The Definitive Guide Inspired by the Vision of The Sultana: Cult Guide

Dir: Sherwood MacDonald

Having lost his fortune through poor speculation, stockbroker John Porter goes West with his wife and young daughter Bab. After ten years on the ranch, Bab develops into the real cowgirl and falls in love with neighboring ranch owner Richard Sterling, a former clerk who, through shrewd maneuvering, struck it rich. Bab's mother, who has social ambitions, frowns upon the affair, and when oil is discovered on their ranch, she seizes the opportunity to send her daughter back East to finishing school. Returning home for vacation, Bab discovers that her mother and father have separated. Bab then decides to fix everything up, beginning with her parents' marriage and ending with her own wedding to Sterling.

Dir: Sherwood MacDonald

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

Little Sallie O'Brien, who sells newspapers on the city streets, is adopted by Bridget Cassidy, the landlady, when her mother dies. Mrs. Cassidy treats the child cruelly, but soon the wealthy James Wilson befriends Sallie and takes her into his home. Sallie is befriended by Wilson's son Richard, but his daughter Marjorie dislikes the impish little girl. Although Frederick Mason is in love with Marjorie, she refuses to marry him because she finds him too lacking in boldness and chivalry to suit her romantic temperament. Having overheard Frederick's proposal, Sallie induces Bridget's son Patrick to visit the house in the guise of "the Duke of Galway." Marjorie becomes infatuated with the "duke" and promises to marry him, but Mrs. Cassidy appears and exposes her prodigal son. Richard saves Sallie from a whipping, while Marjorie finally accepts Frederick.

Dir: Sherwood MacDonald

Joyce Tolliver, whose nickname is Muggsy, plays baseball, fights and swears with boys, and is severely punished by her elders. When she grows up, she is disguised as a boy, and sent to live with a wealthy old uncle, Leslie Bolton, who hates women. Her ruse works perfectly until she falls in love. When Bolton e discovers that his supposed nephew is really his niece, he orders her out, but after he realizes that he cannot get along without her, he sends for her to return.

Dir: Sherwood MacDonald

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

Betty, the pretty daughter of Jonathan Brownlee, a retired capitalist, is impulsive and mischievous, delighting in pranks that keep her father and the servants of the household in perpetual apprehension. Brownlee's stock phrase is "Betty Be Good," constant, though rather futile, appeal on his part to the high-spirited girl, who tells her friends she is weary of being lectured on her tomboy achievements. Peter Madison, mayor of the city, is at enmity with Millionaire Brownlee over political matters. He has a son, Jimmy Madison, who is masquerading as a uniformed policeman in order to detect grafters on the force. Brownlee secures what he believes to be evidence of political crookedness on the part of the mayor. The documents are lost when Betty, in one of her escapades, drives off with the car in which her father has left them. Jimmy arrests Betty for stealing the car and papers, being unaware of her identity. Betty and Jimmy fall in love, and the denouement does not come until Millionaire Brownlee's suspicions against Mayor Madison are proved unfounded and the two men shake hands. Jimmy reveals himself to Betty in his true character and the drama ends happily.

