Must-Watch List Comparable to the Style of The Son of Democracy: Cult Guide

Dir: John M. Stahl

When Rosamond, a convent girl, discovers that her mother is Baby Brabant, a notorious queen of Petworth's gambling house, her ideals are shattered and she denounces her mother's life. Following her daughter's departure, Baby leaves the gambler and resorts to opium in her remorse. Rosamond becomes a successful actress and falls in love with Ned, the foster son of a wealthy man, Brabazon, who advises Ned to treat her as a plaything, but he refuses to drop her. Brabazon then learns that Baby Brabant is his former wife and that Rosamond is his own daughter. Ned and Rosamond are united after her mother dies.

Dir: John M. Stahl

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

Just as Mr. and Mrs. James Randolph Emerson, Jr. are about to depart on their honeymoon, Lucille Emerson discovers her husband gazing at a photograph that bears the inscription, "With love to my husband, Grace." Too proud to question James about the photograph, Lucille is tormented by the image of the woman for many years. Finally Lucille becomes involved in a flirtation with another man, and when her husband learns of her infatuation, he becomes insanely jealous. Enraged, he is choking her when a small boy rushes into the room and collapses. James leaves Lucille, who returns the boy to his tenement home. While there, Lucille discovers that the child is James's son, born to a woman who died in childbirth. Finding that James has long forgotten Grace, however, Lucille is reconciled to her husband.

Dir: John M. Stahl

Around 1903, in czarist Russia, William ("Willie") Eckstein is at boarding school when he receives a letter from his mother describing how their prosperous Jewish family has been forced by government edict to pack up their belongings and move to a poor village. Willie joins the Eneckva, a secret Nihilist society that meets on the outskirts of town, and quickly becomes a leader because of his speaking ability. In the meantime, Cossacks kill Willie's father for defending a tavern waitress. At school, a teacher finds one of Willie's pamphlets and turns him in to local authorities, who ransack his room and throw Willie and two friends into jail. Other boys come to their rescue, however, and they escape down a cliff. Willie hurries home to his mother, to tell her he is fleeing Russia, and she gives him a peasant suit that will allow him to travel without being molested. He flees to America, where he claims he will "live free from the law." After reaching the United States, Willie makes his way to Salt Lake City, Utah, where his uncle owns a clothing store. He starts his new life as a newspaper boy, but becomes a hoodlum and ends up in the hands of truant officers. Summoned to the Parental Court of Judge Willis Brown, Willie at first defies the judge, but later realizes that Brown sincerely wishes to help him. Supported by local progressive women who see the need of moral education for wayward children rather than punishment in a reform school, Judge Brown is given an 800-acre farm for the purpose of building a community for juveniles. He chooses eighteen young felons, including Willie, and drives them to the farm to start building "Boy Town," and Willie is soon elected mayor. At Boy Town, the youths practice discipline and self-government, learning how to farm the land, deal with troublemakers, and earn a profitable living. Many of the boys grow into successful, law-abiding adults. Judge Brown sends Willie to an Eastern college, and then to a university in Missouri, where Willie studies agriculture. Finally, Judge Brown makes him the manager of a large private farm, and the young man becomes a U.S. citizen. He also sends his mother one of his regular letters with a money-order enclosed, along with a photograph of himself, and then dreams of her joy in receiving it. The judge comes in, presses Willie's hands, and assures the sleeping youth that his belief in a square game will help him prosper and be an example for other boys.

Dir: John M. Stahl

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

A man brings up, on Long Island, the illegitimate daughter of a deceased woman who'd been an art student in love with a married Parisian. Is a French man the daughter, now grown up, attracted to a descendant of that same Parisian as well?

Dir: John M. Stahl

On the day of her wedding to Jimmie, Mary finds she has not lost her affection for another sweetheart, Joe. A confrontation arises when Jimmie discovers that Joe has come along on their honeymoon.

Dir: John M. Stahl

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

When Mary Graham's old school chum visits, Mary's husband becomes infatuated with his wife's guest and soon openly avows his love for her. Mary is powerless to stop the affair and confides to old friend James Livingston the expected arrival of their child. Hiding her pregnancy from her husband, Mary goes to the country, where her son is born. Learning that Robert is intent upon filing for divorce, Livingston demands that the unfaithful husband repay some notes which Livingston holds. Robert is unable to pay, and Helen threatens to leave him. In contrast, Mary offers to sell her jewels to help her husband, forcing Robert to realize her true worth. He begs his wife's forgiveness, and they are joyfully united as Mary proudly introduces her husband to their son.

Dir: John M. Stahl

Young José lives with his guardian, Don Julian, a middle-aged diplomat recently married to young Felicia. Society gossips in Madrid find the situation increasingly scandalous.

Dir: John M. Stahl

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

Hilda, a fisherman's daughter, and Philip Emerson, a noted physician, fall in love and marry, but the doctor soon becomes increasingly involved in his medical work, neglecting Hilda and their young son Philip, Jr. He then leaves her in the company of his friends, kind Peter and philandering Robert. When an epidemic of infantile paralysis breaks out, taking up even more of the doctor's time, his own son contracts the disease, and by all appearances dies from it. Heartbroken, Hilda collapses. However, the doctor discovers that the boy is in fact alive, although paralyzed. Believing that Hilda would be even more disturbed to know this, he hides the boy in his laboratory and works on trying to cure him, but cannot. Peter finally reunites Hilda with her son, and her presence and the miracle of motherly love succeed where science has failed: the boy is cured and walks toward his mother.

Dir: John M. Stahl

A bitter outcast named Garnett runs a road house of low character called "The Owl" in backwoods Alabama, his only friend is Dr. Hamilton, and he keeps the secret from his old blind mother who believes he had a noble death. One night, the Doctor intervenes when the KKK tries to hang Garnett. Hamilton tells his patient turned girlfriend, Faith, that he must find Garnett's wife before his rampant illness kills him. He finds that Faith is in fact the missing wife, and he has betrayed his old friend.

Dir: John M. Stahl

Mary and John Emerson have been married for 22 years, and she treats him more like a son than a husband. Stung by her rebuffs, he succumbs to the youthful charms of Gloria Sanderson, whom he meets on a business trip. But just after he mails a letter to Mary telling her that he will not return, John finds Gloria in her fiancé's arms. Realizing his foolishness, he races to the train to retrieve the letter. He fails, and Mary receives and reads the letter; but she too has seen her error, conceals her knowledge of the letter's contents, and accepts John's professions of love.