Deep Archive Finds in the Vein of The Silent Lady: Cult Guide

Dir: Elsie Jane Wilson

After an opera company disbands, a chorus girl finds that the $50 she has saved up has been stolen. A kindly Italian delicatessen worker befriends her.

Dir: Elsie Jane Wilson

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

Dale Aldis and John Coventry, who were sweethearts as children, meet again after the death of Dale's mother and discover that they are still in love. Dale, who has been raised in a convent, has not inherited her family's snobbish attitudes and therefore ignores the fact that John is the son of the town drunkard. Philip Leswing, the family attorney, returns from abroad and visits Dale at the old country house in which she spent her youth. Philip, enchanted with Dale, finally convinces her to give up John for a life of wealth and sophistication in the city. When Dale breaks her engagement to John, the young farmer begins to drink heavily, whereupon Dale realizes how much she loves him and asks his forgiveness. Seeing that her affections for John are sincere, Philip relinquishes his attachment to her.

Dir: Elsie Jane Wilson

In dire financial straits, businessman John Baird considers liquidating the bonds that are held in trust for his little daughter Margery. Failing to comprehend her husband's desperation, Virginia Baird refuses his request and, upon overhearing his lawyer advising him to utilize the bonds without consulting her, she decides to place them in the hands of old friend George Drake. Drake hijacks the securities, however, and their disappearance leads to the break-up of the Bairds' marriage, resulting in Virginia leaving the house. Attempting to console her father, Margery sets out on her pony to bring her mother home. But she is held up on the road by Captain Kidd Jr., who adopts her as his first mate, and the two children take up residence on a grass hut on a nearby island. There, while playing at being pirates, they discover the missing securities. As they are returning to land in a leaky boat, the children are found, much to the delight of their parents. Margery's return with the missing securities reunites the Bairds, and all ends happily.

Dir: Elsie Jane Wilson

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

Spurred on by her young actor friend Pascal, Cricket, a young girl, accepts the starring role in a juvenile play. Her smashing success is overshadowed, however, by her mother's death. Orphaned, Cricket grows to adulthood under the tutelage of her artist friends Saveline, Pinglet, and Caesar. Their idyllic family life ends when the three foster fathers decide that Cricket shall marry a banker's son, while she is determined to marry her old friend Pascal. Cricket leaves her foster fathers for Pascal and their estrangement endures several years, until the three men attend a stage performance given by Pascal and Cricket. An usher asks if they would take care of one of the actor's children and, recognizing Cricket's daughter, their old feelings of friendship are rekindled and a reconciliation occurs.

Dir: Elsie Jane Wilson

Fred and Clara marry and there comes to their home the little boy they have dreamed of and whom they determine to call Little Boy Blue. The marriage has estranged Fred's uncle, but he comes to spend Christmas with them. Their hopes of a full reconciliation are dashed when he objects so strenuously to Little Boy Blue, but things happen that wring the heartstrings and through Little Boy Blue a truly happy Christmas morning dawns.

Dir: Elsie Jane Wilson

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

Dona Perfecta is a power in the small Spanish village of Orbajosa. Rosarita, a young relative of hers, has been promised in marriage since infancy to Pepe Ray Don Jose, a boy she has never even met. When she finally does meet him, however, she falls in love with him. Unfortunately he gets on the bad side of Dona Perfects and she determines to prevent the marriage and will stop at nothing--including murder--to accomplish that.

Dir: Elsie Jane Wilson

After receiving an inheritance from an uncle, a woman sets up a fortunetelling business.

Dir: Elsie Jane Wilson

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

Struggling young painter Ruth Elliott has written her Eastern friend Mildred Colburn that she has gained fame in the West as an artist. When Mildred stops to visit on her way to Honolulu, Ruth hires Peter Neyland to pose as her chauffeur for five hours. Peter is actually a wealthy young man who accepts the offer as a lark. He chauffeurs the two women from the train station to a tea house. Mildred's chaperon Mrs. Peabody Jones, arrives with the news that the boat has been delayed and the two must stay with Ruth for a week. Without divulging his identity and aware of Ruth's predicament, Peter places his uncle's apartment at Ruth's disposal. When Mrs. Jones demands to meet celebrities, Peter's valet McQuade and his friend Ted Latham are put into service. The uncle and butler are later arrested as burglars. Meanwhile, Peter has fallen in love with Ruth. Ted has fallen in love with Mildred and double weddings follow.

Dir: Elsie Jane Wilson

At a mountain resort, Kenneth Scott falls in love with Marie Beauchamp, an older woman who merely amuses herself with him. When she deserts him to open a roadhouse, he sadly leaves the mountains and, in the company of an old wandering poet named "Doc" Podden, travels to a little village in the woods. There he meets and soon gives his heart to Daphne Sawyer, the storekeeper's daughter. Daphne also is loved by Louis Bracchi, but Kenneth finally saves her from his forced attentions. In the end, Kenneth learns that his new love is the younger sister of Marie, the woman who abandoned him.