Cinematic Discoveries Following the Footsteps of Whoso Findeth a Wife: Cult Guide

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Cowboy Mark West lives with his sister Mary, who suffers from a serious spinal disorder. While on vacation at the West's ranch, Violet Ridgeway, an Eastern socialite, toys with Mark's affections and then promptly forgets him. After Violet leaves, Mark works hard and earns the money to pay for an operation for his sister, which Doctor Welsh and Doctor Boyd agree to perform even though they know that it will probably result in her death. As expected, Mary dies, and Mark receives a letter detailing the doctor's risk-taking. A vengeful Mark kills Dr. Boyd, but Welsh, who is engaged to Violet, flees to safety. Mark goes to prison, but later Violet marries him in order to satisfy a stipulation in her late aunt's will. On his way back to jail, Mark escapes, and when Welsh and Violet reunite, they travel past Mark's hideout, and he captures them. Peblo, an evil Indian who is infatuated with Violet, kidnaps her, but Mark kills him. During the fight, Welsh behaves like a coward, and an enlightened Violet escapes to freedom across the Canadian border with Mark.

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

Lucy Millington is an independent woman who looks upon men with contempt. Novelist Donald Prime, who has written a book on women, considers himself an authority on the subject. Both are lured into the desolate backwoods of Arcady by adventurers who plan to keep them in captivity until a fortune bequeathed to them has been safely deposited in the hands of their rivals. While attempting to find their way back to civilization they face many dangers including a canoe trip in perilous waters and an encounter with a band of outlaws. Finally, through sheer pluck and daring, they reach their lawyer just in the nick of time to claim their inheritance. During their days stranded in Arcady, they discover their love for each other, and so after they leave the lawyer's office, their next stop is to the justice of the peace.

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George Castleman, an engineer, succeeds in securing the supervision of a big railroad in the west. He hurries home to tell the good news to Mildred, his wife. As usual she is at the Bridge Club, or other place of amusement, but being so full of his good luck he phones her to come home at once. However, she continues to play her game of bridge for another hour. An hour later she enters with excuses to George, who allows her kisses to make it all right. He eagerly tells her the news and she is delighted, but when he talks of her going with him, she says: "Surely you do not expect me to go with you?" He laughingly explains that it is not tor a few months, but for years; that it is a big railroad. But she persists in her refusal to go with him. He makes arrangements for the trip, and goes off alone to face the wilderness, with Mildred's words ringing in his ears, "When you want to see me, you can easily come home." George reaches the west and the building of the road begins in earnest, but it is slow work in the mountainous country. One day Dan Holden, while sitting in front of his hut in the mountains, with his little grandchild Zell, sees in the distance the railroad crew breaking through the forest. As they draw nearer and nearer, day by day, both are fascinated by the work, never before having seen cars, tracks or steam shovels. Zell is attracted to George and he somewhat to her. However, he explains to her that he is married but she persists in seeing him, if only to cheer him up. One day, while returning from watching the men at work, old Mr. Holden falls and seriously injures himself. George carries him to his hut but the injury is too much for the aged man to survive and he dies two days later. Lonesome, Zell shares her lonesomeness with that of the engineer. Months later, strange are the happenings in the little mountain hut and also in the beautiful home in the city. Zell is a real little mother, being called the little mother of the hills, and George is bending over, looking at their new born babe with true love and happiness. On the other hand, Mildred has met a man named Morgan, a flirtatious society man, who has designs upon her and urges her to bring divorce proceedings against her husband. Leaving the city to get evidence against George, Morgan and Mildred arrive at the little village, leaving in a coach for George's hut. The driver, a half-witted chap, driving carelessly around a curve, drove his wagon and occupants over the edge of a cliff, losing his life as well as killing both passengers. The news was a terrible shock to George, but after directing his men to give the three unfortunates as decent burial as the little mountain place could afford, he was at liberty to consider Zell's love for him in a different light with the result that after marrying the little mother of the hills, he continues his work content at last that his wife and babe are worthy of his sacrifice.

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A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Fate's Boomerang perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

When Patricia "Patty" Hudson, a struggling New York writer becomes ill, her doctor, advising a restful occupation, arranges for her to be the private secretary to the aged James Winthrop, Sr. The closeness of their resulting relationship disturbs Winthrop's relatives, Mrs. Harrison Tyler and her daughter Sally, who hope to inherit his fortune. Mrs. Tyler writes slanderous letters about Patty to Winthrop's son Jim, in the aviation corps in France, and the rumors she spreads cause Patty to decide to leave. Winthrop, however, will not hear of it and proposes that they marry to quell the talk. Patty agrees but renounces all claims to his inheritance. After they marry, Winthrop dies from shock when he hears a false report of Jim's death. When Jim returns, he treats Patty with insolence, but after Patty sacrifices her reputation to protect Sally, the butler and his wife tell Jim the truth about Patty. Jim's subsequent proposal is accepted by Sally.

