Blanche Sweet

This short celebrates the 20th anniversary of MGM. Segments are shown from several early hits, then from a number of 1944 releases.

Broadway actress leaves New York to become a star in Hollywood, and succeeds despite sleazy directors and her own ego.

During a raid, a cop lets a pretty speakeasy employee escape and later begins dating her. Although she loves him, his salary and dull life leave her wanting.

A salmon fisherman has to choose between a bad girl and a society doll.

Richard Clark is a kind lawyer who decides to get tough after losing all his clients, but he discovers it's not that easy to be mean.

Heroine Dora de Zares comports herself in a most mysterious fashion in this spy mystery.

Bank clerk John Hart is about to marry Mary Kelly, but she insists that before that happens he must grow a mustache. The idea of that shakes him up so much that he gets distracted at work, comes up short in his accounts and gets fired. Unable to find another job, he begins to work as an extra at a nearby film studio to earn money. One day the leading man of a picture John is working on gets into an argument with the director and storms off the set. Angered, the director sees John and, deciding that he'll show his arrogant star that he can make a movie idol out of just about anybody, picks John to replace him. As it turns out, John has a real talent for acting and before he knows it he becomes a star. Unfortunately, "stardom" isn't what John thought it would be.

A young woman hits Hollywood, determined to become a star.

King Philip of Spain is jealous of his more popular brother, Don John, and sends him into battle against the Moors, hoping he will not return. Don John is in love with Dolores, daughter of General Mendoza, but the general discourages her, as Don John is betrothed to the Queen of England's sister. Don John returns victorious, and following a dispute over a secret letter, the king stabs his brother and leaves him for dead. When Mendoza accepts the blame, Dolores, who knows the truth, tells the court she had been dishonored by Don John, causing her father's reaction. Dolores then threatens the king that she will reveal his guilt unless her father is pardoned. The king pardons Mendoza, Don John recovers, and he and Dolores marry.

When the Duke of Wynningham, a "simple soul" who prefers science to royalty, meets Molly Shine, a London shop girl, he is enthralled by her love of books and begins to send her two pounds weekly so that she can purchase the books that she adores. Molly's mother discovers the money and, assuming that the duke is paying her daughter for immoral reasons, drags the girl to the duke's home, where she charges him with seduction.

An oil tanker burns at sea, and Molla Hansen, the captain's daughter, is the only survivor. Her rescuer, lighthouse-keeper Silas Martin, is fatally burned, and begs Molla to look after his daughter, Pearl. Meanwhile, Captain Rodney O'Malley, Molla's grief-stricken fiancé, departs on a long cruise. Two years later, Pearl is seduced by rum-runner Charley Watts, although she blames engineer Ira Meers. Molla learns of Pearl's pregnancy and holds Ira at gunpoint in the lighthouse. When Pearl discovers that Charley is already married, she locks him in the lighthouse tower, floods it with gas, and hurls a lighted lantern at him. Pearl and Charley are killed, but Ira recovers. The explosion signals Rod's ship, and he and Molla are reunited. A lost film.

Following a promise she made to her father on his deathbed, Laura Fairlie go to Scotland with Sir Percival Glyde to his mysterious mansion to be married. Once there, many strange and disturbing things happen. She meets a girl who has been a victim of Sir Percival's scheming in order to get her fortune.

Billy Morrow (Ben Lyon), who comes from a wealthy family, is sailing to Europe with his father (Holbrook Blinn) on their yacht. Along for the ride is Mrs. Parr (Claire Eames) and her stepdaughter. Near the French coast, Billy discovers that Mrs. Parr wants to arrange a marriage between him and the girl, so he escapes and takes a lifeboat ashore.

A young girl is seduced and raped by an older middle class man in Victorian England. After moving on with her path, she gets married. All is well until her husband discovers her past. Leading her on a life of wandering, murder, and execution.

Possibly lost film starring Blanche Sweet

John Douglas, a down-on-his-luck engineer, takes his sweetheart, Sara Deeping, to a play starring Carla King, and he falls in love with the actress.

A federal agent assigned to stop a bootlegging gang joins forces with the gang leader's wife and the sister of one of the ring's truck drivers to break up the gang.

A woman decides to take money from her wealthy mother to pay her gambling debts, but discovers that the contents of her mother's safe has already been stolen.

In planning to break into the house of the wealthy Bob Van Dyke, Jenny's stepfather decides that his stepdaughter should do most of the dirty work, and Jenny, not wanting to disappoint him, grudgingly agrees. As soon as she enters the house, Bob catches her, but then goes back to his bedroom after making her give her word not to take anything. Jenny breaks her promise...

The Secret Orchard is a 1915 American drama silent film directed by Frank Reicher.

