Visionary Picks Drawn from the Same DNA as Time, the Comedian: Cult...

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

A story that begins on the South African veldt and goes to the drawing rooms of fashionable London Society.

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

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

Famous romance writer Hartly Poole retreats to the country for inspiration. There he meets ardent admirer Justina Chaffin, who is about to marry a fortune-hunting scoundrel. After Justina and Hartly fall in love, she discovers her fiancé's deception and flees to Hartly's cottage. Seeing her car parked in front, the sheriff accuses Hartly of abduction, but all is resolved when Justina and Hartly exchange vows.

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

Moralistic Aunt Elvira, has raised Elena Evans and believes that because of Elena's mother, Elena possesses "the scarlet strain." Aunt Elvira scolds Elena when the youngster is caught flirting with Van Presby. Elena and Van sneak out to a movie and then return home where Aunt Elvira demands that they get married. Van's uncle, Harvey Presby, prevents the hurried marriage and takes Elena to the home of Van's mother Edith Presby. Mrs. Presby accepts Elena and sends Van off to college. When Mrs. Presby discovers that Uncle Harvey, in whom she is interested herself, has developed an interest in Elena, she plans to marry Elena off to Joseph Fleming. Elena later rebels and refuses to marry Joseph. Van returns from college, and in a drunken state tries to take advantage of Elena. Uncle Harvey rescues her and marries Elena himself. "The scarlet strain" turns out to be the sin of a second marriage.

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

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

Wanting to escape from the drab life of the country, Helen Wayne moves to the big city and becomes a secretary for the Calder family. Just before beginning her new job, however, Helen meets a man who promises to take the hungry girl to dinner. When she goes to the prearranged meeting place, she is arrested and her name is put on the police record. Some time later, Helen and young Rand Calder fall in love. As they are about to announce their engagement, Martin Ingleton, the man who earlier had caused Helen's arrest, attempts to ruin Rand's business ventures. When all of the principals go to court to fight the issue, Ingleton recognizes Helen and tries to label her a woman of unworthy character. Instead of causing Rand to admonish her, however, Ingleton instigates Helen to tell the judge her story and she is exonerated.

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

Count Oudoff, a fortune-hunting European nobleman, marries a wealthy American widow and brings his new wife and her pretty young daughter Lianne back to Paris. When word gets around that Lianne stands to inherit a good deal of money when her rich grandmother passes away, every gold-digging nobleman in Paris sets his sights on her, but she's waiting for a special "prince" to sweep her away. When her distant cousin Basil arrives from Amerca on a mission from her grandmother to investigate the young girl's situation, Lianne believes that she might have finally found the "prince" she has sought.

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

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

A poor hat-check girl loses her job and is forced to get a job as a dancer at a roadhouse. There she falls in love with the son of a rich businessman. The boy's father, believing her to be after the family's money, determines to embarrass her and show his son what she really is.

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

Ambrosia is a sweet little girl of tender heart and loving disposition, who lives near to nature in fancy and ideals. Her mother dies, and she is sent to an aunt in the city, whom Ambrosia calls "Aunt Grouchy," to be reared as her own child. The aunt is of dignified and austere disposition, far different from Ambrosia's dead mother, and the atmosphere is a decided change from the freedom of country life and the tenderness of mother love. Ambrosia makes friends with the boy next door, and these two greatly enjoy their romps and play together. Ambrosia's cousin is in love with a poor young man, and her mother objects to his attentions, desiring for her daughter an advantageous marriage, regardless of the girl's wishes or thoughts of love. "Aunt Grouchy" is a disciple of Hindu mystics, and consults the "Swami," seeking his aid. The "Swami" practices hypnotism upon the daughter of "Aunt Grouchy," influences her to send a note breaking off the affair with the young man, and finally kidnaps the girl and holds her for ransom. Ambrosia and the boy next door discover where the girl is being held prisoner and inform the police. While the kidnappers' den is being raided, the "Swami" is at "Aunt Grouchy's" in the act of collecting the ransom money, under guise of a tribute to the Buddhist's god, but when the Secret Service men arrive and arrest him, his true character is exposed. The raid is accomplished at a critical moment, the girl is saved from harm, and when "Aunt Grouchy's" eyes are opened she realizes her past shortcomings. Conquering her proud disposition, she gives her sanction to her daughter's marriage to the poor young man, and Ambrosia lives happily ever after.

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

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

Impoverished Molly Hanlon is befriended by crooked gambler Lee Kirk, she marries him in a phony ceremony. While frequenting Kirk's gambling den, Molly meets Miles Rand, the dissolute son of Judge Rand, whose obvious attraction for her encourages Kirk to swindle him out of his money. Penniless, Miles accepts a loan from Molly and returns East to study law. On the day that Molly learns that her marriage is not legal, the gambling den burns down and Kirk is presumed dead. After escaping with Kirk's money, Molly goes East where she encounters Miles, now a district attorney. In spite of the objections of Judge Rand, Molly accepts Miles's proposal, but after Kirk arrives in town, she calls off the engagement. When Kirk enters her apartment through a window, Molly kills him in a panic and is arrested for murder. The still faithful Miles defends her in court, and after her acquittal, she confesses her past and reunites with her old love.

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

In an English mining town during the 1870s, Joan Lowrie falls in love with Fergus Derrick, the new chief engineer who vows to improve working conditions. Joan's father Don, however, runs the mine and likes conditions just as they are. As a result, he quickly learns to detest the crusading Fergus, even to the point of trying to murder him. Joan saves Fergus, after which Don is killed by one of the workers whom he habitually mistreated. Don's death removes the only impediment to Joan's romance as well as to improvements in the mine, so while Joan and Fergus make plans for their marriage, plans also are developed to make the mine safer and more efficient.

Dir: Robert Z. Leonard

Living with her drunkard father in the North Woods mountains, Betty Yarnell is shunned by the villagers whenever she ventures out to pick up her father from Abner Grimp's saloon, and her only friend is a little lamb. In debt to Abner, John Yarnell signs a note turning over his daughter to Abner in return for unlimited drinks. When Abner goes to the cabin to claim Betty, revenue officer Ralph McGibbon arrives from the city and rescues her. Abner sends his Indian partner Dark Cloud, but Ralph rescues Betty again, although he is badly beaten up. Betty nurses Ralph, and even sacrifices her lamb to prepare broth for him. The sheriff decides to auction off Betty to the highest bidder. Abner demands that she be turned over to him, but Ralph fights him and manages to win Betty.