Masterpiece Selection Resonating with the Themes of The Understanding Heart: Cult Guide

Dir: Jack Conway

Upon learning that the parents of "Little Red" have died, the cowboys of Colonel Ferdinand Aliso's ranch adopt the boy. Parson Jones and his church committee protest that the child should be brought up in more refined surroundings, but the cowboys, particularly Duck Sing, Aliso's Chinese cook, are so enamored of Little Red that they donate their poker money to the church in order to placate the congregation. After Little Red catches pneumonia and nearly dies, however, Dr. Kirk insists that the boy either live with the minister or acquire a mother through the marriage of one of the cowboys. While Little Red is recuperating at the parson's home, ranch hand Tom Gilroy courts the only marriageable women in town -- a widow and two spinsters -- but much to his relief, they all turn him down. In the end, Duck Sing, whom the child much prefers to the parson, kidnaps Little Red, after which the colonel legally adopts him.

Dir: Jack Conway

Chattfield Bruce, In China to buy goods for an American firm, Chattfield Bruce is impressed by the conduct of Wong Lee, a pirate who plies his occupation solely for the purpose of giving to the poor the rice and treasures he steals from the rich. The Chinese pirate has been particularly active in his depredations against the rich shipowner, Fong Wo Chong. The merchant offers a reward for the pirate's apprehension and Caglioni, one of Wong Lee's henchmen, betrays his master. Bruce discovers the fact in time to notify Wong Lee. In gratitude, the pirate gives the American a ring guaranteed to give the wearer the allegiance of Chinamen in any part of the world. When Bruce returns to America he resumes his position in good society and becomes noted for his generosity to the poor. He is reputed to receive large incomes from his estates, but in reality Bruce has adopted the Wong Lee method of equaling the wealth of the world. Wong Lee's son comes to New York and opens a store in Chinatown, as the base of operations for Bruce's activities. To provide himself with an occupation that will give him wider scope for his practicing his peculiar style of philanthropy, Bruce retains his position with Nathan Goldberg, a merchant with social aspirations for his daughter. Marjorie Woods, a schoolmate of Miss Goldberg, arrives from Europe with Sir Archibald Bamford, a bankrupt nobleman, following closely in her wake, his eyes upon the fortune Miss Woods is reputed to possess. Goldberg has purchased for his daughter a string of pearls of great value. There is arranged a lawn party by the Goldbergs as a welcome to Marjorie. To this the Goldbergs invite everybody listed in the social register. Goldberg hires detectives to guard the pearls. Unknown to Bruce, Wong Lee's betrayer has come to America and Caglioni is now a member of the local detective force and in charge of the arrangements for protecting the Goldberg pearls. Bruce has arranged that Wong Lee's son shall act as one of the waiters at the garden party. At an opportune time Bruce gets the Goldberg pearls into his hands, and clumsily drops them to the ground, when, in picking them up, the young Chinese man substitutes worthless imitations for the string of expensive pearls and slips the real ones into his wide sleeve. The Goldberg pearls were intended to be subsequently disposed of through the Chinese man's source of distribution, Bruce to use the proceeds to build a hospital for the infirm and afflicted poor. Bruce and Marjorie have been invited to spend the night at the Goldbergs. Bruce wanders into the Goldberg drawing room in time to witness the burglary of the wall-safe where Goldberg deposited the spurious pearls for safekeeping. Caglioni is concerned in the burglary and has also recognized Bruce as the man who, in China, warned Wong Lee of his danger. Marjorie, restless, wanders into the drawing room and is another witness to the burglary. The girl is mystified by Bruce's strange conduct. Bruce confesses to Marjorie that he is a social buccaneer. Miss Woods induces him to abandon his peculiar pastime and become a good, dutiful husband.

