Curated Recommendations Seeking the Same Brilliance as The Winchester Woman: Cult Guide

Dir: Wesley Ruggles

Chorus girl Rosalie Ryan catches the eye of Bob Westbrook, a wealthy playboy. He proposes to her but she refuses, mainly because of his heavy drinking. However, after being brazenly insulted by his family, she accepts his proposal, just to get under their skin. She finds out that Bob's sister Phyllis is planning to run off with Martyn Edwards, a cad who once betrayed a close friend of Rosalie's. Rosalie goes to Phyllis' apartment to talk her out of it, but soon finds herself involved in, and arrested for, a murder.

Dir: Wesley Ruggles

When newlywed Robert Ellis suspects that his missing wife is having a clandestine affair, he appeals to his friend, Pat Murphy, to find her. Pat's search leads him to the Waldorf-Astoria where he finds a woman named Edna Ellis and, assuming that she is Ellis' errant wife, kidnaps her and returns her to Ellis. Complications arise when the real Mrs. Ellis arrives home and discovers another woman. After several comic incidents, Pat falls in love with Edna and Ellis learns that his wife's secret rendezvous was with her sister.

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

Dir: Wesley Ruggles

Henry Baird, a young newspaperman with a second-hand car but little money, decides to raffle off the car at a county picnic, so that he can take out his sweetheart, Mabel Darrow, the daughter of a wealthy businessman. However, as soon as Henry gets the money, his tailor demands that he pay off his debt. Also, youngsters set the car on fire before he can give to the winner, Joseph Plant, whose wife Evelyn was formerly Henry's sweetheart. Henry arranges with Joe to work for two weeks at no charge at Joe's house, which is next door to Mabel's. Suspecting that Henry and Evelyn are still secretly fond of each other, Joe gives Henry only menial tasks to perform. Despite complications, including misunderstandings on the part of Mabel's father and the arrival of vamp Dorothy Kind pretending to be Henry's wife and the mother of his four children, Henry maintains his honor, thwarts a rival for Mabel's affections, and wins her hand.

Dir: Wesley Ruggles

Severely injured in an attempted getaway, safe cracker Slippy McGee is taken in by Father De Rance and nursed back to health by Mary Virginia after his leg is amputated. Under the influence of the kindness shown him, Slippy reforms and falls in love with Mary Virginia, although she intends to marry Lawrence Mayne. When George Inglesby attempts to blackmail Mary Virginia into marrying him, Slippy uses his skill one last time to obtain some incriminating letters from a safe.

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

Dir: Wesley Ruggles

Tom Granger is seen finding a boarding house preparatory to entering college. The presence of Nita O'Neill, the landlady's granddaughter, in a poorly furnished one dictates his choice. He meets her a second time when she is serving soda in her grandfather's store, and finds an enemy in Merton Randolph, who repeatedly insults him. They go to the Court, put on the gloves and have a terrific set-to which Tom finally wins. Then Nita and he walk home together.

Dir: Wesley Ruggles

Newland Archer is engaged to May Mingott of a prominent New York family. Shortly after the engagement is announce, Newland finds himself attracted to May's older married cousin Countess Ellen Olenska.

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

Dir: Wesley Ruggles

Charlie Everard elopes with chorus girl Mary Smith against the will of his father, and Everard, Sr., has his son shanghaied aboard a sailing vessel. Believing herself deserted, Mary joins her chorus friend, Gwen, and refuses an offer from Everard's lawyer to have the marriage annulled. Charlie returns to her but reproaches her for associating with the theater set. After the birth of their child, alone and facing poverty, she surrenders the baby to the grandparents. Three years later, however, Everard, Sr., experiences a change of heart, and mother, father, and child are united.

Dir: Wesley Ruggles

Department store clerk John Percival Billings, an avid reader of romance, falls in love with Suzanna Juárez when he sees her picture on a cigar box. With the lucky dime he receives from a customer, John buys a cigar and thereby obtains information that he sells to a group of conspirators for $5,000. John spends the money on a trip to Santo Dinero and meets Suzanna, whose father, President Estaban Juárez, is struggling to avert a revolution. Eventually, John saves the government and wins Suzanna.

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

Dir: Wesley Ruggles

Anthony Campbell threatens to send his daughter, Marie, to China as punishment for her continued extravagance. She welcomes the suggestion because her sweetheart, George Holt, is planning a business trip to the Orient. When they arrive, Marie's Chinese maid, Liu Po-Yat, gives her a tiny vase to keep her from harm. However, the vase was stolen years earlier from the Manchus, China's ruling dynasty, and their pursuit of the lost treasure plunges Marie and George into danger. The young lovers are ultimately sentenced to death, and as they are being led to their execution, Marie awakens, realizes she has had a nightmare, and makes George promise that they will honeymoon anywhere except China.

Dir: Wesley Ruggles

Hugh Carver is an athletic star and a freshman at Prescott College. He falls in love with Cynthia Day, a popular girl who loves to go to parties. He finds that it is impossible to please her and still keep up with his studies and his athletic training, and soon the two face some difficult decisions.