Cinematic Era: 1917 Vintage

The Pullman Bride is a 1917 American silent comedy film directed by Clarence G. Badger and starring Gloria Swanson.

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 municipality. En route, he becomes involved with a gang of anarchists who order him to kill the prince he is supposed to be impersonating.

A 1917 film directed by Edward Morrissey.

Sensible Betty Manners is the wife of the frivolous John Manners. John fritters away his time playing the horses rather than paying attention to his job on Wall Street. He pays dearly for this when the market goes wrong, and he is wiped out. Coincidentally an old friend, Sir Harry, arrives bringing the news of a vast fortune left Betty and she is now Lady Betty. Betty keeps the news a secret from John, who has taken up with a Mrs. Airlie. But as John comes to believe Betty has become involved with Sir Harry, his jealousy is awoken, and he acts rashly until explanations all around straighten everything out.

Silent version of the Twain tale, filmed in Pleasanton, California. A Missouri boy (Jack Pickford) encounters his first love (Clara Horton) and bucks responsibilities to find adventure with his friend, Huck Finn (Robert Gordon).

In the days before the U.S. enters World War I Marion Ashley, an American woman living in Paris, discovers that her husband, Franz Jorn, is a spy. So she leaves him and goes to the neighboring (and fictional) neutral nation of Belmark to stay with her father, an American Ambassador. After she hears her husband has been killed, she resumes an old romance with the Crown Prince and they go through a secret morganatic marriage ceremony.

A reception in their small village in celebration of the Count’s daughter Ann’s engagement to Baron Moreno is disrupted by the news that a mine in which the whole village has invested is worthless. Having persuaded the townspeople to invest their savings in the venture, the Count commits suicide, and the baron jilts the now-destitute Ann. Bereft Ann marries American promoter Slater, moving to the United States in hopes of earning enough to pay off her father's debts and the couple have a child. However, the baron follows Ann, raping her. Slater's jealous mother uses this opportunity to break up their marriage. Ordered from the house Ann has no option but to turn to the baron for sanctuary. Slater attempting a reconciliation for their child’s sake tracks her to the baron house where a fight occurs with both men being mortally wounded. Ann returns to her child; finds her mother-in-law repentant, and the three return to France to repay the debt.

Bank cashier Ramsey Latham is sentenced to prison for violation of the banking laws. On his way to the penitentiary, he encounters Hilary Kenyon, a young girl who speaks encouragingly to him. Later he is surprised to discover that Hilary is also a prisoner, having been found guilty of manslaughter for killing a man who attacked her.

When Mary O'Brien falls in love with Ernest Randall, the younger son of an English baronet, she gives herself completely to him and becomes pregnant. Her father (Robert Broderick), an Irish gentleman, finds this out and demands that she marry Randall.

A young man is about to marry; it is the dawn of his wedding morn. The bride-to-be is also present; but while she eagerly pursues preparations for the wedding, the bridegroom is kidnapped by a jealous cousin who is envious of his position as heir of a fortune.

The Earl of Selkirk and his family learn of the impending arrival of American pirate John Paul Jones, they flee their castle, leaving behind Nora, the kitchen maid. Left alone in the house, Nora dons the clothes of her mistress and parades herself about the castle until the arrival of the king's light infantry. Because they mistake her for the lady of the house, she invites them to be her guests.

Inconsiderate millionaire John Benson, philanthropist Oliver North, courageous Langdon Crane, wealthy idler Robert Curtis and Lydia Benson are among the passengers on an ocean liner that is sunk by a German submarine. Carried away by the currents to a tropical island, the castaways endure hardships which bring out their true natures.

In Belgium, at the outbreak of the war, Russian agent Olga Raminoff shoots at a German general when the enemy enters town. Ray Bourke, an American traveler, gives her the protection of his name, but nevertheless both are sentenced to death. They are rescued by an allied rescue plane and later, bound for home, Ray meets an old college friend, Curt Schreiber, who is in the service of the German government. Schreiber has important papers to be delivered to Washington and, knowing that he will be searched on board ship, gives them to Ray. Olga beseeches Ray to give the papers up for her sake, but his word to Schreiber is sacred. Nearing America, Ray tells her that he will make an effort to return the papers if she will marry him.

