Cinematic Discoveries Resonating with the Themes of The Way of the Strong: Cult Guide

Dir: Edwin Carewe

Standish, an artist, finishes a painting of the Madonna. His wife, Mary, acted as model, and when the Connoisseur and the Parishioner inspect the picture, the former tells Standish that he recognizes in the model a one-time paramour of his. The Connoisseur and the Parishioner buy the painting and after their departure Standish upbraids his wife, who tells him that she believed herself legally married to the Connoisseur. Standish refuses to accept her explanation and ejects her and their baby son. Mary leaves her boy on the steps of a monastery, and seventeen years later, just before becoming a monk, he receives permission to see the world. He wanders into a gay café and succumbs to the charms of Beauty. The other inmates of the place, Lust, Rum, Avarice and Passion are dancing around him when the proprietor enters. It is Mary, his mother. She recognizes him from the crucifix which he wears and which she left with him when he was a baby. Without revealing her identity she persuades him to go back and later when he has become a priest, a bedraggled old woman (his mother) enters his church. She recognizes him and just before she dies her son gives her absolution.

Dir: Edwin Carewe

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

Unnerved by the superiority of John Cook, the new president of the Securities Company, Wall Street business leader Amos Merrill begins to speculate with the trust funds in his control, ultimately losing all the funds. Amos, faced with discovery and disgrace, lies to his daughter Hope that Cook has ruined him; soon after, Hope meets Cook and conceives a plot for revenge. In the meantime, Cook has protected the frail Merrill from prosecution and paid back his debt after sending him away on a vacation to recover his health. Hope, knowing nothing of this, marries Cook and makes his life unbearable, finally conspiring with his business rival Gerald Hastings to ruin her husband and gain control of his funds. When Amos returns from his vacation, he is stunned at what Hope has done and reveals that his lie has resulted in a terrible mistake. Hope begs forgiveness from Cook and they go West together to begin a new life.

Dir: Edwin Carewe

Before the guests arrive for a party in her apartment, Agnes Lambert, a writer of unsalable fiction, starts revising one of her stories because she realizes that it lacks drama and emotion. Later, she begins a romance with Tom Leighton, but although Tom loves her, he is already engaged to Ruth Beresford, who was recently blinded in an explosion. Aware of the impossibility of their affair, Agnes decides to commit suicide, but when Ruth, whose vision has been restored by an operation, discovers that Tom no longer loves her, she frees him to marry his new sweetheart. Tom goes to Agnes, but arrives too late, and finds her dead. Then, guests knock at Agnes' door, ready for a party, and, having just finished revising a story in which she stars as a woman who commits suicide because she wrongly believes that a love affair has failed, Agnes rises from her typewriter to greet them.

Dir: Edwin Carewe

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

Unknown to his daughter Jacqueline, Miles Allen, in the guise of a fisherman, smuggles silk and fur into the country. Customs officer John Lang comes to investigate, and he and Jacqueline quickly fall in love. Ward Jennings, the owner of Miles' boat, also loves her, but Miles refuses to let him marry her, so Ward gets revenge by revealing Miles' smuggling operation to Coast Guard officers, who kill Miles in a struggle at his home. Jacqueline mistakenly blames John for her father's death and goes to Ward for help. She then learns the truth about Ward; they fight on a cliff-top and he falls to his death. John comes to comfort Jacqueline, and they begin making plans for their life together.

Dir: Edwin Carewe

Big-hearted Prue, living in the slums, and Danny O'Maddigan, a reformed crook, want to buy a birthday cake for Prue's 75-year-old grandmother. They live across the hall from Ellen Rutherford, the destitute widow of Steven Rutherford, Jr., who was disinherited by his father, a wealthy candy manufacturer. Prue, who works at the candy factory, gives Ellen the money that was meant for her grandmother's cake so Ellen will be able to care for her son Bobby. Frustrated over the loss of the money, Danny steals the price of a cake from the factory's safe, leaving the safe's door open in his haste to depart. Danny's former gang arrives and cleans out the safe, and Danny is convicted of the crime and sent to prison for four years. While Danny is in prison, Bobby is struck by his grandfather's car and slightly injured. Stricken with remorse, Mr. Rutherford effects a reconciliation with his daughter-in-law and promises to use his influence to bring about Danny's release from prison.

Dir: Edwin Carewe

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

Leaving his wife Rose for a few weeks and eager to do research for his new novel about the elderly, Henry Norman goes to live in a home for the aged, where Blossom, the home's young maid, falls in love with him. When she lets him know how she feels, however, Henry tells her that he has a wife. When his research is over, he returns to her--and discovers that she has eloped with his friend Perry Westley, and that they were both killed by a lightning bolt that struck Perry's car. While Henry recovers from this double shock, Blossom quits her job and finds work at God's Half Acre, an orphanage. While on a picnic with the children, she once again meets Henry, who realizes that he loves Blossom. They marry.

