Deep Archive Finds in the Vein of The Soul Market: Cult Guide

Dir: Francis J. Grandon

Concerned that she will ruin the Rev. David Warwick's career by marrying him, actress Letty Noon accompanies her fiancé to the home of Pastor and Mrs. Holbrook to seek advice. In answer to their question, the old parson narrates the story of young Jim Brown, a minister who resolves to reform the rough miners in a small Western town. His strength and dedication deeply impress the townspeople, but his sermons seem to have little effect on "Wild Honey," a dance hall girl who resents his constant admonitions. Wild Honey secretly loves Rev. Brown, however, and after she impulsively kisses him, he forgets his preaching and thinks only of her. One of Wild Honey's jealous suitors frames the reverend for murder, but she clears his name and, later that night, tells the parson of her love. Hearing her declaration, another rejected suitor attempts to shoot Rev. Brown, but Wild Honey shields him and is seriously wounded. The reverend then takes her to another town, where they happily grow old together.

Dir: Francis J. Grandon

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

A girl known as "Boots," who keeps house for a band of crooks led by her kind guardian, Uncle Ben, called "The Lion," demands that she be allowed to accompany them on a burglary. Dressed in boy's clothes, Boots is caught by Mrs. Kathryn Sylvester, a rich society widow, who, upon learning that Boots is a girl, resolves to avenge herself on James Graham, who refused to marry her stating that he wanted no stain on his lineage. She raises Boots in luxury, and at the proper time, introduces her to Graham's son Donald. After Boots endures an awkward two years of study during which she still frolics with her pet pig, she and Donald fall in love. During their wedding, Mrs. Sylvester announces Boot's past to Graham, but Uncle Ben, now reformed, reveals that Boots is really the daughter of Major Richard Harvey, who is present. The happy couple then resume their wedding.

Dir: Francis J. Grandon

Jean Servian's eyesight is failing and is desperate for money, marries wealthy widower Geoffrey Vane after telling him that he must be satisfied with her gratitude rather than her love. Then, following an affair with artist Philip Derblay, who finally leaves her, Jean settles down to a quiet, boring life with Geoffrey, who knows nothing about her failed romance. Years later, however, after Lucille, Geoffrey's daughter by his first wife, becomes engaged to Philip, Jean feels compelled to tell the story of her own affair with him. The disclosure has little effect as Lucille makes no change in her wedding plans, but then, when she breaks in on a violent argument between Philip and Lucille, Jean accidentally shoots and kills her former lover. A trial results in her acquittal, however, after which Jean realizes that she really does love Geoffrey, who easily forgives his wife for her past indiscretion.

Dir: Francis J. Grandon

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

A raft carrying a little girl and a dead woman drifts in from a shipwreck to Devil's Island. There, a band of thieves and smugglers name the girl Rose Marie, though she grows up as "nobody's girl." Living in a cave, she learns to read through the kindness of Jason, who is soon killed by the cruel leader, Red Gull. In Red Gull's power, and urged on by Jason's jealous wife, Rose Marie makes her escape in a rowboat, where she is spotted by an aviator flying above the sea. He rescues her, taking her to be cared for at his home where she is well treated. When newspapers report a mysterious shipwreck on Devil's Island, Rose Marie reveals the way in which Red Gull lured ships to their doom there. She guides the authorities to the island, where, after a fierce battle, the thieves are wiped out. Eventually the aviator falls in love with Rose Marie, and "nobody's girl" is somebody's sweetheart at last.

Dir: Francis J. Grandon

When Roberta Carruthers' father, Capt. Carruthers, is killed in France during the war, she comes to live in the US with her uncle. When she finds out that her uncle is under the impression that his brother had a son and not a daughter, she decides to disguise herself as a male, and calls herself Bob. She becomes a translator for William Faulkner, the governor of the state, and in that capacity exposes a number of German spies. However, Gov. Faulkner manages to meet "Roberta" as a woman, not knowing that she is actually "Bob", his translator--and falls in love with her. Complications ensue.

Dir: Francis J. Grandon

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Miss Nobody perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Feature version of the thirteen episode serial, _Adventures of Kathlyn, The (1913)_, released three years earlier.

Dir: Francis J. Grandon

Nora, a girl of the lower East Side of New York City, marries a rising ward politician. A child is born. They are happy, but the young politician is running for office against the old ward boss and has to be out every night. The wife becomes jealous of a certain woman. Nora's child dies. Things get worse for her as jealousy and the seeming neglect of her husband increase. She finally leaves him and becomes a model for a noted painter. The husband finds where she is, but makes no attempt to force her to return to him, though he still loves her. One of the artist's friends, a magnate in the motion picture business, promises her a chance. Her rise to stardom is quick. The climax of the story is a struggle between the old love and the new fame. She does not know that the politician has become a first-class lawyer. Finding that the old love and the new fame are not incompatible, she is reunited with her husband.

Dir: Francis J. Grandon

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

Strathmore, a woman hater, falls in love with "Lady" Vavasour after having reproached his friend, Bertie Errol, for his attentions to Lucille, the little farm girl. Errol, too, has trifled with the Vavasour woman and warns Strathmore that she is thoroughly bad and not really Vavasour's wife at all. They quarrel and fight a duel in which Erroll is killed. He has left a letter to Strathmore, explaining that Lucille, the daughter of exiled but noble Russians, is really his wife though he has kept the marriage secret for fear of offending his family and wealthy uncle. When the news of Errol's death is brought to her, Mrs. Errol dies of shock and Strathmore adopts and rears the daughter of this match who has been named Lucille for her mother. Lord Strathmore drives "Lady" Vavasour from society and completely exposes her, for he holds her responsible for the trouble between himself and Errol. As the years pass, Lucille grows into a beautiful girl, and when the Comte de Valdor proposes for her hand she refuses him, revealing that she loves Strathmore. Because he has killed her father, he hesitates, but in the end he marries her. "Lady" Vavasour, affected by the girl's happiness, foregoes exposing the truth of her father's death.

Dir: Francis J. Grandon

The inventor of the first clock, which would eliminate the use of the village's sacred bell, is sentenced to life imprisonment by the Emperor, but escapes his fate by hiding with a father and his daughter.

Dir: Francis J. Grandon

When socialite Ethel Wyndham turns down his marriage proposal because of his working-class status, Jim Carew leaves civilization and goes prospecting in the Yukon. While striking it rich in Alaska, he begins a romance with Little Snowbird, but before settling down with her, he decides to take one last look at life in the big city, and so he goes to New York. At a restaurant there, he sees Ethel, and immediately tells her of his success and proposes once again. Ethel is tempted to accept him until Thomas Martin, who has involved her in a blackmail operation, threatens to expose her if she marries Jim. Once again broken-hearted, Jim returns to Little Snowbird, only to find that, believing that he would never return, she committed suicide. Before dying, however, she gave birth to their daughter, to whom Jim devotes the rest of his life.