During the Balkan Wars, Sonia is a young woman living in Montenegro and left to care for her younger brother Milos and the family farm while elder brother Marko goes off to battle. Unable to handle the daily tasks following her brother’s tragic death, help comes in the form of Mahmud Hassan, a captured Turk nobleman, now a prisoner of war. Tasked with helping Sonia, their initial frosty relationship soon melts into romance. As the war rages on Sonia, Mahmud and Milos will face near-insurmountable obstacles in their quest for a better life amidst the hell of war.

Griffith intercuts between the lives of two couples married on the same day. One couple is rich, the other poor. Time passes, and in desperation over joblessness, the poor husband attempts to burgle a home, only to be captured at gunpoint by the mistress of the house. It is the home of the rich couple. While holding the poor intruder at gunpoint, the rich wife accidentally discovers evidence implicating her own husband in a bribery scheme.

A feud over boundaries between the McKinstry and Harrison families, both from Kentucky, but squatting in California in search of gold, has caused Cressy McKinstry to show disdain for Joe Masters, a cousin of the Harrisons, even though she secretly loves him.

Each night, after the day's work at the factory, the three bachelor friends met and declared anew their attachment over a social glass. They bound themselves to remain thus as long as life might last, never to marry. But one was a traitor, while the other two were called away. A widened breach, a quarrel, fanned the resentment, but true friendship at last claimed its own.

Two sisters, Nellie and Florence, support themselves and their mother by sewing. A man accompanying a wealthy client tempts first Nellie and then Florence to leave with him. Nellie rejects him, but Florence goes to his decadent apartment and becomes his mistress. Nellie marries a diligent carpenter and raises a growing family. Eventually the Tempter tosses Florence out, and she dies alone and impoverished.

As the Civil War begins Ned Burton leaves his Southern love Agatha Warren and joins the Union army. He is later protected and saved from death by Agatha in spite of her loyalty to the South.

Hazel Gray, a young nurse, is in love with Phillip Carson, son of Mrs. Carson-Morgan, a philanthropist.

Thwarted by his despotic uncle from continuing his love affair, a young man's thoughts turn dark as he dwells on ways to deal with his uncle. Increasingly convinced that murder is merely a natural part of life, he kills his uncle and hides the body. However, the man's conscience awakens; paranoia sets in and nightmarish visions begin to haunt him.

When the Great Chief's body is placed before the funeral pile by his mourning braves, his sacred blanket is covered over it and a sentinel left to watch that this, his last resting place, is not desecrated. The tribe has just departed for their village when a mountain outlaw appears and succeeds in stealing the blanket, having given the sentinel doctored whiskey. When the Indians discover this they exile the unfaithful sentinel until he can recover the blanket.

Alice Dane, a struggling English schoolteacher, is swept into a dangerous and complex marriage with Sir John Turnbull after witnessing a crime. Taken to South Africa amidst a Zulu uprising, she faces danger and betrayal, forcing her to navigate survival and complex relationships in a tense, life-altering situation.

The story of the massacre of an Indian village, and the ensuing retaliation.

Country girl May loses at cards and must borrow $250 from Captain Stiles, but the wealthy roué's loan does not come without an expectation of repayment.

Blanche Sweet has a dual role in this picture -- she plays twin sisters, Edith, a sweet, normal young girl, and Grace, who is a drug fiend. They live in poverty with their parents and their father (Hal Clements) finally finds work. Because he is faithful to his boss (Thomas Meighan), he is offered a partnership.

An experiment goes wrong and blinds a newly married chemist. The chemist's wife does not want to take on the burden of caring for the blind chemist, and her younger sister take her place.

A blind princess is informed that her sight can be restored by the first kiss of unselfish love she receives. She remains blind until a humble poet steals a kiss.

In her youth the mother was saved from the fatal mistake by an accident, but it caused her years of separation from child and husband. It had occurred primarily through her self-righteous sister-in-law's domination and interference. A like fate and downfall threatened the daughter, now reaching maturity. The mother's insistence separated the child from her environment. Love and understanding did the rest.

Thieves decide to steal the money an old miser has hidden away. He refuses to open the safe for them, so they threaten to kill a little girl who lives in his building.

A young woman becomes infatuated with the leading man of a traveling theatrical troupe. She sneaks away to join him in the next town, but her father forces her to return home...

Headed by a young nobleman, the Russian League of Freedom determines to free the peasants from oppression by the government. Prince Paul Alexis is in love with Karin Dolokhof, daughter of the chancellor. Both are working for the league. Shortly after they announce their engagement the prince receives word from the Czar that he must marry the Princess Tanya, for political reasons.