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Ludwig "Old Dutch" Streusand and his daughter Violet live in New York, and after years of hard study and labor Old Dutch completes his invention: the "teloptophone," a device which, when attached to a telephone, enables the speaker to see the party at the other end of the wire. He goes to John Rockmorgan with his invention and after he proves its worth, Rockmorgan agrees to finance his invention and gives him a check for $5,000 on account. Old Dutch and Violet have had a hard time life; now that his invention is a success, he feels that they deserve a Palm Beach vacation. To escape the publicity arising through the invention of the teloptophone, he also thinks it wise to assume another name to avoid being questioned and annoyed about his invention. He arrives at a Palm Beach hotel and registers under the name of John Mueller and daughter, and settles down to a period of rest and comfort. Harold, John Rockmorgan's son, has also gone to the hotel, and when he sees Violet, love awakens in his heart. They meet and she is happy in her first love affair. In the meantime, the vaudeville team of Bings and Bings is discharged from the theater in which they are playing because their act is so bad. They are in desperate straits and the male member of the team has the idea to go to a fashionable Florida hotel and somehow get hold of some of the millionaires' money. Old Dutch has become a great favorite with the children of the hotel, and on the day that Bings and Bings arrive there, he loses his pocketbook while playing with the kids. Mr. Bings has the good luck to spot it, and before they register he goes through the contents and sees the $5,000 check made out to Ludwig Streusand. When he finds that no such man is stopping there, he boldly signs the name of Ludwig Streusand and daughter. When Joubert, the hotel proprietor, learns that such an illustrious person is stopping with him, he immediately begins to give receptions and balls in his honor. Old Dutch is so wrapped up in having a good time that he is unaware a man is masquerading under his name, so when his week's bill is presented he is unable to pay it, as his check for $5,000 and all means of identification have gone with the pocketbook. Joubert is furious that Old Dutch cannot pay his bill and tells him that he and his daughter must either go to jail or work off their board bill, Old Dutch protests and says that his name is Streusand and John Rockmorgan is his partner. Joubert laughs at him and points at whom he thinks is the real Streusand. Harold tells the proprietor he feels sure that Old Dutch is speaking the truth. When Joubert asks him how long he has known him and in what way he can identify them, he is left without an answer. So they are put to work, Old Dutch in the stable and Violet in the kitchen. Meanwhile the vaudeville team of Bings and Bings are having the time of their lives. The female end of the sketch is doing her best to win Harold Rockmorgan, who still believes and loves Violet. After having been forced to perform various duties around the hotel, on the night of a banquet given in honor of the false Streusand, Joubert forces Old Dutch to be headwaiter. In the meantime Old Dutch has induced Harold to phone to his father to come down and identify his partner. At first he refuses, but Harold gets the teloptophone from Old Dutch and tells his father that he plainly sees the stenographer seated on his lap and unless he does come at once he will tell mother. That settles the old man. During the banquet Bings is called upon for a speech, and as he is telling his eager listeners what a wonderful man he is, Rockmorgan arrives downstairs in the hotel. The clerk hastens to tell Joubert. Old Dutch overhears the good news, and knows that his time has come. He tears down to the office, followed by Bings and the surprised guests. He runs up to Rockmorgan who quickly explains that Old Dutch is the real Streusand and the other is a faker. Bings and Bings' day is over, Harold and Violet are free to get married, and Old Dutch takes up his pleasure again.

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A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of His Father's Wife perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Charles Nelson is a self-made man and has amassed a fortune. His family consists of his wife, son Kenneth, and daughter Alice. His wife has become absorbed in society, requiring all the money her husband can made to support the large establishment and entertain. The wife, son, and daughter are out night after night, leaving Mr. Nelson much alone; while he pays the bills, he has little of the society of his family. He turns to vaudeville performer Kitty Claire for consolation and companionship. His son Kenneth gets into an argument with a friend at his club and hears that his father is keeping a woman in an establishment uptown. Kenneth returns home under the influence of liquor and insults his mother's companion, Mary Burke. Mr. Nelson enters, sees the situation and asks him what it all means. Kenneth turns on him and tells him that everyone knows he is keeping a woman in an apartment uptown. This conversation is overheard by Mrs. Nelson, who asks Mr. Nelson if it is true. He replies, "Yes." They agree to part. Kenneth clings to his mother. His sister Alice sympathizes with her father. She realizes that it is their own fault; they have given him nothing in return for all his labor in their behalf. Mr. Nelson is now living at the Alpine apartments, to which comes Kitty Claire. He tells her that the end has come. Meanwhile Kenneth, has come to see his father. Kitty, going out, hears him ask if his father is in, and seeks an acquaintance with Kenneth, who becomes infatuated with her, moves to the same hotel, and begins to live a Bohemian life with Kitty Claire and Dick LeRoy, another vaudeville performer. He finally asks Kitty to become his wife. She replies, "It is impossible, there is another man." The boy, crushed and brokenhearted, demands the man's name. Mr. Nelson enters at the point when Kenneth demands the name of the man. Kitty points to Mr. Nelson. Humiliated and ashamed Kenneth decides to end his life. He is about to write a letter when his mother arrives; she sees the pistol and tries to keep him from carrying out his plan. They are interrupted by a knock at the door; Kenneth is called down to the office by the clerk; while he is gone Mrs. Nelson seizes the opportunity to telephone Mr. Nelson, who arrives with Alice. Kenneth and his father are reconciled, also Mrs. Nelson, and her husband and the family are reunited.

