The Auteur's Selection In the Shadow of The Whispering Chorus: Cult Guide

Dir: Cecil B. DeMille

In order to help her smuggler kinsmen, a sultry gypsy seduces and corrupts an officer of the Civil Guard turning him into a traitor and murderer.

Dir: Cecil B. DeMille

Horace and Ethel Simpson, wealthy siblings touring Europe, fall prey to Russian conmen, one of who plans a marriage with Ethel. The executor of their fortune Daniel Pike, assisted by Grand Duke Vasill, exposes the Russians for what they are.

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

Dir: Cecil B. DeMille

With her brother killed Sonya is given Turkish captive Mahmud to do the hard work on the farm. After they become fond of each other he strikes a Turkish officer. When peace arrives, his blow costs him his noble lands. She is burned out of her house. They meet again on the road with nothing but each other.

Dir: Cecil B. DeMille

Nora is nursemaid to a wealthy family and in love with their chauffeur Nolan. When she hides her mistress' lover in her room, jealous Nolan shoots him and Nora, who refuses to tell about her mistress affair, is dismissed.

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

Dir: Cecil B. DeMille

Jack Hale, a revenue agent, is sent into the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia to track down illegal alcohol producers - "moonshiners." His task is complicated when he falls in love with June Tolliver, daughter of one his intended quarry.

Dir: Cecil B. DeMille

As the Civil War begins Ned Burton leaves his Southern love Agatha Warren and joins the Union army. He is later protected and saved from death by Agatha in spite of her loyalty to the South.

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

Dir: Cecil B. DeMille

A venal, spoiled stockbroker's wife impulsively embezzles $10,000 from the charity she chairs and desperately turns to a Burmese ivory trader to replace the stolen money.

Dir: Cecil B. DeMille

Soda jerk Harvey is the most popular man in Blakeville, New York, and deliriously happy through three years of poverty-stricken marriage to Nellie. When a musical-comedy comes through town, Nellie becomes and actress and tag-along Harvey becomes "What's His Name." When Nellie falls for a millionaire and goes to Reno for a divorce, Harvey takes their child Phoebe home, where her later illness brings her parents back together.

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

Dir: Cecil B. DeMille

Pregnant tenement dweller Maggie Schultz is being used by burglars and fears that though "I stole to keep my baby from being born in this rat hole... now he's going to be born in jail." But the tenement owner may refuse to prosecute.

Dir: Cecil B. DeMille

Ramon loves Catalonian peasant Maria Rosa. He uses a knife belonging to her love Andreas to kill fisherman Pedro, so Andreas goes to jail for ten years. Maria will wait for him, but Ramon convinces her Andreas dies in prison so she agrees to marry him. On their wedding day Ramon is paroled. Maria then stabs Ramon.