The Global Archive For Devotees of The Shuttle: Cult Guide

Dir: Rollin S. Sturgeon

Mildred Manning, known as Middy, is an apprentice in Madame Lizette's fashionable shop. Her beauty is discovered by Madame's brother, George Martin, and she is made a model. One afternoon, she tries on a rejected bathing suit and by adding a touch here and there, makes it into a beautiful creation. Madame then sends her to the beach to carry out a clever advertising scheme. At the shore, Middy is pursued by a reporter and photographer, who have been commissioned by Madame to photograph the girl for calendar advertising. In her flight from the publicity men, Mildred takes refuge in a car owned by lawyer Philip Gordon, who gets into the vehicle and drives off with Middy. Middy, fearing exposure, asks him to drop her off at a fashionable residence. When Gordon later returns to the address to call on Middy, he is puzzled to be greeted by an aging spinster. After Middy's picture appears in the calendar despite her objections, Middy quits her job at Madame Lizette's and threatens to sue to prevent the use of her photo for advertising purposes. At this point, Gordon traces her through the calendar and takes her case, refusing to let her go again until she promises to marry him.

Dir: Rollin S. Sturgeon

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

Far away, in the timberlands of the North, where the purity of woman is placed above all else, lived Josephine Adare, a kind, honest soul, whose face plainly bore an expression of deep sorrow and anxiety. Up to this, God's Own Country, came a man, Philip Weyman, to spend a year in that region. The man meets the woman and falls in love with her. He begs her to confide in him her great sorrow, which he sees she is constantly thinking of, but she tells him that she cannot do so. Seeing that he is persistent, and really anxious to help her, she asks him if he would be willing to follow her wherever she goes, doing whatever she asks of him, asking no questions and with the hope of no reward but her undying gratitude. Owing to his great love for her, he consents, knowing that he will be working for a just cause. Through the long, bitter, northern winter, he travels with her, knowing neither where he is going nor what he is going to do. To aid her plans, they are married, but it is a marriage in name only. She then takes him to the home of her father, John Adare, a rugged woodsman, where she tells him to pose as the father of an infant which she shows him. For a moment, his faith in her wavers, when he sees the child, but his manhood conquers and he determines to stand by his promise. Then, on one eventful day the infant dies. After the baby's death Philip notices unusual activity about the camp, and suspects that Josephine's enemies are about. Though he knows not who they are, he longs to fight them, but Jean Croisset, Josephine's half-breed protector, who has also been assisting her in her trouble, tells him that he can do nothing but wait for orders from her. He is tempted to cast caution to the winds and search for them himself, but his better judgment prevails and he realizes that he must be satisfied with anxiety and inactivity. Josephine's ferocious wolf-hounds have grown to love Philip as they love their mistress. These terrible beasts, though born for fighting, have big hearts in their savage breasts, and at a word from one whom they love, would tear an enemy to pieces. One day, Josephine, who is known throughout the neighborhood for her kindness and love of children, is called to another village to tend a sick child. Jean follows to protect her, and Philip trails him with the dogs. Philip learns that she was kidnapped by Lang, who, Jean tells him, is responsible for all her troubles. Philip rouses all the honest woodsmen in the neighborhood, who love Josephine for her kindness, and they set out to rescue her. They also enlist the aid of a tribe of Indians in their cause. After traveling for some time, the rescue party traps the villainous gang in its lair, "Devil's Nest." Here Lang and his gang barricade the doors and windows and prepare for the attack. A battle ensues, and Lang's followers, seeing they are being beaten, try to escape but find themselves hemmed in. In the midst of the battle, Jean is shot, and, knowing he is about to die, calls Philip to his side. He tells him how, a year before, Josephine's mother had fallen into Lang's clutches while her husband was away, and of the birth of the child, which Josephine had claimed as her own to shield her mother's honor. The story told, the faithful half-breed dies, with a parting injunction to Philip to kill Lang and destroy the incriminating papers in his possession. During a lull in the fighting, Lang tries to escape through a window with Josephine. His action is seen by Philip, who rushes over to protect her. In the struggle which follows, Lang manages to gain the upper hand, and reaches for his knife to end Philip's life. Seeing his danger, Josephine releases the dogs, with a command to kill. As though they knew the sorrows of their mistress, the shaggy beasts leap upon the struggling forms, single out Lang and kill him with their merciless fangs. Philip informs her that he knows all, and that she need no longer fear for her mother's honor, as he has destroyed the papers. She tells him that she has always loved him, and Philip looks forward to a happy future, in God's country with the woman of his choice.