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A wealthy society matron is enchanted by a world-renowned opera singer. Her jealous boyfriend, seeing his meal ticket slipping away, hypnotizes the singer and renders him mute. His ploy works, and the singer, now unemployable, soon runs out of money and is reduced to utter poverty. However, a figure from his past is in a position to help him regain his former fame and fortune

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

Kraus' little jewelry shop on the east side of New York is typical of that locality thirty years ago, and while his competitors advance with the times, he stands still in the simplicity of his kindly old soul, and devotes more time to his domestic affairs than to his business. In the rear of his small shop are the few immaculate rooms presided over by Katie, his motherly old housekeeper for many years, who also fills the vacancy of mother for Marie, the daughter of Kraus. Kraus' most intimate friend and neighbor is Spiegel, a kindred soul, and the father of Fred. Both parents have planned for years the ultimate union of their children. Marie, however, has other ideas on the subject, and has given her heart to Frank MacPherson, a worthless young "sport" and the son of her father's keenest competitor. From time to time a pinochle game at the home of one or the other is arranged by the two old Germans, as a pretext to throw Marie and Fred in each other's company. Fred's attentions to Marie on these occasions mislead the old folks, who do not see that Fred's sincerity is not returned. Marie's eighteenth birthday arrives, and in honor of the event, Kraus closes up shop, and with Marie, Katie and the Spiegels, journeys to the Jersey shore for a picnic in the woods. Frank follows them, and in the midst of their gaiety calls Marie to him. She slips away unseen, and tells him of the predicament that her blind love for him has placed her in. Unsympathetic, he speaks of her delicate condition as his "rotten luck." His craven mind plans further deception, and she becomes the victim of a mock marriage. Before leaving with Frank she sends a boy back to the picnic with a note to her father, telling of her intention. Old Kraus' grief upon its receipt is pitiful, and the holiday's joy is turned to sorrow. No word comes from Marie and Kraus broods over his loss until poverty and want confront him. He is at last compelled to accept a position in the store of his former salesman and a home with the Spiegels. Meanwhile, Marie and Frank have traveled down a parallel scale until he leaves her with her baby and goes away. Without support she is eventually dispossessed from her squalid room, and going she knows not where, encounters Fred, her father's choice. He persuades her to come home with him, where his sister Alice makes her comfortable. The Spiegels now plan a reconciliation, and by shrewd means bring father and daughter back to each other's arms. MacPherson has turned against his son Frank, and is the means of bringing him to an accounting. With his grandchild in his arms, Kraus' anger melts, and the glances he detects between Fred and Marie make him believe that his fondest hopes may yet be realized.

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While developing a powerful explosive, naval officer Paul Towne introduces his friend Richard Tracy to Judith Corbin, his friend since childhood. For years, Paul had assumed that he would marry Judith, but when Richard proposes, Judith, tired of waiting for Paul, accepts. Soon after the marriage, Richard becomes more interested in the new explosive than in his new wife, and to pay off gambling debts, he agrees to steal the formula and sell it to a foreign government. While spying at close range on a test of the explosive, however, Richard is killed, after which Judith, who has long since realized her mistake in becoming Richard's wife, accepts Paul's marriage proposal.

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The story relates how a valuable diamond is stolen by an Englishman from the eye of an Indian idol. The Englishman, on his return to London, is pursued by three Indian priests in disguise whose object is to secure "The Moonstone" at all costs, as failing its recovery, the priests will lose caste. The Englishman, Hearncastle, is found drowned, presumably having been killed by the Indians. The diamond passes into possession of Franklin Blake, his friend. Blake is followed by a band of Indian magicians. He presents the diamond to his fiancée from whom it is stolen. A detective is called in. Another girl in love with Blake commits suicide and suspicion attaches to her, as she leaves a mysterious note for Blake. Subsequently, Blake finds the diamond in the possession of a money-lender. His fiancée, learning of the dead woman's attachment for Blake, quarrels with him. A doctor discovers that Blake walked in his sleep and took the diamond himself while in that state. The diamond was stolen from Blake while he was asleep and never recovered. The thief confessed and died, and Blake and his fiancée were reunited.