The emperor issues a counterblast against liquor and the "wets" try to kill him. Damon saves Pythias from the headsman's axe and the lives of both are spared.

Deserted by his wife Arline, who absconds with their baby daughter Ruth as well, Robert Travers loses all faith in women. Years later, Travers, now known as the man without a soul, is the owner of a chain of department stores in which young Ruth Carroll is employed as a ribbon clerk. Finding himself strangely attracted to the girl, he takes a fatherly interest in her and offers Ruth a position in his office. Laura Wilson, who wants Travers for herself becomes jealous and tries to lure the girl away but Travers comes to realize she is his own daughter.

The sheriff, Dan Beckham, and his deputy, Bud Cameron, are posting signs offering a reward for the capture of Cheyenne Harry, accused of holding up a Wells Fargo shipment. Shortly after they have tacked the sign to a tree Cheyenne Harry removes it.

A farmer's wife decides to take her children and leave her gambling addict husband.

The one was a venturer - the other an adventurer - the one a man who wanted to see adventure, but who had never been beyond the city limits - the other a man who had seen adventure in all parts of the world, and who assured the venturer that things were just as monotonous every place in the world as in the city. So they met, each seeking for the unconventional, on a New York street, and dined together as men out of luck, with two cents between them - and still nothing happened. They both had credit at the hotel. Then into their lives came the feminine influence - a sweet girl who lived in a house which was irrevocably a household. The adventurer hesitated - he had yet to satisfy his longing for the incalculable. Suddenly love changed the venturer into an adventurer, and settled the adventurer into a venturer.

Wanting to escape from the drab life of the country, Helen Wayne moves to the big city and becomes a secretary for the Calder family. Just before beginning her new job, however, Helen meets a man who promises to take the hungry girl to dinner. When she goes to the prearranged meeting place, she is arrested and her name is put on the police record. Some time later, Helen and young Rand Calder fall in love. As they are about to announce their engagement, Martin Ingleton, the man who earlier had caused Helen's arrest, attempts to ruin Rand's business ventures. When all of the principals go to court to fight the issue, Ingleton recognizes Helen and tries to label her a woman of unworthy character. Instead of causing Rand to admonish her, however, Ingleton instigates Helen to tell the judge her story and she is exonerated.

When Dad Petzel is swindled out of the Busy Bee mine, his partner, Duke Farley, ventures East to capture the crooks.

While on vacation in New York, millionaire cattle rancher John Keyes falls in love with musical comedy star Fritzi Carlyle. Recognizing the opportunity for a great story, Fritzi's press agent encourages her to accept the Westerner's proposal of marriage, only to deny it the next day in a wave of newspaper publicity. Disheartened, Keyes returns to Arizona and Fritzi continues performing until she suffers a nervous breakdown. Reading of Fritzi's misfortune, Keyes returns East, kidnaps Fritzi and takes her to Arizona. There, the change of climate performs wonders and she recovers quickly. Meanwhile, her stage manager sends detectives after her, and when they arrive in Arizona ready to arrest Keyes for kidnapping, Fritzi explains that the whole adventure was an elaborate publicity stunt and announces that she and her Arizona cowboy are going to be married.

Snitch steals Ginger's (stolen) baseball tickets and takes Ginger's girl to the game. Finding himself without tickets, Ginger dresses as a baseball player and wins the game. A possible debut of the "Glasses" or "Boy" character.

An inventor and his assistant build a robot that looks like their janitor, and everyone tries to profit off the invention.

Andrew Maxwell is so intent on creating a universal language that he completely neglects his wife, Laurette, and daughter, Ruth. Laurette decides she wants to return to the stage and is encouraged by Charles Prescott, a former suitor. When Maxwell discovers Laurette and Prescott together, he berates her, and she angrily moves out, taking Ruth along with her.

Hal, now fully grown, leaves his wife Edith and his estate in England to return to the land of his Indian mother.

An Englishman and his valet tour the American West.

