Cinematic Discoveries Following the Footsteps of Vanishing Millions...

Dir: Alan James

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Alan James

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Down by the Rio Grande perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Alan James

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Alan James

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

Pretending to be an outlaw, Marshal Dan Paterson joins the Carson gang. They're holding young Alice Allison captive, but when Dan tries to help her, Alice--not knowing who he is--doesn't trust him. Dan must gain her trust before he can rescue her and help destroy the gang.

Dir: Alan James

María Valdez, known as the Virgin of San Blas because of her charitable acts and great beauty, falls in love with David Kent, an American who is in Spain to investigate the death of his father years earlier. María and Kent set the date for a wedding, but Ricardo Ruiz, an excellent duelist and rake who desires to marry María to recoup his fortunes, informs the girl that her father was killed by Kent's father in the distant past. María then decides to avenge the family honor and immediately enters into a companionate marriage with Ricardo. Kent goes to María seeking an explanation for her sudden change of heart, and Ricardo finds them together. He challenges the American to a duel, instructing his valet to shoot Kent if he seems to be gaining the advantage. But in the course of the duel, Kent extinguishes the candles, and the valet inadvertently kills Ricardo. María and Kent are reconciled and make plans to be married.

Dir: Alan James

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

Lightning Jack becomes heir to a ranch jointly with Donaldeen Travis, an eastern society girl who evinces an instant dislike to him. Currier King, a neighboring rancher, takes a fancy to Donaldeen and openly courts her despite the fact that he already has a wife. Donaldeen learns that King is married and gives him the cold shoulder, angering him so greatly that he abducts her. Jack and some of his men ride to her rescue, and Donaldeen finally admits to herself that she has come to love Jack truly.

Dir: Alan James

Repeated raids on a southwestern town by a gang that wishes to appropriate a nearby mine coincide with the arrival of two strangers. James Brown, an easterner, is afraid of his own shadow, but the townspeople believe he is a marshal sent to restore law and order. While looking for an opportunity to escape, James learns that the other visitor, Bill Williams, is the real marshal, and an attempt on James's life spurs him to action. The mine is saved, and the gang leader is brought to justice.

Dir: Alan James

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

Two cowboys drift into town. Both are broke, and one of them jokingly suggests they rob the local express office. A citizen overhears them, and when the office is robbed soon afterwards, the cowboys are blamed for it.

Dir: Alan James

A wronged dance-hall girl with an illegitimate child loves a cowhand with the love of a bad woman for a good man. A gambler takes a shot at the fellow, and the dance-hall girl steps in the way, taking more than her share of lead. With her last wish, she asks the cowpoke to marry her and give her child a name. They are quickly wed, but the girl unexpectedly recovers, posing quite a problem for the cowhand, who is in love with another woman. When the dance-hall girl is later murdered, the cowhand is unjustly suspected of the crime until he proves that the gambler shot the girl out of malice. The cowhand returns to his first love and marries her, despite the interference of her sullen brothers and somewhat angry father.

Dir: Alan James

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.