The Avenging Conscience

A Daughter of the Sea

November 1915 •English

Margot, the motherless daughter of a New England fisherman, dreams of a better life. After rescuing the wealthy Jack Rutledge's mother, Margot is taken in by the family. Jack and Margot fall in love against the will of his mother and must find a way to marry.

When It Strikes Home

May 1915 •English

Dick hastily marries a young woman, yet his wealthy father rips them apart. Unbeknownst to him, a son is born. Years later, Dick is in happy, but childless marriage when they decide to adopt a child. By chance and unknown to him, the boy is his son.

Torn Sails

October 1920 •English

Based on the novel by Allen Raine - In Wales, a girl loves a manager but weds her employer who dies in a fire lit by a jealous madwoman.

Evidence

May 1922 •English

Mother

October 1926 •Russian

A Soviet woman is caught between her husband and son, who find themselves on opposing sides of the Russian Revolution.

Return to Reason: Four Films by Man Ray

May 2024 •English

An immersion into the surreal and dreamlike world of painter, photographer and filmmaker Man Ray (1890-1976), one of the most prolific American visual artists, through four of his short films, brought to life by the atmospheric music of SQÜRL.

The X-Ray Fiend

October 1897 •English

A romantic couple are transformed into skeletons via X-Rays. The film combines two very recent innovations: Wilhelm Roentgen's discovery of X-rays in 1895, and Georges Méliès' accidental realisation of the special-effects potential of the jump-cut in 1896.

Silence of the Forest

November 1929 •German

A Page of Madness

September 1926 •Japanese

A man takes a job at an asylum with hopes of freeing his imprisoned wife.

Two Daughters of Eve

September 1912 •English

Calumny is one of the most despicable crimes against our neighbor, and while the wife in this story acted conventionally, she nevertheless maligned the other woman simply because of her profession, an actress. While out on a shopping tour, the wife and her husband enter a store, leaving their little child in the auto in the care of the chauffeur. This gentleman pays but scant attention to the child, so the little one wanders off and strolls into the stage door of a theater during the matinee. The parents upon their return to the auto discover the child's absence and trace him to the theater stage, where they find him in the arms of one of the show girls. The mother matches the child from the girl's arms, scornfully exclaiming, "How dare you contaminate my child with your touch?" For this remark, together with the derisive laughter it occasions, the girl vows to be avenged.

In the Aisles of the Wild

October 1912 •English

A widower and his two daughters live in the wilds of the north woods. They form the acquaintance of two trappers, Bob Cole and Jim Watson, who hunt in the neighborhood. As fate will have it, both trappers love the same girl, the elder sister, but she loves Bob, while the younger girl is attracted by Jim. The elder girl, however, through a woman's whim, pays marked attention to Jim simply to arouse jealousy in Bob. He, in temper, cannot reason her motive and leaves, so through pique she accepts and marries Jim. Later Bob revisits the place, feeling that the girl loves him best, and tries to induce her to go away with him. He finally succeeds and, as you may imagine, fate brings about justice.

Gold and Glitter

November 1912 •English

As the husband leaves for the lumber regions, his wife gives him a memory message to be opened after his arrival. Attracted by a maid, cherished by the love of two old brothers, he forgets it until sometime later. The message serves its purpose, however, for through it, after a thrilling experience, the maid learns the true value of the man's love, while he in his turn, goes back to his waiting wife and finds there, along with his shame and regeneration, his heart's desire.

A Cry for Help

December 1912 •English

Knocked down by an automobile, the intoxicated tramp is taken to the doctor's house, received and treated to a square meal. The husband of a patient has just died, calls on the doctor, intending to kill him. The grief-crazed man is foiled several times by the return of the tramp, whom the maid at last pushes out of the house. She hears the doctor struggling with his assailant and faints. The tramp hears the doctor's cry for help and enters by a rear window, despite the objections of a policeman, in time to save his benefactor.

A Misunderstood Boy

April 1913 •English

Everything he did seemed to be misconstrued, except by the little lady he loved. The town roisters made fun of her and his love. That made trouble and the chief vigilante believed him the cause of it all. So he was "in wrong" all around. The girl's father also sided with the opinion of the world, and sent both the boy and girl away. Mother was on a visit at the time, and therein the need of such a one at home was proved, for once back she sent the father out to bring them home again. The boy in the gold hills had been misunderstood again. Marauding merchants had left their victim on the mountain pass and the boy, coming on the scene, was again accused, but the lie in the end destroyed itself.

The Detective's Dog

February 1912 •English

When Kitty's family adopts a homeless dog they couldn't guess how much it would be of help in her fathers detective work.

Salomé

December 1922 •English

Based on Oscar Wilde's play, the films tells the story of how Salomé agrees to dance for King Herod in return for the head of John the Baptist.

The Devil in a Convent

January 1899 •French

A priest is officiating at a convent, when suddenly he is transformed into the devil, who frightens away the nuns and turns the place into pandemonium.

The Land Beyond the Sunset

October 1912 •English

A poor young boy goes on a field trip and dreams of escaping to a land beyond the sunset.

Suspense.

July 1913 •English

An isolated house is too remote for a lone servant, who leaves a note, quietly exits the back door, and puts the key under the mat. Left alone in the house is a mother and her infant. A tramp has watched the servant leave and begins to skulk. When the lady of the house sees him outside as he discovers the key, she's terrified and desperately phones her husband, who's at work in town. He jumps into a car that's idling in front of his office and races toward home, the car's owner, and police, in hot pursuit.

Lucha de corazones

September 1912 •Spanish

Paco, a jealous and bitter man who is in love with Rosario, conspires in the shadows to bring about the downfall of Manuel, her husband.