Top-Tier Alternatives In the Shadow of Treat 'Em Rough: Cult Guide

Dir: Lynn Reynolds

When McAndrews was a boy his father took him to Lost Lake for a vacation, and a childish friendship was established between Vaughan and Jude Clark. He now goes to Lost Lake for recreation. Because the hotel accommodations are insufficient, Abner Clark takes Vaughan to his home, where in daily association with Jude the childhood friendship is renewed, and it gradually intensifies. Judge West, sensing the trend of events, charges Vaughan with "trifling" and reminds him that Jude is engaged to marry Dave Bean, a man of her own style. Harrison has induced Jude to pose for him, promising payment of $50 for the service, but the completed picture shows Jude in a pose she had never assumed. When Vaughan sees the picture, the opinion he has formed of the mountain girl suddenly changes. Several of the gossips get a view of the canvas and Harrison says he understood that Jude posed exactly as she was painted. Jude spurned the artist's $50 when she discovered the trick he played upon her, but when her father falls ill and needed hospital attention,, she pockets her pride and calls to get the cash. While she's at Harrison's camp Dave Bean, guided by the village gossips, enters and accuses her of lax morality, punishes the artists, and declares that the mountain girl shall never become Mrs. Bean. When Abner Clark dies, Jude is left without a protector or means of support, but Judge West intercepts her as she is about to leave Lost Lake and installs her at his own camp as full partner with him in his gold prospecting. Vaughan had left Lost Lake heartbroken because he believed ill of Jude. Months later, he writes to Jude that he has reconsidered and asks her to invite him to return. Jude's eager answer is unhappily stowed in Judge West's pocket for an indefinite time, and it is not until they strike gold that the missive is accidentally revealed. Discovery of the letter leads to a speedy understanding.

Dir: Lynn Reynolds

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

Lorenzo Todd, in his childhood had been strictly dealt with; in his youth the girl he loved deserted him; and, growing into manhood, he became morose and grouchy. The only ones he cared for were Dudley Phillips, his youthful rival for the love of the girl Phillips married; her daughter Virginia; and his own son Warren. Virginia and Warren were betrothed and Warren was sowing his last "wild oats" before settling down and becoming a partner in his father's business. Dudley objected to Warren's pranks, while Todd liked the idea of his boy displaying a little "ginger." Finally, Warren was sued by a chorus girl for breach of promise and Dudley declared that he should never marry Virginia, while Todd declared he would not allow Warren to marry her. When Warren told his father that he still intended to make Virginia his wife or leave home forever, Todd told him to go and when he left Todd's soul shriveled even smaller, and he became more of a grouch than ever, until his heart was actually affected and the doctor ordered him to go to Arizona. While he is snowbound in a trapper's cabin at Christmas, a little boy makes him rejoice in the realization of God's great works, and touches the spring that opens his shriveled soul. Fate restores Warren to his father, and Dudley, having heard of Todd's predicament, takes Dorothy with him; there is a general reunion. Warren thoroughly cured of his wildness, completes the pact that he and Virginia had made: and the boy, who had been the cause of Todd's rejuvenation, starts life as a millionaire.

Dir: Lynn Reynolds

At a French Canadian logging camp, stranger Louis Graintaire canoes through impassable rapids to the delight of Little Jean, a crippled boy who hopes that Louis will thrash his tormentor, camp bully Baptiste Navet. That evening Louis arouses Navet's enmity by dancing with Annette Bosseut, the daughter of the camp superintendent. Navet challenges Louis to a fight, but when the day comes, Louis and the boy cannot be found. When Louis returns, Annette and her father accuse him of kidnapping. After three bullies of neighboring camps die while trying to kill Louis, and Navet, repulsed by Annette, sets fire to the forest, Louis knocks Navet unconscious and saves Annette by canoeing through the dangerous rapids. He explains that he is the owner of all the camps and is making the rounds breaking bullies who terrorize the weak. Jean, sent to be cured, returns prancing about with a priest who marries Louis and Annette.

Dir: Lynn Reynolds

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

Rejected by the army because of his petite size, French dress designer Andre Leriche conceives the idea of designing a gown that will aid his country. His employer, Madame Felice, sells the gown to Mrs. Mortimer Reyton, a middle-aged woman who is gradually losing the love of her husband. The gown so transforms her that, in honor of their wedding anniversary, Reyton buys three ambulances for France. Mrs. Reyton then sends the gown to her cousin Natalie. The garment so inspires Englishman Neil Cunningham that, to win Natalie's love, he returns home to enlist. In France, Neil proves himself a hero and, while leading an attack on a German stronghold, saves Andre's father, the mayor of the town, from death. Thus, the gown made a reality of Andre's dream to serve his country.

Dir: Lynn Reynolds

Ruth, a shorthand, quits to avoid the advances of her employer, the police chief. The young woman finds a new job with Anthony Curtis, the district attorney who, with his battles for the law, is disliked by many police officers.