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

Dir: Jack Conway

Mary seemed to have been born with music in her feet. She danced to school, danced at her work and danced while at play. Her invalid mother, realizing her talents and knowing her ambition to become an expert dancer, made the father promise that Mary should have her heart's desire. When the mother died Mary's father sold the farm and purchased a traveling show to give Mary her chance to be a stage dancer. There was a Madame La Rue in the company, who had a daughter of about Mary's age, and the two girls disagreed, with Mme. La Rue continually inspiring discord. Mary's father is stricken at a time when Mary is on the stage giving her performance, Mme. La Rue has him removed to her own dressing room, and there the old man makes his dying statement to the scheming woman. He tells her where in his trunk he keeps his money; asks that his wealthy brother, in a distant town, be notified of his death, and that Mary be taken to her undo who will provide her from his abundance with a home. Mme. La Rue takes the money from the trunk, wires to Mary's uncle that she is bringing Mary and the body of her father to him, and, deserting Mary, takes her own daughter instead. Mme. La Rue and her child are accordingly, established in luxury. When the authorities disband the juvenile opera company because the owner is dead and there is no one to carry on the show. Mary is taken in charge by a shrewish woman who makes a kitchen slave of the child. Mary bears oppression as long as she can, and then runs away to the town where her father is buried. Near the ocean shore she locates a cottage that offers shelter, even though the owner is not at home. Mary goes to sleep in the bed and awakes next morning to find that a kindly disposed young man, who makes his living fishing with his nets, owns the cottage and straightway offers a home and working partnership. Mary one day meets Phillip, a handsome young author, who is a visitor at the home of Mary's uncle. Mme. La Rue has been trying to ensnare Phillip as a husband for her daughter, Zella, but Phillip is slow to advance. Mary and Phillip meet frequently on the beach, and Bob grows jealous of his rival. One day Mme. La Rue and Zella recognize Mary as she is conversing with Phillip, they also observe Bob's jealous conduct. Going to Bob they tell him that Phillip is engaged to Zella and is only trifling with Mary. Bob in a rage assaults Phillip, and believes that the blow be strikes has killed the young author. Informing Mary of what he has done, the two friends agree that they had better leave the neighborhood and go at once to a distant town. In the years that follow Bob devotes himself to the task of realizing, for Mary, her ambition to become a great dancer. At a society function where Mary is the attraction, Phillip (who has only been stunned by Bob's blow) sees the girl and recognizes his little friend from the fishing village. The renewal of acquaintance discloses Mary's parentage, and the locket she wears proves that she should be occupying the place in her uncle's home that Mme. La Rue had, by fraud, established for Zella. The outcome gives Mary her proper place and we are left to believe that she and Phillip will find their way to happiness.

Dir: Jack Conway

Genuinely sweet natured, Ambrosia Lee loves to help everyone, soothing their sorrows with her cheerful spirit. Her charms are put to the test, when she tries to save her own Aunt Charlotte's marriage. Happily, all ends well, when her Aunt and Uncle are happily reunited.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Her Soul's Inspiration perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Jack Conway

Judge of the Circuit Court, Camden McClure is a extremist advocate of law enforcement until he kills his brother during a fight. Fleeing from his crime, the judge hires Cal Nelson as his guide through the Western badlands. While crossing the desert, they meet Mary Jackson, who is lost and exhausted. Mary recovers, but the judge suffers heat stroke and, in his delirium, confesses his crime to Mary. To ease his guilt, Mary admits that she is a murderer, too, and the couple decide to get married. However, when the judge reads that his brother is alive, he once again adheres to the letter of the law and denounces Mary to the authorities. Cal, who has fallen in love with Mary, carries her to the desert to escape the sheriff, and there Mary admits that she fabricated her crime to relieve the judge. The judge then discovers that his brother is actually dead, and follows the fugitives into the desert, but is killed in a sandstorm, thus freeing Mary to wed Cal.

