Masterpiece Selection that Capture the Essence of We're in the Legi...

Dir: J. Gordon Edwards

William Farnum is Drag Harlan, a tough cowboy vigilante. After learning about a gold mine from a dying man, he seeks his daughter (Jackie Saunders) as well as the gold. He falls in love with her, but the same gang that shot the old man is after the gold.

Dir: Raoul Walsh

Dave Henderson, an orphan who has become the beneficiary of a rich man's will, falls in with race-track crooks Martin Tydeman and Bokky Sharvan who bilk him out of his $100,000 inheritance. In retaliation, Dave steals the money from Tydeman's safe, but is caught and sentenced to five years in jail. In prison, Dave becomes friendly with Millman, who is about to be released, and reveals the money's hiding place to him, arranging to rendezvous at the end of Dave's term. Once released, Dave is hounded by members of Tydeman's gang as well as the police, who are waiting for him to retrieve his bounty. While taking refuge at the house of Capriano, an old bomb maker, Dave falls in love with the old man's daughter Teresa. However, Capriano sets a trap for Dave, who awakens in a drugged state to find the $100,000 missing. With the help of Millman and Teresa, Dave recovers the money, turns it over to the police and resolves to go straight.

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

Dir: Maurice Elvey

A Royalist and his unknown son seek vengeance on his murdered wife's brothers.

Dir: George B. Seitz

The adventures of a gentlemanly crook of astonishing resourcefulness.

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

Dir: Unknown Director

The Judge needs a present for his wife's birthday, so Harry suggests a new corset. They go to the shop, but he's so embarrassed to ask the saleslady he hides in a phone booth.Harry goes in, but finds a GUY wearing one, and runs out.They both dress as women to get back in, but Mrs. Rummy gets there and chases him out.

Dir: Perry N. Vekroff

While in New York seeking work, Cynthia, a young English girl, meets Bruce Crittenden and George Rhode who introduce her to Madame Savarin, a wealthy woman seeking a companion for a sea voyage. She hires Cynthia, and while at sea, Cynthia discovers that Bruce is the ship's purser. Cynthia's father was a famous wireless expert who taught her how to read code, which enables her to overhear a plot to sink the ship and steal Mrs. Savarin's jewels. Soon after, the crew mutinies, and while Rhode and Bruce fight the crew, Cynthia sounds the alarm. As he is attempting to foil the jewel thieves, Bruce falls overboard, and Cynthia swims to his rescue with the jewels strapped to her back. They are rescued by a government patrol boat and taken back to New York where Cynthia and Bruce are married.

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

Dir: Jerome Storm

Ne'er-do-well Homer Cavender ventures to the city from Mainsville in an effort to find fame and fortune. Both elude him, and after clerking for two years, Homer returns home for a vacation. Impressed by his flashy clothes, the townspeople assume that Homer has achieved success. Attempting to win Rachel Prouty from his rival, Arthur Machim, Homer continues the deception by announcing that his employer, Kort and Bailly, has dispatched him to enroll stockholders for a proposed new plant to be built in Mainsville. Machim discovers the sham and denounces Homer as a crook. Meanwhile, Homer returns to New York, convinces his employers of the merits of his plan and comes home triumphant, with a proposal for both the new plant and for Rachel's hand in marriage.

Dir: Aubrey M. Kennedy

Wealthy oil magnate Harry Mangin is in love with his competitor James Murdock's daughter Blanche. Mangin schemes to ruin Blanche's father so that the girl will be forced to accept his attention. However, Blanche loves "Sky Eye" Blake, an aviator at the adjoining U. S. aviation field. When Mangin is driven in desperation to muster his own private air force in order to destroy his rival's oil plants, "Sky Eye" takes to the skies to quell the riot. After several daring escapades, "Sky Eye" captures Mangin and wins Blanche for his bride.

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

Dir: Charley Chase

A young married couple volunteer to take charge of several orphans after the asylum has burned down. Of course they find their hands full with their troublesome charges.

