Deep Archive Finds Movies That Echo the Spirit of Twenty-One: Cult Guide

Dir: William Worthington

Stuart Adams, the advance-agent for a traveling burlesque troupe, arrives in Weston, Illinois, his hometown, to publicize the coming show, "The Girl and the Garter". The Purity League, led by banker James Richards, the father of Stuart's sweetheart Hazel, attempts to stop it from opening. After kissing Hazel in public - thus outraging the League members - Stuart builds curiosity about the show by having the newspaper print Richards' admission that he viewed it in New York "to see how shocking it was". He also attaches a banner which advertises the show to Hazel's roadster during a Purity League parade. After Stuart challenges Richards to a debate, Stuart helps detective Vera Vincent, whom he met on the train, capture two crooks trying to rob Richards' bank. During the debate, Stuart, knowing that the show has been canceled, offers to end the bickering by withdrawing the show. Richards then insists that Stuart, who plans to meet Hazel at the train station to elope, come to dinner. Fortunately for Stuart, Hazel had been locked in her room by her aunt, and is still at the house.

Dir: William Worthington

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

Jeffrey Wall, the dissipated grandson of a wealthy man, requests that a farewell party be given in his honor before he is disinherited. During the wild banquet, a Mexican dancer assaults Mary Drew and then shoots a man, but suspicion is cast on Jeffrey. At the death of her father, Mary is called home to her little village on the Mexican border but is followed by the lecherous dancer, who soon becomes the head of a gang of bandits. Jeffrey traces him and learns that the outlaws have taken control of a small rancho, shot its owner and kidnapped Mary. Jeffrey visits the rancho disguised as a ghost, and as the outlaws are fleeing in terror, the sheriff and his men arrive and arrest them all. Wall, Sr., pleased with the improvements in his son's character, comes West to bless the marriage of Jeffrey and Mary.

Dir: William Worthington

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: William Worthington

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

Toyama's wife Sada secretly earns money as a Geisha girl to finance his studies in America, but she says that the money comes from her deceased grandfather. In America, Toyama becomes an assistant to Dr. Stone, studying cures for inherited vices. When Toyama learns that Sada has been sentenced to death for murdering a prominent banker who attacked her, Toyama disappears and gives in to his hereditary tendency to drink until Dr. Stone cures him. Unknown to Toyama, Sada's sentence is commuted to life imprisonment when she gives birth to their daughter. Meanwhile, Toyama marries Stone's half-Japanese daughter Emily to fulfill Stone's dying request. In Japan, after Toyama lectures women prisoners and recognizes Sada, he discovers that the child he and Emily adopted is really his own daughter. When Sada escapes and finds Toyama, he decides to commit harakiri, but as the prison guards approach, Sada drowns herself to save him.

Dir: William Worthington

When Sasamoto commits treason during the Great War to pay off gambling debts, his twin brother Yamashito assumes his identity and tracks him down.

Dir: William Worthington

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

The Japanese Prince Maiyo is in London to avenge the death of his father who years earlier committed hara-kiri because he had been financially ruined by an English swindler. The Prince warns his friend, the Duke of Devenham, that the Count de la Mar is attempting to seduce the Duke's bored American wife, and then is told by his servant Soto that the Count is the man who killed his father. During a foggy night, the Count, planning to elope with the Duchess, is killed in a taxi with the sword that the Prince's father used to kill himself. Although the American sister of the Duke, Penelope Morse, who loves the Prince, pleads with him to leave before being arrested, he will not perform such a cowardly act. After Soto confesses murdering the Count because he wronged his daughter years ago, the Prince is freed, but because of the racial barrier, he bids a sad farewell to Penelope and leaves.

Dir: William Worthington

Howard Dana and his partner in adventures, Olga Veloski, discover that Sam Brockton, millionaire from the west, has arrived in town and they arrange to fleece him. They plan an old confidence game and locate the scene in one of the residences of wealth, knowing that the occupants of "Millionaire's Row" are spending the summer at various resorts. Agnes Darling and her father come to town for a day or two from their summer home in the mountains. Mr. Darling's automobile breaks down and as Brockton passes, he offers his services to help make repairs. In this way he discovers that Agnes is a charming girl and falls in love. The incident has been observed by Olga and her accomplice and when the repaired automobile drives away, Olga attracts Brockton's attention. She tells him that if he will come to her home the next day she will introduce him to Agnes, who is supposed to call at Olga's residence. Olga and her accomplice manage to avoid the caretaker in the house they have selected for their work. At the appointed time Brockton arrives and through an old confidence game he is robbed. The scene of the robbery happens to be the town residence of the Darlings. Just as the trick is being turned, Mr. Darling and Agnes arrive at their home. Upon entering the house, the Darlings are amazed to find that the house has been entered. They come upon Brockton, who is so frank and interesting in his explanation that he ingratiates himself with Agnes and her father, and they invite him to their country home. The two sharpers escape and join another member of the confidence gang, a crook known as "Dippy" Lewis. When Olga observes a striking resemblance between "Dippy" and Brockton, she decides to use the crook to an advantage. Olga overheard the invitation Brockton had received from the Darlings and dresses "Dippy" to resemble him. She sends him to the mountains and he is received by the Darlings. "Dippy's" criminal instincts lead him to commit several robberies among the hotel guests, and when Brockton arrives he finds himself under suspicion. He is puzzled at Miss Darling's conduct toward him. Olga has directed members of her gang to chloroform Brockton and dispose of him in a cellar, that he may not by any mischance reach the mountains before "Dippy" Lewis arrives there. The striking resemblance between the two mislead the toughs and they chloroform "Dippy" and confine him in a cellar. Agnes is perplexed at the strange transition in Brockton's manner, for he really is of a gentlemanly type in strong contrast to "Dippy," whom the girl had previously mistaken for him. The Darling family decide to return to the city and invite Brockton to call upon them there. Olga hears of this and plans to have "Dippy" again impersonate Brockton. When Olga attempts to locate "Dippy," she discovers that he is a prisoner. Before she can have him released, Brockton makes his visit to the Darlings, a fact of which Olga is not aware. Thus it is that she goes on with her plans, sends "Dippy" to call at the Darling home and there the two men meet and settle matters.

Dir: William Worthington

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

A wild man and genius becomes a master painter's disciple, but loses his divine gift when he finds love.

Dir: William Worthington

Goro Mariyama uses the profits from his ethically run gambling house to help the poor. Gambler Blair Whitcomb accuses Goro of cheating, then shoots him after losing a $10,000 bet. Goro survives a punctured lung only through the efforts of nurse Gloria Manning, Blair's fiancée. When Goro confesses his love for Gloria, he is shocked to hear of her engagement. Following his recovery, Goro discovers that Blair has given him a bad check, and demands that the gambler pay his debt in person. Although Blair complies, Goro has him arrested for attempted murder. Gloria pleads for her fiancé's release, revealing that she can never love Goro because he is of a different race. The disappointed Goro enables Blair's escape as payment to Gloria for saving his life.

Dir: William Worthington

An opium smuggler is marked for murder in this story of the Chinese Mafia.