Dir: Sherwood MacDonald

The wife of Peter Conway died in giving birth to a baby girl. Babbie, the motherless child, grew up to be beautiful and vivacious, her liveliness and innocent pranks were the joy and despair of her rough-handed but tender-hearted father, while Hannah, her elder sister, mothered and idolized the impulsive girl. But Babbie became the wife of a drunken wretch. Her husband died and back she fled to her father's arms. Hannah learned to love Ned Higgins, a newcomer, who at first did not like Babbie, but later found himself captivated by her artless charms, but the gathering clouds of an impending strike brought Asa Robins, a reporter, to the coal fields. After saving Asa from a beating at the hands of the strikers, Babbie refused his offer of marriage and the newspaperman was compelled to flee the town. Ned's jealousy was aroused by this incident and he unwillingly realized that he loved Babbie. With faltering voice he told Hannah the truth. She was crushed by the blow, but calmly replied, "Then you shall marry Babbie." Babbie appreciating the sterling worth of Ned, loved him deeply, but for her sister's sake rebuffed his advances and admonished him to remain true to Hannah. At last the strike was declared and the company imported trainloads of heavily armed guards to protect the mine property. Egged on by Dominick Kenelly, a drunken miner, the strikers prepared to attack the newcomers, but Babbie foreseeing its fatal consequences, summoned the priest, who averted the clash and rebuked the intoxicated leader. Enraged because Babbie foiled his plan, Kenelly attacked her in a lonely glen, and if it had not been for the timely interference of Ned, the girl would have been severely beaten. Ned again uttered his pleas, but Babbie remained unmoved. While crossing a railroad trestle, they were overtaken by an onrushing train. Seizing Babbie, he leaped and was rendered unconscious while Babbie was unhurt. She looked into his face and murmured, "Oh, my love, say that you are not dead." Ned opened his eyes. "Babbie, I love you. I can't live without you. Give me your promise." She impulsively threw her arms about his neck in an ecstasy of joy, when suddenly her sister's face flashed across her mind. "God of Mercy," she cried in anguish, "Everything I touch withers and is snatched from me. I am ill-starred; take away the curse." Convulsed with tears she fled, and prepared to leave home to forget her unfortunate love, when she heard that her father had been captured by the authorities and was to be court-martialed and executed. Stealing through the lines she rescued her father, and mounted on a horse they fled under a hail of bullets from the guards. Babbie was hit and fell from weakness from the horse, and for the first time her father learned of her wound. Ned and Hannah soon discovered the two at the roadside. Babbie fast nearing death, smiled at them, and taking the weeping Hannah's hand, placed it in Ned's. "I am going," she said almost inaudibly, "my star is sinking, and soon all will be over, but for my sake. Ned, love and cherish Hannah, as I have loved and cherished you." Babbie's lips ceased to move, and the little group bowed their heads and wept.

Dir: Sherwood MacDonald

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

A rich man's son is forced to find a job, and he finds one at a night club after getting his predecessor sacked. He makes mistakes and causes accidents. When a valuable garter is lost by the star of the floor show, he scams customers with some fakes, leading to a chase that spills out onto the streets.

Dir: Sherwood MacDonald

Erma Desmond gets a job as a companion to high society's Bertie Stanley, to whom she bears a striking resemblance. While her husband Hugo has been in Europe, Bertie has fallen in love with another man, so she makes plans to go to Reno for a divorce. She urges Erma to stay in the Stanley mansion and assume her identity while she is gone, so that no one will be aware of her absence. An obedient Erma agrees and the masquerade works perfectly until Hugo returns unexpectedly from Europe and Erma must fool the man who knows Bertie best. After some initial problems, Hugo gets along better with Erma than he ever did with Bertie, and as a result, when word comes that Bertie has a fresh divorce and a new husband, Hugo first determines the identity of the woman living with him, and then marries her.

Dir: Sherwood MacDonald

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

The Red Circle is a birthmark, on the hand of the heroine, noticeable only in times of stress and excitement, which forces her to steal, leading to no end of complications and intrigue.

Dir: Sherwood MacDonald

To remove forever anything that will remind him of his dream of happiness that was shattered by his wife's infidelity, Stanley sends his infant daughter Nan to be cared for by a woman named Hopkins. He sends money regularly for her support but never visits her. Nan is treated as a slave and never receives any of the money intended for her. Her first real happiness comes in the sincere love of young reporter Hal. Fearing to lose her to him, Mrs. Hopkins tells her she has mulatto blood in her veins. Crushed by the lie, Nan flees from the only home she has ever known. Ignorant of the world, she is carried unknowingly by the tide of events into what is termed a matrimonial agency but is actually something far worse. Nan ends up placed at auction and her own father bids for her against other millionaires. As he outbids them all, Hal, who has traced her, enters, just in time to reveal to the father that Nan is his own daughter.

Dir: Sherwood MacDonald

Little Nan Griffing whiles away the hours on her parents' farm with Simple Simon Magee, an adult with the mind of a child. While rummaging through the attic one day, Nan discovers a costume that was worn by her mother Ethel when she was on the stage and begs to be taught to dance. Ethel complies, but the lessons are soon interrupted by several horrified members of the local church society. Next, Nan, accompanied by Simple Simon, visits her grandmother Anna and Aunt Grace in the city. Hidden in the orchard, Simon frightens the servants, who mistake him for a ghost. Nan becomes infatuated with Grace's fiancé, Morgan Thornton, and proposes, but when she steals away to his house intending to elope, Morgan summons her aunt and grandmother. Nan demands that he choose between her and Grace, and when he picks the latter, she decides to forsake city life and return to her parents.