she and Paragot plan to marry, but because he is unable to adjust to societal conventions, Paragot marries Blanquette instead.