An early animated short based on the Japanese folktale. There is some confusion as to which version is which, as there are other animated takes on the tale: 1927s "Yasuji Murata’s Monkey and the Crabs", and 1939s "Monkey and Crabs" or ‘Shin Sarukanigassen’ from Kenzô Masaoka

Krishna Dhwaj, the son of the Maharajah of Rhamput, is in love with Lakshima, the daughter of the Maharajah of Bhartari, but their fathers will not allow them to marry. Krishna is then sent to Harvard to get an American education. Lakshima, determined to kill herself when her father orders her to marry an old man, jumps into the ocean. She does not drown, however, but is rescued by George Morling, a Bostonian, who smuggles her on board his ship dressed in boy's clothing. George, the son of a minister, is engaged to a proper Bostonian woman. Although he has not behaved improperly, George fears that his fiancé and her father will not understand the situation, and so he hides Lakshima in a trunk. Once back in Boston, George's fiancé discovers Lakshima and is horrified, but after several misunderstandings, George and his fiancé are reconciled, and Lakshima is able to find and marry her Indian sweetheart Krishna.

Railroad president, John Houston, along with his daughter Marjorie and his fiancee, Elinor Craig, are aboard the express train when it is held up by a gang of outlaws. Outlaw Dan Tracy, is attracted to Marjorie, who, filled with dreams of romance, returns his interest. They exchange rings and later meet secretly in the city. When Houston learns that his daughter's new suitor is an outlaw, he hires a detective to investigate. The investigation indicates that Tracy is Houston's son by a former marriage, and Houston, mortified, allows the outlaw to escape. Tracy then persuades Marjorie to elope with him and takes her to his shack in the hills where she is rudely awakened to the realities of outlaw life. Houston arrives to save his daughter, and after Tracy is killed by Rosanne, the woman he betrayed, it is revealed that Tracy was not his son but an offspring of his former wife and an outlaw. A lost film.

Tillie and her neighbor Mr. Pipkins are both distraught over their respective marriages. One day, they sneak off to have a lively time at Coney Island. They flee the park together just as their spouses come to find them. After a chase, each is rescued from the ocean and reconcile with their respective spouses.

A 1917 film directed by Elmer Clifton, Joseph Henabery, and Dorothy Gish.

Hiram Danforth (William Farnum) is on a quest to find his birth mother, a search complicated by his upbringing and the social context of the time. The movie explores the themes of his murky, repressed past, and the journey he undertakes to uncover it.

Donald MacTavish, the last chieftain of his clan on an island off the coast of Scotland, dies at sea. This leaves his only daughter, Marget, to assume the responsibilities of leadership. Marget's burden is partially eased by her blossoming romance with Jamie Campbell. But there is a secret from Jamie's past that neither of them know about.

Bob Fulton is the superintendent of a mine in the West. He wins the enmity of dancehall owner Jack King when he saves one of the girls, Rose De Braisy, from his unwanted advances. Fulton also wins Rose's love, which he does not return. The mine's owner sends his troublesome son, Roland Holt, out West to work at the mine. Before Holt leaves the East he secretly marries Beth Hoover. Upon Holt's arrival, Fulton tries to befriend him, but Holt prefers the company of bad-guy King.

Lola Montrose ignores the scorn of society to live with Dr. John Hampton, the man she loves. After tiring of his mistress, Hampton tells Lola that he is planning to marry a "good woman" who will exert the proper influence over his son Irwin. Begging Hampton to marry her, Lola confesses that she too has a son, who is being reared in a religious institution for homeless children, but Hampton insists that he must not darken his son's future. Thirsting for revenge, Lola determines to marry Irwin. After inebriating the youth, Lola takes Irwin to the minister, who refuses to perform the ceremony. Too drunk to realize that there has been no wedding, Irwin takes Lola home and introduces her as his wife.

Billy Carter and two Mexicans, Cuteo and Estaban, are smugglers of opium which they bring across the border from Mexico into the United States. The authorities are unable to apprehend them, so "Pinnacle" Bill and "Cheyenne" Harry of the Arizona Ranger Service are sent to assist the sheriff, Dan Beckham, and the inspectors in their search.