Dir: Lynn Reynolds

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

Failing to hear from her brother Jimmy after his departure for the Klondike, Barbara Henderson goes in search of him. Arriving in the frozen North, Barbara learns that her brother has been murdered and vows vengeance. Because the town's small hotel is filled to capacity, Barbara accepts an offer of lodging from old Tully Winkle in return for her keeping house for him and his prospecting partner, Cort Dorian. Barbara and Cort fall in love, but Barbara refuses to marry Cort until she solves the mystery of her brother's death. From various sources she learns that Jimmy's disappearance was preceded by a shoot-out between him and prospector Laberge over Seattle Lou. Barbara then makes the acquaintance of Laberge, who tells her that Cort shot Jimmy. Barbara insists upon fighting a duel with Cort, who fires into the air and is wounded by Barbara's bullet. Just as the shots are fired, Tully appears with the news that Seattle Lou has just arrived in town with her new husband, Jimmy Henderson.

Dir: Lynn Reynolds

While on vacation in New York, millionaire cattle rancher John Keyes falls in love with musical comedy star Fritzi Carlyle. Recognizing the opportunity for a great story, Fritzi's press agent encourages her to accept the Westerner's proposal of marriage, only to deny it the next day in a wave of newspaper publicity. Disheartened, Keyes returns to Arizona and Fritzi continues performing until she suffers a nervous breakdown. Reading of Fritzi's misfortune, Keyes returns East, kidnaps Fritzi and takes her to Arizona. There, the change of climate performs wonders and she recovers quickly. Meanwhile, her stage manager sends detectives after her, and when they arrive in Arizona ready to arrest Keyes for kidnapping, Fritzi explains that the whole adventure was an elaborate publicity stunt and announces that she and her Arizona cowboy are going to be married.

Dir: Lynn Reynolds

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

Clay Burgess, a rover, returns to his home town to find his father, a banker, dead and his property in the clutches of "Big" Dave Dawley by means of a fake will. The real will is possessed by Ben Davis, who works on Della Bowen's ranch outside of town. After visiting Ben and promising Della that he will return to marry her, Clay recruits the help of a gang that have been fighting Dawley's henchmen for control of the town. After a series of adventures, including a brutal fight in which Dawley is killed, Clay and his men exterminate the rival Dawley gang. The wandering cowboy then retrieves his property and marries Della.

Dir: Lynn Reynolds

"Miss Lady," as the Black servants call the Colonel's daughter, has an admirer in the person of Don Morley whom she does not care for on account of his passion for gay life. However, he promises to reform if Myrtle (Miss Lady) will marry him. As they are out for a canter one day, an accident caused by Chick's foster-father's carelessness, is just averted, and in this way Miss Lady makes the acquaintance of Chick, a little mute chap. A storm one day causes Don and Lee Dillingham to seek shelter in a saloon conducted by Sheely. Sheely and Lee fight and Lee shoots, wounding Sheely, but not seriously. Lee gets Don to promise that he will say nothing about it. All of this has been observed by Chick, hidden in an old barrel. Don, according to the agreement leaves town, and Lee so warps the story that suspicion is fastened upon Don. The Colonel forbids his daughter to receive any word from Don until his name is cleared. Don has left for the West and accompanied by a friend makes a trip to the Orient, where he anxiously awaits a letter from Miss Lady in response to the one he sent her. Through Chick's foster-father's carelessness, a train is derailed; the Colonel is killed and his friend Professor Querrington is injured; he is taken to the Colonel's home, where Miss Lady nurses him back to health. He falls in love with her; later, financially embarrassed and not knowing where Don is, she consents to assume the responsibilities of the Professor's household. But the Professor resumes his writing and Miss Lady is quite neglected. As Don with his friend are ready to return home, he receives a letter from Lee telling him of the marriage of Miss Lady. He is grief-stricken and decides to remain in the Orient while his friend returns home. His friend calls upon the Professor and it is then that Miss Lady learns that Lee has tricked her lover. Don's friend wires him to return home. Christmas Eve the Sequins are giving a party but so engrossed is the professor in his work that he sends Miss Lady alone. She will not dance, as her husband does not approve of the pastime. Don, who has returned, goes to the affair, meets Miss Lady and when she tells him that she did not receive his letter, he leaves her. Sequin advises Don to sell a certain bank stock. He does and a few days later the bank fails. This causes the loss of the professor's entire fortune and eventually his death. Then Miss Lady returns to her own home and takes with her Chick to whom she has become attached. Finally she decides to have him operated upon in the hope of restoring his speech. The operation is successful. Don has been brought to trial for the injury of Sheely and things look bad for him. Chick hears Miss Lady weeping over the fate of Don, and then he tells her that it was the dark-haired man, Lee, who did the shooting. They waste no time in running to Don's aid. and he is soon vindicated. Later Don and Miss Lady are married.

Dir: Lynn Reynolds

Daws Anthony, a boy of 16, is cared for by three old men: Judge Morgan, Roger Appleby, and Caleb Talbot. One day, Northerner Ray Preston comes to their Southern town and proceeds to buy some of the judge's property. He also succeeds in breaking up the romance of village belle Carolyn Dillon and Wallace Turner. When traces of oil are discovered on the purchased property, Preston, at the suggestion of Major Dillon, consents to sell a half-interest in the land to the townsfolk for a large sum of money. Daws is suspicious, however, and undertakes an investigation, only to discover that Preston has oiled the land to swindle the town. Threatened with tarring and feathering, Preston returns the money and leaves town, thus removing all obstacles in the path of Carolyn and Turner's romance.