Dir: Crane Wilbur

John David, a spender, promises marriage to the Worldly Woman. He suggests by letter that their engagement be announced at a big dinner he will give. The Worldly Woman is also admired by the Libertine, who calls at the Worldly Woman's apartment and is admitted by a Japanese butler whom he abuses, arousing a hatred which the Jap keeps well under control. The Libertine attempts to make love the Worldly Woman but she holds him off by flaunting David's offer of marriage in his face. When she leaves the room the libertine turns his attentions to a Japanese maid, the wife of Yamato, the Jap butler. His attempt to caress her frightens her and she screams, bringing Yamato into the room and between the two struggling people. The Libertine slaps Yamato across the face for what he terms insolence. The little Jap bows his way out but with suppressed anger in His heart. The night of the big dinner arrives and John announces his coming marriage. One of the suddenly discovers that there are but thirteen people at the table, and John leaves the party to go out and find the fourteenth. He chances to meet the Wanderer, an individual he once knew but who he does not recognize. John meets a pretty girl and grabs her by the arm and begs her to join his party. The Wanderer makes John let her go. John is furious but the soothing words of reproach of the Wanderer change his mind, whereupon he smilingly admits his wrong, gives him his hand and takes him to the banquet room. The newcomer is greeted with hilarity and is called upon to speak. After a toast he turns to John and quietly but forcibly berates him for his waste. He describes how this waste would give life to starving families and as he finishes a butler enters with a telegram which reads: "Cut expenses immediately. Your entire fortune swept away. Letter explains." The guests leave, and John is left alone with the Wanderer, and he asks the Wanderer's identity. The Wanderer answers: "I am your conscience." Thereafter the Wanderer is called Conscience. John and Conscience go to the home of the Worldly Woman, Conscience remaining at the door. John discovers her in the arms of the Libertine. She says that the Libertine is now her accepted lover. John attacks the Libertine and flinging him over a couch attempts to throttle him. From under the draperies of the couch a brown hand steals. It clutches a long needle which it plunges into the neck of the Libertine. The head of the Libertine falls back dead. John thinks he has strangled his adversary. He and Conscience leave for the west. Days pass. On the train he reads in a newspaper that evidence points to the Woman's guilt and that she has been indicted for murder. The presence of Conscience torments him and to escape he leaps from the train and boards a freight train going in the same direction. Conscience follows, however. They take refuge in an open coal car where they are held up by two tramps and forced to exchange their clothing and to give up their valuables. The town of Laurel Run is in the throes of excitement, a string of horses belonging to the sheriff having been stolen. The unknown criminal is the Gambler and he has sold the horse to two Mexicans. One of the horses, a pony, and the Sheriff's favorite mount, escapes the Mexicans and wanders into an open plain. John and Conscience, discovered by the train crew, are thrown from the car and wandering along come upon the pony. John mounts it and with Conscience at his side, goes to Laurel Run. The sight of two vagabonds entering the town, one of them riding the Sheriff's pony, is positive proof to the villagers that the strangers are the thieves; that is, all except the Sheriff's daughter, the postmistress of the village. Instinctively she feels they are innocent. The Gambler proclaims that they be punished, and incites a mob to wreak its vengeance. The Girl steps in, however, and at the point of a gun stays them off, pending the return of her father, who, with a posse, has gone after the thieves. Meanwhile the Sheriff returns with the stolen horses and the crowd's temper changing, it disperses. In time John becomes a popular citizen. He has fallen in love with the Girl, much to the chagrin of the Gambler. Through the Girl's efforts John gets a place as a rural free delivery letter carrier. Meanwhile the Gambler's antipathy for John has increased, and he attempts to find a way to discount him in the eyes of the Girl. One day he spies John intently reading a newspaper which carries a story to the effect that the Woman had been acquitted in the Libertine murder case and that a search has been instituted for John David, whom she has accused. John hurries away leaving the paper lying on the ground. The Gambler picks it up and divines through the story the cause of John's agitation, wires the New York police department of John's whereabouts. John proposes marriage to the Girl and is accepted. Some days elapse when a long legal-looking envelope addressed to the Sheriff arrives. John discovers it as he sorts the mail. Fearing the worst, he succumbs to temptation, opens it and finds an announcement of a reward for his capture. Resolving to keep his secret he places the envelope in his pocket. Later a stranger arrived in the city. His mission was unknown, though he posed as an automobile salesman. The Gambler, still alert for evidence, shadows John and one evening finds him alone in his cabin gazing meditatively at the reward sheet and the photo of the Girl laying on the table before him. The Gambler enters and at the point of a gun obtains the sheet. A fight follows, a lamp is knocked down, the house is set into flames and John, after overcoming the Gambler, escapes just before the house collapses. The next day John and the Girl are to be married. The Stranger enters the post-office, obtains his mail from John and leaves. At noon the wedding ceremony is held. In the midst of it John suddenly draws back in horror and shouts that the marriage cannot continue, that he is a murderer. At this point the Stranger introduces himself to the Sheriff as a detective, and taking from his pocket a letter from his chief reads an announcement of John's innocence; that the Libertine was killed by Yamato, who confesses on his death bed. So the Conscience of John David was satisfied and glorified. John turns to go out but the Girl holds out her arms to him and the Sheriff clasps his hand and gently moves him into the arms of the Girl.