Underground Favorites Mirroring the Impact of Virgin Lips: Cult Guide

Dir: Elmer Clifton

When an aviator dies performing in a traveling circus, the circus closes and side show con men "Sky-High" Billy Wardell and "Domino" Dominick are arrested for giving out fake watches to wheel of fortune winners. After Domino springs the jail's lock, they jump a freight train and arrive in the next town, where Billy falls in love when Jane Higgenbotham allows them to breakfast on her freshly baked pies. When Billy, who gets a job as a reporter, learns that Jane's father Dave, an inventor, has no money to manufacture his "aerochute," designed to insure airplane safety, Billy opens a stock company and sells shares to villagers and farmers. After Ed Warmbath, a disappointed rival for Jane's affection, learns that Billy is wanted for jailbreak, he informs the townspeople, who demand that Dave return their money. Because Billy sees that Jane doubts his honesty, he volunteers to test the chute in a plane piloted by Murphy, a circus friend. Murphy's drunkenness inspires Billy to jump, and he lands safely, thus winning back the townsfolks' confidence, and Jane's love.

Dir: Elmer Clifton

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

Saul Chadron, a brutal cattle baron, is distressed that homesteaders are intruding on his domain and hires outlaws to drive them away. Alan MacDonald, who leads the homesteaders, learns that Chadron has hired Mark Thorne, a vicious criminal, to kill him. His growing love for Frances Landcrafe, a visitor at the Chadron ranch, makes Alan bold, however, and he attends a masquerade held in her honor. Meanwhile, Thorne, claiming that he has killed Alan, demands payment from Chadron, and when the cattle baron refuses, the outlaw kidnaps Chadron's daughter Nola. Alan rescues her, but Chadron's troubles continue as the townspeople, angered over the murder of a child, decide to hang him. Alan intercedes, but Thorne, just before his own murder, shoots Chadron. Alan is then free to turn his attention to Frances and his land claim.

Dir: Elmer Clifton

While relaxing in his cabin one stormy night, John Winton, a rising young businessman who has successfully resisted the institution of marriage, is interrupted by cries for help. Opening his door, he finds a soaking wet, pretty girl, who pleads with him to come to her aid. She guides him to a swamp where a man is lying insensible. John carries the man to his bungalow and goes for a doctor. On his return, both have disappeared. John, his curiosity thoroughly aroused, follows the only clue that has been left to him, a glove that is lying on the cabin floor. After a series of mysterious encounters in which the girl is involved, John marries her without knowing who or what she is. Then it is revealed that the whole mystery has been a scheme contrived by John's father to marry his son off by employing the romance of mystery.

Dir: Elmer Clifton

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

When Janice Webster's (Dorothy Gish) father dies and leaves her guardianship to Ethan Dexter and Henry Jarvis, the vice presidents of the Webster Trust Co., which holds her fortune until she reaches 18, her official fathers become alarmed by her quirky shenanigans. Deciding that marriage is the way to tame her, Dexter proposes and is accepted. Then Winfield Jarvis, Henry's son, proposes and is also accepted. In a muddle as to which to marry, Janice confides in bank teller Steven Peabody, who loves her himself. Later, Steven overhears Dexter boasting of his future control of the Webster millions, but before he can warn Janice, the banker locks Steven in the closet and goes to meet his bride-to-be. Steven escapes and arrives in time to find Dexter and Jarvis arguing over Janice who then reads aloud a letter written by her late father denouncing both vice presidents and announces that she will marry Steven.

Dir: Elmer Clifton

In order to be admitted to his school fraternity, David Bruce is told to impersonate a Balkan prince. In that guise, Bruce leaves for the prince's tiny principality. En route, he becomes involved with a gang of anarchists who order him to kill the prince he is supposed to be impersonating. After escaping from the anarchists, Bruce arrives at the Balkan state and learns that he is to marry a princess from a neighboring land. Bruce willingly agrees to the ceremony when he learns that the princess is Hulda Maroff, the college coed with whom he fell in love back home. After the marriage, the anarchists arrive to kill Bruce and his bride, but they escape. At that moment, the telephone rings and awakens Bruce from his dream. On the line is Hulda, calling for help. Bruce rounds up his college chums, goes to Hulda's rescue and the two are married.

Dir: Elmer Clifton

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

Two men, one of them a villainous hypnotist, contend for the same woman, unaware that she suffers from dual personality disorder.

Dir: Elmer Clifton

After his mother's death, John Gregory becomes the "Eagle," a thief determined to get even with the mining company that stole his family's fortune. No one suspects that he is a bandit, not even Lucy, the girl he loves, and her brother Bob. John finally breaks into the mining company's main office, but discovers that another robber has preceded him and killed the night guard. The robber is Bob, and when the boy is arrested, John interrupts the trial and takes the blame himself for Lucy's sake. Bob commits suicide, and Lucy, who discovers his written confession just before John is to be hanged, rides wildly to the jail and saves John's life.

Dir: Elmer Clifton

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

Framed by police inspector Finch and his managing editor, R. H. Steadman, to cover up their own crooked work, reporter John Mull languishes in prison until he escapes, determined to wreak vengeance. In Mull's absence, his sweetheart, Bess Miller, has been dating Burton Grange with whom she plans to elope. When Grange has an altercation with Steadman, in the scuffle, Steadman is knocked unconscious. Grange flees and is arrested for Steadman's murder but escapes and encounters Mull, now a fugitive from justice. After persuading Grange to give himself up, Mull pays a visit to Finch and forces him to confess to Steadman's murder. With Finch's testimony, Mull is also vindicated of charges and is free to marry Bess.

Dir: Elmer Clifton

During the Alaskan gold rush, two unscrupulous fortune-seekers, Amy and her husband Gambler Joe, rob Mathew Smith, who has offered them shelter from a snow storm. Mathew pursues them but loses his way, and by the time Harkness finds him, he is nearly dead from exposure. Mathew, nicknamed "Silent" Smith because the storm has robbed him of his voice, lives in friendship with Harkness until the latter marries Amy, who has found employment in a local dance hall. After the ceremony, Harkness is called away to protect his mining interests, and in his absence, his daughter Mary arrives for a visit. Silent and Mary fall in love, but Mary's suspicions are aroused when Amy gives birth to a child. Shortly afterwards, Harkness returns. Amy insists that Silent is the baby's father, whereupon Harkness shoots his friend, wounding him in the shoulder. Smith regains his voice, and through the help of an Indian who is familiar with Amy and Joe's treachery, reveals that she was a married woman long before she met Harkness. Mary returns to Smith, and the two settle down with Harkness.

Dir: Elmer Clifton

A young woman is in love, but the man of her affections wants only her and no part of her vast wealth.