Top-Tier Alternatives In the Shadow of Two Kinds of Women: Cult Guide

Dir: William C. de Mille

Piffle, a circus clown, is badly injured after saving the son of Judge Jonathan Le Roy from a team of runaway horses. During his convalescence at the Le Roy home, Piffle falls in love with Millicent, the judge's daughter. When she learns that Dick Ordway, the father of her unborn child, has died while prospecting in the desert, Millicent tries to drown herself. Piffle comes to the rescue once again, proposing to marry Millicent and be a father to her child. Although she does not love Piffle, Millicent agrees. At the judge's insistence, Piffle leaves the circus to become a banker. Some time later, Dick reappears, but decides not to pursue Millicent, focusing instead on selling shares in his mine. The mine becomes a bonanza, and Dick tries to buy back all of the shares, but Piffle refuses to sell. Dick visits Piffle's home, hoping to negotiate a sale, and has an unexpected reunion with Millicent. Realizing that Millicent and Dick are still in love, Piffle returns to the circus, where he finds fulfillment bringing joy to children.

Dir: William C. de Mille

We start with the birth of two children "the whole wide world apart," one in a swell house in Washington Square, the other in the slums of New York. We see them on their third birthday; Bob, the rich little boy, surrounded by the presence of love and care ; Jenny, the poor little girl, stealing an apple from a fruit stand. We see them getting their education^ Bob, under the care of a private tutor and Jenny learning to read through stolen glances at the Police Gazette. When they are grown up, Bob Van Dyke and his sister, Beth, now orphaned, are caught in the whirl of a gay social life and are spending the fortune left them by their parents. Jenny, left alone in the world, has been adopted by Dugan, an old crook, who stands in the place of a father to her, and who makes use of her in his illegal calling. The young cracks-man, Kelly, suggests to Dugan that they burglarize a house in Washington Square by putting Jenny through the basement window and have her open the front door for them. Jenny is captured by Bob and is about to turn her over to the police but in questioning her, sees through her girlish beauty, a soul struggling for expression and he determines to try to save her. Jenny, never having heard of right and wrong, is fascinated by the rich young man and when he leaves his money on the table and says that he will go upstairs "until he hears the front door close behind her", she realizes that she has found someone in the world who will trust her. She is about to go when she sees Bob's photograph on the table. She is tempted to steal it but hesitates and leaves fifty cents, her whole fortune, in place of the picture. She then goes out and shuts the door and facing her crook companions, announces that she is going to live straight. Back in the tenement home, she packs her small bundle of clothes and leaves. Two years pass, during which time Jenny has succeeded in making herself an expert dressmaker. She lives alone in a little room and, inspired by Bob's photograph and the memories it recalls, has grown to worship the young man who trusted her, although she has not seen him since. A strike is called in the dress factory and Jenny is let out of work. She saves a little newsboy who has stolen money and who is being pursued by the police and is able to reform him. Penniless, Jenny is finally thrown into the street with her goods and chattels. In the meantime, Bob and Beth have speculated with what is left of their fortune and while down town to pawn some of his sister's jewels, Bob finds Jenny and takes her to his home to have her make clothes for his sister. While there the love of the two young people grows and the difference in their stations is apparently insurmountable. Bob's speculations go wrong and he is tempted to use money belonging to their old nurse. Jenny overhears their plan to use the money and pleads with Bob^not to do this thing for if the speculation goes wrong, he will be a thief. Bob is deaf to her entreaties and puts the money in the safe. Jenny sees her ideal tottering and induces Kelly to enter the house and open the safe for her. She then takes the money and hides it. The next morning the loss is discovered. Detectives find Jenny's finger-prints on the safe and she is arrested but will not tell where the money is, preferring to go to jail rather than let Bob do anything dishonest. Bob realizes this and promises to go straight. Jenny steals away as Bob awaits the impending smash. Bob and Beth are forced to live in a small Harlem flat and Beth marries her wealthy young lover from the smart set . Bob realizes that he had happiness in his hand and let it go and hunts up Jenny. He sees that class does not count and, in spite of Jenny's protests, takes her in his arms.