La storia dei tredici is an Italian silent film starring Lyda Borelli.

A lonely wife runs off with a traveling actor, taking her boy with her but leaving her daughter behind. The boy, Byron Bennett, grows up, and is stranded back in Mayville with a theater troupe. To make enough money to get out of town, they teach the local fire department how to put on a play. While the village cutie Grace Jessup is being shown how to act, one of the troupe tries to seduce her. Byron, knowing what the lecher is up to, even if Grace doesn't, follows the pair and chokes the man senseless.

The sheriff, Dan Beckham, and his deputy, Bud Cameron, are posting signs offering a reward for the capture of Cheyenne Harry, accused of holding up a Wells Fargo shipment. Shortly after they have tacked the sign to a tree Cheyenne Harry removes it.

Orphan Hilda Swanson's prayers are answered when a Swedish-American colonization company agrees to send her to America. Aboard the steamer, she meets Olaf, a young Swede, and Donna, an enemy courier who is posing as a passenger. Learning that the secret service is on her trail, Donna sews secret documents into the hem of Hilda's skirt. She then sends a wire to her comrade Felix Martinez, notifying him to intercept the Swedish girl.

An American is sent to Germany to unearth the identities of German agents operating in the U. S. He infiltrates the German secret service in an attempt to abscond with a list of undercover German operatives.

Serama, the consort of Lucifer, is driven from Paradise by the Archangel Michael, who commands Conscience to enter human souls to judge and punish them. In the main story, society girl Ruth Somers, a reincarnation of Serama, prepares to marry Cecil Brooke, the wealthiest man of her set. Her guardian, Dr. Norton, an incarnation of Lucifer, constantly accompanies her. Ruth is summoned to the Court of Conscience, where the witnesses, Lust, Avarice, Hate, Revenge and Vanity, testify about Ruth's history of seducing and abandoning men. This behavior resulted in the suicide of Madge, the lover of Ned Langley, whom Ruth enthralled and promised to marry, and also the deaths of two rivals for her love. Ruth is ordered back to earth to learn her sentence. When Ned interrupts the wedding, Ruth scorns him and he shoots himself. After Brooke leaves her, the Court dooms Ruth to live with the torment of remembrance. Ruth sends Norton away, and then kneels and repents.

Prosecutor Olsen's lover, the singer-songwriter Betsy, leaves him for a new passion. And he, speaking in court as a prosecutor, remains deaf to the dictates of feelings, a ruthless servant of the harsh Law. Some time later, Betsy kills her new lover in a fit of jealousy; Olsen, who retained his feelings, nevertheless becomes her accuser at the trial. He seeks the condemnation of Betsy, but comes to the realization that he lived unrighteously, allowing himself to be judged, becoming a servant of Themis. Exit in the classic tradition of the great mute: Olsen commits suicide.

A young man is about to marry; it is the dawn of his wedding morn. The bride-to-be is also present; but while she eagerly pursues preparations for the wedding, the bridegroom is kidnapped by a jealous cousin who is envious of his position as heir of a fortune.

A father's strict upbringing of his beautiful but innocent young daughter may backfire on him when he finds she is being pursued by a lecherous cad who is determined to take her virtue.

Ester escapes an orphanage and finds employment with Dr. Hoff and later with dramatist Hugo Mayerling. After reading a play of his she succeeds on stage and marries him.

A clerk in a failing antiques store gets a big idea on how to move the merchandise so that he can save the store and possibly win the girl.

A 1917 short film directed by Hampton Del Ruth & Fred Hibbard.

This silent melodrama is set against the 1840s westward migration of the Mormons. Dora, a young woman, and her family are saved from an Indian attack by a Mormon community traveling to Utah. They join the wagon train. Dora is pursued by two men, one a recent convert, the other a scheming elder with a stable of wives. The Mormon elder wants her in his harem. When the mother kills herself from revulsion toward polygamy, the daughter must consider her own future and the man she loves. One of Mae Murray's few surviving films, this was intended by Robert Leonard to be a thoughtful drama about the goods and evils of Mormonism, but today it is generally considered pure anti-Mormon propaganda.