Cinematic Discoveries Following the Footsteps of The Toy Shop: Cult...

Dir: Reggie Morris

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Edgar Jones

A mail-order bride arrives at a Maine lumber camp but doesn't like her prospective husband.

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

Dir: Martin Justice

This story revolves around a young woman who loses her job and a young man who has been unable to make a success as an art photographer. A fire breaks out in the house where the woman is rooming, and she rushes to the street en dishabille, just as the man appears. Immediately he has visions of a fortune, and persuades her to pose as a wild Greek girl. He has her arrested for performing Grecian dances in the street in her scanty attire. After she is freed, she causes a sensation in a restaurant, and by the next day is headlined in all the newspapers, with the result that the bright young man succeeds in securing a contract for his "star" at a big salary.

Dir: Edward LeSaint

When famous opera singer Elinore Duane undergoes an operation on her throat, she has a series of ether-induced visions. In one, she is transported to ancient Rome where she appears as a much-admired woman in love with Paul, a young heretic, and at odds with Lutor, the high priest. To save her love, she poisons Lutor with her ring. After several other visions which involve variations on this love triangle, Elinore awakens to discover that Lutor is actually her doctor, Sascha Jaccard, and that Paul is the son of a friend who has come to visit the recovering prima donna.

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

Dir: Wilfred Lucas

Brian O'Farrell (Snowy Baker), is an English 'new chum' who takes a job at an Australian cattle station. He is teased by station hands because of his appearance (including spats and a monocle) but he soon impresses them with his skills at riding and boxing. The station manager, John MacDonald (Wilfred Lucas), takes O'Farrell to Sydney to meet his daughter Edith (Kathleen Key) who is working in the slums. Edith is kidnapped by criminals after witnessing a crime but O'Farrell rescues her. It is later revealed he is the owner of the station.

Dir: William Parke

Bruce Wendell, the son of West Virginia coal mine owner James Wendell, graduates from West Point and prepares to lead a fighting unit to the front during World War I. As his father lies dying, however, he convinces Bruce to remain at home and guard the mine. Bruce's fiancée Ann Blair assumes that he is a coward and breaks off their engagement, but her brother Bobbie remains Bruce's loyal friend. Meyer, a German agent, persuades railroad president Parrish to refuse to transport Wendell's coal, but when Bruce adamantly refuses to close the mine, the spy's men decide to blow it up. While Ann is being abducted by Meyer, Bobbie is buried in an explosion at the mine. Bruce rescues Bobbie and then sends a plea to Lieutenant Parrish to rescue Ann. Meyer and his gang are captured and Ann renews her vow of love to Bruce.

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

Dir: Martin Justice

Sanford, a soap manufacturer who earned his fortune through advertising, decides to help his daughter Marjorie break into society by launching a campaign to publicize her. When he sends the snobbish Mrs. Van Ruhl a check for her pet charity, the society matron invites Marjorie to attend a charity bazaar, and young Richard Van Ruhl promptly falls in love with the girl. Next, however, Sanford announces his newest product with magazine ads that feature Marjorie using the soap in her bathtub. This is too much for Mrs. Van Ruhl, who contemptuously labels Marjorie the "soap girl" and orders Richard to stop courting her. In retaliation, Marjorie buys a whiskey distillery and, having learned that the first Van Ruhls in America sold rum to the Indians, prints a likeness of Mrs. Van Ruhl on the label of each bottle. Fearing her own social demise, Mrs. Van Ruhl quickly makes peace with the Sanfords, and Richard and Marjorie are allowed to marry.

Dir: Martin Justice

John Lorison, self-exiled to New Orleans, meets Norah Greenway in a cheap restaurant. They soon become friends, but each night, Norah inexplicably leaves John at 8 o'clock at the same corner. One night, Lorison realizes that he is no longer willing to be left on the corner of life alone and, dreading her reaction, he tells Norah that he loves her but that his past is marred by a charge of theft and that he dare not ask an untarnished woman to marry him. Norah eases his mind by disclosing that the crime of theft also lurks in her past. The night of their marriage at Father Rogan's house, Norah asks Lorison to leave her at the corner for one last time. His suspicions aroused, Lorison interrogates the priest who takes him to Norah's home where the new husband is confronted with a little child who tells him that the girl has promised that this is the last night she is going to stay out. These circumstances lead Lorison to believe that his wife is a street walker until the priest takes him to the dressmaking shop in which Norah has been laboring day and night in order to earn enough money so that she might brighten the life of her little brother. Father Rogan then explains that Norah had told a beautiful, desperate lie.

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

Dir: Unknown Director

The Judge needs a present for his wife's birthday, so Harry suggests a new corset. They go to the shop, but he's so embarrassed to ask the saleslady he hides in a phone booth.Harry goes in, but finds a GUY wearing one, and runs out.They both dress as women to get back in, but Mrs. Rummy gets there and chases him out.

Dir: Robert N. Bradbury

A simple country girl, brutally mistreated by her stepfather, awakens first the sympathy, then the love, of The Boy. The Spider, who lusts after The Girl, makes a bargain with the stepfather and takes her to the city where, kept prisoner, she is soon broken in health and spirit. Cast out and near death, she is taken in by The Boy. Following the demise of The Spider, The Boy takes her to church, where he prays, and after many hours she is restored to health.