The Auteur's Selection In the Shadow of Words and Music by -: Cult Guide

Dir: Scott R. Dunlap

Harris Levi (Fred Warren) brings up Meg (Shirley Mason), who was left in his father's pawnshop by her mother. Anxious that she have a good environment, Harris takes her to live with his friend Robert. When her mother returns to claim Meg, Robert is revealed to be both Meg's father and the man with whom Harris' wife eloped. Meg is happily reunited with her parents and her sweetheart, Chick Saxe.

Dir: Scott R. Dunlap

Lawrence Hallor's plans to build model tenements for the poor are wrecked by his sweetheart's father, John Hamilton, a tyrannical political boss. He revives his plan under another identity, and Hamilton orders him crushed; but when Alice reveals his true identity, Hamilton revokes his order and sanctions the housing plan as well as his daughter's marriage.

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

Dir: Scott R. Dunlap

Champion race car driver Jack Darwin is invited to participate in a transcontinental race, which he loses when a competitor shoots him from an airplane. Jack later becomes a motion picture star and falls in love with an actress named Nadine, whom he saves from marrying a scoundrel. Jack enters another race, winning both the first prize and Nadine.

Dir: Scott R. Dunlap

Betty and Bob, guests at the brilliant De Courcey-Varnay wedding, suddenly decide to elope. Bob slips away to make accommodations at a nearby Inn, where they plan to spend a honeymoon. Betty prepares to join him, but is halted by a detective who demands to know the contents of her bag. She refuses, but is told by the sleuth that a necklace belonging to the bride had been stolen. She opens the bag, but Billy Trevor, standing nearby, stoops to help the young woman, dropping a handkerchief into the bag. He offers to accompany Betty to the station. The detective allows Betty to go, but holds Billy, who escapes and arrives at the Inn before the girl and Bob, who had figured in an automobile accident and [had been] taken to the hospital. Developments show that Billy had dropped the necklace in the bag and tries in vain to regain it, these efforts resulting in a series of complications. Finally Bob arrives and the bride is saved from further humiliation and embarrassment, while Billy makes a confession that exonerates everybody.

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

Dir: Scott R. Dunlap

Responding to the request of his uncle, Conroy Daly returns to the elder Daly's ranch to help in its management. When he arrives, Con is told by foreman John Hampton that his uncle has been killed and that he (Hampton) is in charge. Con conceals his identity but agrees with Hampton to "pose" as Conroy Daly while Della Moore, the sister of Daly's accused murderer, acts as Conroy's wife. Con eventually exposes Hampton, discovers that his uncle is alive, and asks Della to be a real Mrs. Daly.

Dir: Scott R. Dunlap

After being fired from his job on the "Evening Star" newspaper, cub reporter Jack Darwin (William Fairbanks) with the help of undercover police woman Ethel Bennett (Eva Novak), prevents the theft of the valuable Riko jewels. Jack gets his job back...and marries Ethel.

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

Dir: Scott R. Dunlap

Samuel Blevins, Jr.'s farm work suffers while he pursues a correspondence course on newspaper reporting. After he leaves the family farm and goes to the city, editors all turn him down until Ethel Williams, the author of the "Advice to the Lovelorn" column, who helps him with his style, recommends him to her managing editor. The Sunday Magazine editor, who loves Elinor, tries to ruin Sam's career by giving him the difficult task of writing a feature article. When Sam fails to think of a good story, Ethel, who now loves him, tells of the lost Princess Marie of Burvania, who is hiding in the United States. Sam's story causes the Archduke of Burvania to search for Marie, who is really Ethel, and after she is persuaded to return, Sam rescues her from a trap. He awakens to discovers that the story is a dream, writes another which is a success, and finds happiness with Ethel.

Dir: Scott R. Dunlap

When saloon owner Bill Lark detects that gambler Jim Pemberton is cheating, both men draw their guns. In order to prevent a double killing, it is agreed that the first shot should be decided by a draw from a deck of cards. Bill loses and Pemberton gives him three days to live. Meanwhile, Pemberton has persuaded Jess Jones to leave her husband and ride with him to his cabin in the hills where he is chief of a gang of bandits. Upon discovering his wife's absence, Scipio Jones follows Jess but is driven away by Pemberton's gang. After Jones fails, Bill retrieves Jess and brings her home. The next day, Bill is severely wounded when he drives a stagecoach through an attack by Pemberton's gang, but escapes to keep his date with the outlaw. Arriving to accept his fate of the last draw, Bill discovers that the outlaw has been killed by Scipio Jones. Provided with a new lease on life, the honest saloon keeper marries his sweetheart Little Casino.

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

Dir: Scott R. Dunlap

Boston Blackie, just released from prison, threatens the warden, Benton, that he will have him removed from his job for using the water cross, a form of torture, on prisoners. Blackie's sweetheart, Mary Carter, helps him avoid this torture after his return to prison. The officers pursue Blackie, capture him, and bring him back to Benton, but Mary reports to the governor, and they arrive in time to save Blackie from further torments by bringing his pardon. Benton is fired.

Dir: Scott R. Dunlap

Mrs. John Cleveland, victim of an overly-jealous husband, adopts a child but, fearing to bring it into her own household, furnishes another home for it, and places the little girl in charge of a nurse. Paul Horton, ex-convict and former sweetheart of Mrs. Cleveland, returns to the city and finds that his former nurse is the same woman who is caring for Mrs. Cleveland's child. Horton accuses her of leading a double life and demands money to keep the matter quiet. Her diamonds are given to him and he pawns them. The husband, finding the rings gone, places detectives on the trail. Finding that Horton has pawned them he shuns his wife. But Horton shows him a letter which proves that the child adopted by Mrs. Cleveland really belongs to her husband. Though the jealous husband had been unwilling to forgive, the loving wife grants forgiveness.