Dir: Rollin S. Sturgeon

Poor Molly O'Toole takes a job as housekeeper at the country home of wealthy Mrs. J. Van Ranselear Todd. Arriving at "Castle Crags," Molly is mistaken by the villagers for Mrs. Todd, and decides to continue the masquerade, thus attracting the attentions of Captain Hancock, her wealthy neighbor. Meanwhile Mrs. Todd's roguish son Algernon has purchased a donkey and cart from peddler Joe Holmes and is traveling through the country when he arrives at Castle Crags to discover Molly masquerading as his mother. Deciding not to reveal his own identity or expose Molly, Algernon takes a job as her chauffeur. The two fall in love and Algernon begs Molly to marry him, but she is reluctant to part with the captain's millions. A series of events makes Molly believe that her chauffeur has become a forger on her account, however, and she realizes her love for him. She resolves to give up the captain, but at that point Mrs. Todd arrives, claims Algernon as her son and welcomes Molly as her future daughter-in-law.

Dir: Rollin S. Sturgeon

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

While attending college in Washington, D.C., Yuki Onda, the daughter of a Japanese samurai, meets and falls in love with Pierre Le Beau, a diplomatic attaché. At the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War, Pierre is sent to Japan as attaché to the Australian ambassador. When Yuki's father discovers his daughter's romance with a foreigner, he becomes enraged and betroths her to Prince Hagane for political reasons; being an obedient daughter, Yuki agrees to the match. During a political meeting, Yuki's husband commands her to see that nobody enters the house. During her vigil, Pierre arrives, half-crazed with fever and the desire to see his beloved. Out of revenge, he steals an important document from Hagane; believing that his wife has acted in dishonor, Hagane agrees to trade Yuki for the paper. Worn out with grief and struggling against her love for Pierre, Yuki kills herself, and Hagane delivers the body to her true love.

Dir: Rollin S. Sturgeon

Abel Manning, an attorney, has spent the greater part of his life waiting for "something big." Joan, his daughter, is teaching school and is of great financial assistance to her father. Senator Kitwell is to hold a big political rally, and Manning is elated because he is to give the address. Geoffrey Daniels returns home for the election, bringing his college chums. He sees Joan and is interested. As Joan's father is making his speech, Geoffrey plays a joke on him, incurring Joan's contempt. In the meantime the Mexicans are scheming for a new government and Gonzales goes to Washington to use his influence in securing an American consul his gang can influence. Kitwell wins, and Manning, believing Kitwell's promise to do something for him, goes to Washington. He is given nothing, however, his funds diminish and Joan finally joins him. Geoffrey is appointed to install wireless stations at some valuable mines in the Mexican country, Gonzales, promising Kitwell an interest in the mines if he will send a consul who will recognize their new government. Kitwell, believing Manning the right man, appoints him, and the latter views this as his great opportunity. As Gonzales endeavors to rope Manning into their scheme, the real man in the old attorney rises against the traitors and he puts Gonzales out of his office. As he is sending a cable to Washington for help, Manning is seized by Gonzales and his men, the cable instrument demolished and Manning threatened with death if he does not join the Mexicans in their revolution. Geoffrey learns of the situation, and that Joan has been taken to Gonzales' ranch, rushes to the rescue just as a company of American marines land and after overpowering the Mexicans, the marines put Manning upon a box and he delivers an oration with great intensity. His loyalty has won for him at last the recognition he has so long coveted.