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

Dir: William C. de Mille

Headed by a young nobleman, the Russian League of Freedom determines to free the peasants from oppression by the government. Prince Paul Alexis is in love with Karin Dolokhof, daughter of the chancellor. Both are working for the league. Shortly after they announce their engagement the prince receives word from the Czar that he must marry the Princess Tanya, for political reasons. Upon receiving the command the prince expresses his intention to leave Russia with Karin Dolokhof, but she reminds him of his allegiance to the freedom league. Princess Tanya is in love with Count Egor Strannik, but under pressure, she discards the count and marries the unwilling prince. Through espionage, the chief of the secret police learns of the prince's affiliation with the freedom league and as Prince Alexis and his wife, Princess Tanya, hold a reception, at which the government heads are present, he sends Count Egor Strannik to secure the evidence. The count, who is still in love with Princess Tanya, tries to force his love upon her, and as he holds her in his arms, Prince Alexis discovers them and beats the count with a knout. For revenge the count, with a band of followers, forces the prince to reveal the hiding place of some important league papers.

Dir: Alexander Butler

In Alberta, Canada, a Cornish emigrant unmasks a rustler posing as the girl's "blind" father.

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

Dir: William C. de Mille

Luigi Riccardo, the proprietor of a marionette theater in New York's Little Italy, eagerly anticipates the arrival of his wife Maria and daughter Tessa, whom he has not seen in five years. Luigi dreams of becoming an American citizen, but because he refuses to make graft payments to Regan, the ward boss, he is informed that he will not receive his naturalization papers. When Regan orders Dr. Ross, an Ellis Island physician, to classify Maria and Tessa as unfit to enter the country, Luigi becomes wild with grief. Newspaper reporter Sam Potts learns of the Italian's misfortune and, through local prizefighter Bump Rundle, offers Regan a phony bribe in exchange for Luigi's papers. Regan accepts and Sam exposes him publicly, enabling Luigi to welcome his wife and daughter as American citizens.

Dir: Wilfred Lucas

Brian O'Farrell (Snowy Baker), is an English 'new chum' who takes a job at an Australian cattle station. He is teased by station hands because of his appearance (including spats and a monocle) but he soon impresses them with his skills at riding and boxing. The station manager, John MacDonald (Wilfred Lucas), takes O'Farrell to Sydney to meet his daughter Edith (Kathleen Key) who is working in the slums. Edith is kidnapped by criminals after witnessing a crime but O'Farrell rescues her. It is later revealed he is the owner of the station.

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

Dir: William C. de Mille

Based on the 1915 Colorado miners strike. Warren Harcourt, the coal company manager, comes to the scene. This causes a chain of events that will change the current status quo.

Dir: William C. de Mille

Deciding that there is money in cows, young New Yorker Dick Tavis buys a Western ranch; when the novelty has worn off he decides that there is also monotony. Then he falls in love with a girl on a calendar and takes a new interest in life, particularly after he discovers who the girl is. The fact that her uncle swindled him on the ranch does not matter. He figures he can take care of the uncle, and he does, but not until he has been forced to masquerade as a woman and have half the men at a fashionable resort fall in love with him.

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

Dir: Bruno Ziener

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Edward LeSaint

When famous opera singer Elinore Duane undergoes an operation on her throat, she has a series of ether-induced visions. In one, she is transported to ancient Rome where she appears as a much-admired woman in love with Paul, a young heretic, and at odds with Lutor, the high priest. To save her love, she poisons Lutor with her ring. After several other visions which involve variations on this love triangle, Elinore awakens to discover that Lutor is actually her doctor, Sascha Jaccard, and that Paul is the son of a friend who has come to visit the recovering prima donna.