Cinematic Discoveries Following the Footsteps of Trimmed in Scarlet...

Dir: Bruno Ziener

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Jack Conway

Inheriting his father's alcoholism, Lawyer Tom Gallatin goes into the woods to rehabilitate himself. Once there, he loses his way and then meets Jane Loring, who is also lost. They are attracted to each other, but when Jane offers him a drink from a flask, Tom takes more than just a few sips, and then tries to rape her. A search party rescues Jane, after which, sobered by the seriousness of his attempted crime, Tom cures himself of his drinking problem. Later, in the city, Jane and Tom meet again and she forgives him. However, Coleman Van Duyn, who loves Jane, and Nina Jaffray, who wants to marry Tom, decide to make sure that no romance develops. They convince Jane that Tom is already engaged to Nina, but then, guilt-ridden, the alleged fiancee confesses everything to Jane, who quickly goes to Tom and tells him that she loves him.

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

Dir: Jack Conway

New York playboy Carter Richmond inherits the family fortune, but it doesn't take him long to blow it. All that's left is an abandoned mine in California, so he travels west to see if he can get anything for it. He finds that a miner, Big Him Helton, and his pretty young daughter Mary have been "squatters" at the site for years, and a neighboring miner, Placer Murray, has been trying to run them off so he can take it over himself. Mary accidentally shoots Carter, thinking him to be one of Murray's men. As she nurses him back to health, they begin to fall in love. Complications ensue.

Dir: Jack Conway

In a seventeenth century New Mexico village, after Indians attack and kill everyone except two monks and a baby named Manuel, the neighboring Penitentes, a violent, fanatical Catholic sect, lay claim to all property, including the estate belonging to Manuel's family. Years later, during a regional fiesta, Father David, the local religious leader, notices the striking Manuel, now grown, and questions the Penitentes' chief about his background. Fearing exposure, the chief induces his followers to choose Manuel as their annual sacrificial victim, to be crucified on the upcoming Good Friday. Dolores, Manuel's sweetheart, attempts to sway him from the group, but he insists on participating in the ceremony. At the urging of Father David, Colonel Banca orders his troops to stop the ceremony, and Manuel narrowly escapes crucifixion. Later, the confession of one of the old monks reveals the true identity and heritage of Manuel.

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

Dir: Jack Conway

Patricia Reynolds, the belle of the summer resort she is visiting with her friend, Amy Powellson, attracts the attention of Arthur Kirby, whom Amy loves. On an evening drive, Arthur tries to kiss Patricia , whereupon she leaps from the car and walks home. While Amy, disguised in Patricia 's clothing, accompanies Arthur to a roadhouse, Patricia , walking near the beach, sees her invalid friend, Jim Wheeler, jump into the ocean intending to kill himself. After rescuing him, Patricia persuades Jim to visit a specialist, but when she later is accused of spending the night with Arthur, she refuses to defend herself in order to conceal Jim's attempted suicide. Hastings Carson tries to save her reputation, but he subsequently attacks her, and she is forced to swim from his yacht to shore. Cured, Jim returns to remove Patricia from this social quagmire by marrying her.

Dir: Jack Conway

Judge of the Circuit Court, Camden McClure is a extremist advocate of law enforcement until he kills his brother during a fight. Fleeing from his crime, the judge hires Cal Nelson as his guide through the Western badlands. While crossing the desert, they meet Mary Jackson, who is lost and exhausted. Mary recovers, but the judge suffers heat stroke and, in his delirium, confesses his crime to Mary. To ease his guilt, Mary admits that she is a murderer, too, and the couple decide to get married. However, when the judge reads that his brother is alive, he once again adheres to the letter of the law and denounces Mary to the authorities. Cal, who has fallen in love with Mary, carries her to the desert to escape the sheriff, and there Mary admits that she fabricated her crime to relieve the judge. The judge then discovers that his brother is actually dead, and follows the fugitives into the desert, but is killed in a sandstorm, thus freeing Mary to wed Cal.

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

Dir: Jack Conway

On the South Sea island of Somona, an American rough-and-ready hero, Sylvester Todd, punches a German prince for insulting Lady Diana Loring of England. Sylvester flees the island, and at the request of an English official, sails to another province to help quell a native uprising. The German foreman of an English platinum mine on the island plans to destroy it with the assistance of the natives. When Lady Diana arrives, Sylvester takes her and several other English friends to a chateau for safety, but the building is surrounded by the rebels. Sylvester escapes to a wireless station and sends off an appeal for help. The party is rescued by an American warship, after which Sylvester and Diana marry.

Dir: Jack Conway

Upon learning that the parents of "Little Red" have died, the cowboys of Colonel Ferdinand Aliso's ranch adopt the boy. Parson Jones and his church committee protest that the child should be brought up in more refined surroundings, but the cowboys, particularly Duck Sing, Aliso's Chinese cook, are so enamored of Little Red that they donate their poker money to the church in order to placate the congregation. After Little Red catches pneumonia and nearly dies, however, Dr. Kirk insists that the boy either live with the minister or acquire a mother through the marriage of one of the cowboys. While Little Red is recuperating at the parson's home, ranch hand Tom Gilroy courts the only marriageable women in town -- a widow and two spinsters -- but much to his relief, they all turn him down. In the end, Duck Sing, whom the child much prefers to the parson, kidnaps Little Red, after which the colonel legally adopts him.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of You Can't Believe Everything perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Jack Conway

Tito Lombardi a Fifth Avenue dress designer, causes his business to suffer by his generous dispensation of credit to clients, one of whom, Max Strohm, the manager of a musical review, has promised payment for his girls' lavish costumes as soon as the show makes money. To the dismay of Norah Blake, Lombardi's faithful assistant, who loves him, Lombardi proposes to Phyllis Manning, one of the showgirls, and presents her with his finest creations, while not even attempting to kiss her, as she puts off setting a wedding date and also accepts the attentions of wealthy bachelor Bob Tarrant. After Strohm's show fails and Phyllis leaves with Tarrant for California, Lombardi's establishment nears bankruptcy. Daisy, one of Lombardi's models, accepts the proposal from Lombardi's friend, Rickey, a chauffeur. When she discovers he is the son of "Riccardo the vermicelli king" and quite rich, she convinces Rickey to help Lombardi. Under Norah's direction, the business is revitalized. Lombardi finally sees Norah's value, and they marry.

Dir: Jack Conway

Genuinely sweet natured, Ambrosia Lee loves to help everyone, soothing their sorrows with her cheerful spirit. Her charms are put to the test, when she tries to save her own Aunt Charlotte's marriage. Happily, all ends well, when her Aunt and Uncle are happily reunited.