Dir: Edwin Carewe

John Wheeler, a traction magnate, becomes heavily involved and is obliged to sell a large timber tract he owns in the Hudson Bay district. He owns the property jointly with Henri Corteau, and the deed is filed in the office of Magistrate Le Blanc, at Chalet. Bruce Mitchell, a wealthy young man about town, who is infatuated with Lois Wheeler, the madcap daughter of Wheeler, readily agrees to take over the property. In the northland the elder Corteau has died suddenly, and the Magistrate's office, together with the Wheeler-Corteau deed, is destroyed by fire. The Magistrate receives word of the transfer between Wheeler and Mitchell and he sends for Jean Corteau, the son and heir of the late Henri Corteau, and asks him for the deed his father held, telling him he wishes to make a copy of it. When he adds that it is the only copy in existence, Jean walks out, saying he intends to keep the land himself. Meantime Mitchell has pressed his suit for the hand of Lois, and she takes a violent dislike to him. She resents it because he tries to make plain that her father is under obligations to him. Soon afterward Mitchell goes to Wheeler and wants to know why the deed has not arrived. Wheeler hopelessly shows him a letter from the Magistrate, telling of Jean's action. Mitchell threatens to jail Wheeler, accusing him of obtaining money under false pretenses. Lois overhears the threat and also Mitchell's offer to let the matter drop if Lois will marry him. Lois agrees to this proposal providing her father's innocence cannot be proved. Lois goes to the northland and seeks out Jean. He will not see her, saying he will not have any dealings with women. The next day she sets out, dressed in boy's clothes, on a dog sled for Jean's home in the forest. Pierre, a guide, accompanies her. They arrive in sight of Jean's cabin at nightfall, when Pierre attempts to force his attentions upon Lois. She flees and seeks refuge in Jean's cabin, stumbling in his door in a faint. Later, she tells Jean she has become lest from a lumber camp, and asks if she may remain a while with him. He tells her he has always wanted a boy companion and helper, and that since she came like a "wounded snowbird" to his cabin, she may stay. Although Jean is brutal and primitive in many ways Lois soon finds he has a gentle nature. The next day Jean discovers Lois is a girl, when her fair falls out from under her cap. She confesses her identity and he is angry. But he consents to her remaining, and he fetches some of his mother's clothes for her. Her one desire to get the deed is realized when she is dressing and finds the document hidden away behind a small mirror on the wall. That night she urges Jean to drink heavily, hoping to get away. He becomes fascinated with her and tells her he is going to save her father. He reaches for the deed and finds it gone. Her manner betrays Lois, and she confesses having the paper. Meanwhile Mitchell and Wheeler have come north in search of Lois. Pierre tells Mitchell she is living with Jean. In a jealous rage he goes to seek out Lois. He has Wheeler arrested and then sets out for Jean's cabin. Arrived there he sarcastically accuses Lois of a common liaison with Jean. Jean demands that Mitchell apologize. He refuses and they fight. Both are seriously wounded. Mitchell staggers out of the cabin in the snow. Lois, left with the unconscious Jean, decides to steal the deed and leave. On the edge of a cliff Lois sees Mitchell fall to his death. Then a vision of Jean left alone in his helpless condition comes to her. She turns back and joins Jean. She nurses him back to strength and they go to the aid of Wheeler, intending to marry and live in New York. But after they are wed they hearken to the call of the north, and go back to the life where their love was born.

Dir: Edwin Carewe

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

Margaret Primrose is not permitted to see Ted North, who loves her, by her father, whom Ted's father ruined. To spite Ted, Primrose forces Margaret to marry Weston, a dissolute young millionaire, and Ted, heartbroken, goes West. Weston neglects Margaret and continues drinking. Seven years later, the Westons move West on the advice of his doctor to improve his health. Ted, meanwhile, has adopted the small daughter of a cattle rustler who was lynched by Ted's cowboys. When he spots a runaway horse and lassoes its rider, Margaret, they embrace, but realizing the impropriety, they bid each other goodbye. Weston resumes drinking and takes an interest in Molly, the proprietress of a dance hall. When Molly's sweetheart, "Quick Foot Jim" learns that Molly and Weston are planning to elope, he kills Weston. After Ted is convicted of the murder, based on circumstantial evidence, Jim abducts Molly. When Margaret learns the truth, a posse is organized to find Jim. No information has been located concerning the film's ending.

Dir: Edwin Carewe

When her mother, the operatic idol of Paris, takes her to the United States and dies, Cora goes to live with Marie, a model for artist George Garnier. Although George is engaged to wealthy Helen Van Brooks, who is in love with Carl Wilson, a club-man, George and Cora fall in love. When Cora discovers the engagement, however, she leaves and becomes an opera star. Years later, after breaking his engagement, George visits Cora again, causing Mrs. Van Brooks to entreat Cora to give up George. At a wild party, Cora allows Jose, her long-time admirer, to make love to her, which provokes George's disgust until Marie explains Cora's behavior. When Jose, alone with Cora, attacks her, George and Marie burst in to see Jose, hit by a wine cooler hurled by Cora, fall backward through a window, fall to the street and die. After they learn that Helen and Wilson have eloped, Cora and George are able to marry.

Dir: Edwin Carewe

Proud Confederate Captain Covington Halliday refuses to allow his daughter Martha to marry Northern lawyer Walter Lewis. As a boy, Covington was given an African American servant named Dan, who has always called him "Marse Covington." After the Civil War, Dan refused his freedom and stood by Covington, sharing his misfortunes. Jim Daly, who holds the mortgage on Halliday House, also wants to marry Martha, so he schemes with gambler Edward Bantree to fix a race in which Covington has wagered all his property on his beloved horse, Bess. Although Bess loses, Martha refuses to marry Jim to reclaim her family home. She moves to New York City with her father and Dan, but their savings are soon exhausted and Covington is forced to stand in bread lines. After Dan goes to work for Edward, he learns about the plot to fix the race. He tells Walter, who is later hired to defend Edward for Jim's murder. In lieu of cash, Walter demands the Halliday House deed as payment. Covington returns to his home with Dan, and gives Walter his blessing to marry Martha.