Dir: Jack Conway

Great financier Jesse Craven is ill, but so closely guarded that the public can obtain no details. Lawrence Ashmore, a young reporter, is detailed by his paper to obtain an interview. Larry Craven, Jesse's son, is expected one morning, and the chauffeur mistakes Ashmore for him. But when Jesse's niece Edith and friend Richard Creelman see Ashmore, they realize that he is not Larry and take him prisoner, fearing that he's a reporter. Larry has been kidnapped by the orders of Shackleton, who is the confidential man, also the former secretary to Craven, to Farnum and Sharp, two brokers who are bent upon the ruin of Craven and the thousands of stockholders who have entrusted their investments to him. Creelman and Ramsdale, Craven's broker, offer Ashmore a large sum of money if he will pose as Larry, and he agrees. He and Edith become friends. Farnum and Sharp, thinking they have Larry safe, manipulate the stock market, and things are looking rather serious for the Craven interests. In order to carry out their bluff further, it is planned that it shall be reported that Larry, in reality Ashmore, and a party will take a yachting cruise. Ashmore and the party leave on the trip, and Shackleton, who has secured the services of a chauffeur of the Craven's, kidnaps Ashmore, having enticed him from his own yacht by a ruse, and takes them on board their vessel. A storm comes up and the boat springs a leak. All are forced to jump overboard. Ashmore reaches the shore more dead than alive; Edith and the others think that Ashmore has deserted them at the crisis. Ramsdale and Creelman decide to give their entire fortunes to trying to save Craven interests. Craven is better, but Larry has control of his account, and he is helpless. Ashmore hails a passing car to take him back to the Craven place. He rushes to the Stock Exchange and turns the tide against the conspirators. The Craven fortune is saved. Farnum threatens to have Ashmore arrested for impersonating a member of the Stock Exchange. Ashmore defies him and tells him that he is the son of the man whom Farnum ruined, and that he possesses evidence which will send his enemy to jail. Farnum sees himself defeated at every turn. In the meantime Larry has caught Bernice trying to drug him and has managed to escape from her apartment. He hurries to the Cravens and is recognized at once as the real Larry Craven. He arrives just in time to prevent the shooting of Ashmore by Farnum. Ashmore is presented to Larry as the man who saved the Craven fortune. Larry sees that Edith and he are in love and offers him the position of manager of the Craven interests, which Ashmore accepts. Soon after, Edith accepts him as her life partner.

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

Dir: Jack Conway

A secretary (Gloria Swanson) uses her boss to get money for her unfortunate sister (Ann Kroman) but eventually falls in love with him.

Dir: Jack Conway

When bachelor friends David Clark, Dick Porter and Jerry Mathers agree to adopt Belgian war orphans, David unexpectedly finds himself the guardian of a little girl, Rene Lescere. After David is pursued by Mrs. Hardwick, a divorcee, Rene is determined to find him a more suitable wife and introduces him to Emmeline Warren. David and Emmeline are engaged, but the engagement is broken after Emmeline meets Jerry, her old beau, and their romance is rekindled. David, sad but resigned, sends Rene to boarding school and retires to his hunting lodge with Dick Porter. Later, Emmeline and Jerry, now married, visit the lodge and suggest that Rene accompany them on a trip abroad. At the moment of parting between Rene and her guardian, both realize that they love each other and Rene becomes David's wife.

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

Dir: Jack Conway

New York playboy Carter Richmond inherits the family fortune, but it doesn't take him long to blow it. All that's left is an abandoned mine in California, so he travels west to see if he can get anything for it. He finds that a miner, Big Him Helton, and his pretty young daughter Mary have been "squatters" at the site for years, and a neighboring miner, Placer Murray, has been trying to run them off so he can take it over himself. Mary accidentally shoots Carter, thinking him to be one of Murray's men. As she nurses him back to health, they begin to fall in love. Complications ensue.

Dir: Jack Conway

Warren Neale, an expert civil engineer, is working on the first transcontinental railroad when he rescues Allie Lee after her family has been killed by an Indian massacre. Through Warren's care, the girl recovers and their friendship ripens into love. Warren leaves Allie at trapper Slingerland's cabin when he goes to the nearby town of Benton to buy provisions. In his absence, Jose Durade, claiming that Allie is his daughter, goes to the trapper's cabin, kills Slingerland and abducts the girl. Returning to find Allie gone, Neale, half crazed, searches for her until he collapses in exhaustion and is cared for by "Beauty" Stanton, the dance hall mistress who loves the engineer. Beauty learns that Durade is holding Allie at his dance hall, rescues the girl and brings her to Neale. Durade, in revenge, gathers his gang together at Beauty's place where in the ensuing battle, both Durade and Beauty are mortally wounded. In her dying moments, Beauty offers the lovers her blessing and they set out together to finish Neale's work on the U.P. Trail.