Dir: Rollin S. Sturgeon

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

When the third partner in their small Cape Cod trading business dies, Shad Gould and Zoeth Hamilton adopt his little daughter Mary-'Gusta. After several years, the two old salts decide that Mary should be properly educated and send her to an exclusive school in Boston, telling her that her father left her a large fortune. In Boston, Mary meets Crawford Smith, but their happiness together is threatened when she learns that he is the son of Edgar Fuller (alias Smith), a scoundrel who had run off with Zoeth's wife and stolen his money. Having discovered that Shad and Zoeth, in order to pay her bills, are nearing bankruptcy, Mary returns to Cape Cod and saves the business with her capable management. Crawford's father dies, leaving a letter of apology to Shad and Zoeth, whereupon the two young people become engaged.

Dir: Rollin S. Sturgeon

When Amos Divine is retired with a meager pension, his spoiled wife Christina castigates him, but their optimistic daughter Mary Beth, who longs for a musical career, helps them economize. Meanwhile, composer Richard Warner arrives from Vermont, but his hopes of selling his ballads are dashed by publishers who want cheap, trashy melodies. Mary decides to rent the attic room, and Richard, hearing her play, takes it. After Richard accidentally starts a fire while raptly composing, Mary begins to fall in love. Penniless, Richard starts to asphyxiate himself, but Mary brings him biscuits and encourages him to persevere. After Mary finds Richard's song, "The Rainbow Girl," dedicated to his "Loved One," he explains that he cannot marry his sweetheart until he has made good. Mary jealously says that she too has a sweetheart, "Snookums," but they have quarreled. After Mary secretly sells Richard's song to a publisher, Richard, seeing her cry, sends flowers from "Snookums" to effect a reconciliation. When Mary reveals that there is no "Snookums," Richard confesses that Mary is his "rainbow girl," and they embrace.

Dir: Rollin S. Sturgeon

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

A girl's father cannot afford a train ticket, so he ships his daughter by Wells Fargo & Co. Express. He loses his money to a villain and cannot claim his "shipment." The villain attempts to claim her, but the Wells Fargo agent foils the plot and claims her himself.

Dir: Rollin S. Sturgeon

Realizing that it would be difficult to support a wife on his meager income, struggling physician Jack Stilling loses his love, Faith Channing, to the wealthy James Winthrop. After Faith and Winthrop marry, they begin to drift apart as Winthrop becomes consumed with his pursuit of social ambition. When her husband falls under the spell of fashionable Hortense Filliard, Faith determines to bear him a child in order to win him back. The infant dies soon after its birth, however, and Faith falls into a deep depression, forcing Stilling to prescribe morphine for her. Winthrop, spurred on by Hortense, conceives of a plan to addict Faith to the drug and then file for divorce. His plans backfire, however, when he becomes a slave to the drug and dies in a fit of delirium. Stilling intervenes in time to spare Faith the ravages of addiction, and the doctor and the woman he never ceased loving prepare for a new life.

Dir: Rollin S. Sturgeon

Hugon, a Canadian backwoodsman who is respected for his strength both of limb and of character, falls in love with Marie even though she has another sweetheart, a young man named Gabriel. Realizing that Marie favors Gabriel, Hugon good-naturedly offers to help the boy develop muscles and stamina but soon abandons the hopeless task. Meanwhile, Roque and his group of crooked surveyors have made plans to swindle the woodsman out of his property. Hugon's discovery of the plot leads to a brutal fight in which he is seriously injured. Deeply ashamed, he hides himself in a lonely cabin. Seeking to console Hugon, Marie reminds him of the strength of the spider, which continually rebuilds its broken web. Gabriel proposes to Marie but later backs out, and she, realizing her love for Hugon, builds a home with him on his restored property.