STRONGHEART (1914) is a Native American Indian drama. Based on a famous play of the time, the film features an all-star cast. Originally five reels, the film was reissued at three reels in 1916.

The evils of drink cause a man to separate from his family. In time he becomes sober and prosperous. Then he meets and falls in love with a young woman, and they become engaged. Unbeknownst to him this young woman is his own daughter.

It was on the night of the Italian ball when Maria, to tease her sweetheart, Tony, indulged in a mild flirtation with Joe, his enemy. At first Tony's jealousy was aroused, but reasoning that it was no time nor place for anything but enjoyment, he smothered the feeling. However, Maria carried the flirtation too far and a tragedy was imminent. This tragedy, though, was averted through a small boy's daring, the girl fully realizing what might have been the result of her thoughtlessness.

The young authoress had come to the edge of the desert for her mother's sake. There she met the two young prospectors and a romance began. But the men were about to go across the desert, where they had heard rumors of gold. They decided to play square and before going determined to let the coin decide who should ask the young authoress the all-important question. The flip of the coin decided the older should try his luck first. He learned the girl did not love him. But the other she promised to marry when he should return from the gold lands, and the care of her sick mother, who would then be restored to health, should no longer interfere with her happiness. The young partners soon reached the other side of the desert, where success came to them far beyond their expectations.

Bert Stafford, who is in love with Sylvia Randolph, his mother's ward, despises Duncan Irving, a poor boy who is the object of Sylvia's affections.

Mike breaks into an apartment to steal an old man's money, not realizing it's his girlfriend's father. When he discovers whose apartment it is, he begs her for forgiveness.

A careless nurse girl allowing the child to wander away, made the mother realize the poignancy of the little verse: "If we knew the baby's fingers / Pressed against the window pane / Would be cold and stiff tomorrow / Never trouble us again / Would the bright eyes of our darling / catch the frown upon our brow / Would the prints of rosy fingers / Vex us then as they do now?"

A young woman's peaceful existence is shattered when she is abducted by the crew of a boat of smugglers, who then also turn against their captain.

The Goddess, the prettiest and best-natured girl that ever graced that little mining town, meets the tenderfoot prospector and leaves him another worshiper of her. His chances, however, are slim for Blue-grass Pete has won her affections, he having at an opportune moment saved her from the fangs of a snake which was about to attack her. Pete's affections turn to the Goddess's sister, while Pete's friends plot to rob.

Laura Bell runs away from her country home to the city, where she becomes a clerk in a department store. Her brother, Frank, follows her to New York, but is unable to place her. He becomes interested in a settlement house and obtains a position in social service work. Mary Ashton, daughter of the proprietor of the store where Laura works, is shocked to find that her father pays his clerks starvation wages.

Union soldiers march off to battle amid cheering crowds. After the battle turns against the Union Army, one soldier runs away, hiding in his girlfriend's house. Ashamed of his cowardice, he finds his courage and crosses enemy lines to bring help to his trapped comrades.

A country girl is persuaded to elope with the minister's nephew but she discovers that he is worthless. After he is killed in a brawl, her former sweetheart takes her back to her home.

The hero, a young contractor, is mistaken by the heroine for a laborer, while he thinks she is the maid although she is the daughter of the manor. The hero continues to represent himself as a laborer in order to see the maid. The daughter, in order to continue her impersonation, borrows the maid's clothes. At the end the two main characters are brought together in their true light with the blessing of their respective mothers.

Melaine is captured by a northern soldier while she is carrying secret southern messages. She falls into the hands of her father's former superior who attempts to compromise her. She is saved by a successful Confederate attack.

A pretty mountain girl has to decide between three suitors, an upright young man from the mountains, a shiftless fiddler, and a visitor from the city.

When a young girl is placed under hypnotism, it's discovered that she has a split personality.

A discouraged prospector is about to give up his search when he hears his two little children praying, "Please, God, help papa find gold." Their faith gives him new hope and their prayer is efficacious, for he does find it and so stakes the claim, intending to register it at his earliest opportunity. Meanwhile "Faro Kate" and her gambler husband ride by the claim and jump it, the husband urging Kate to go to the Claim Office and register it. When the prospector returns to his "diggings" he finds the gambler in possession and in a struggle the prospector falls and is hurt. The prospector's wife, arriving at the claim, realizes she must win the race to the Claim Office.

In the 7th-century B.C., the Assyrians storm the walls of the Jewish city of Bethulia, leaving its people frightened and ready to hand their homes over to the invaders. As the Assyrians close in, the citizens are cut off from the outside world, and they began to starve. Seeing her people's desperation, Jewish widow Judith poses as a harem worker, winning her entry into the Assyrian camp, where she plans to kill their general, Holofernes.

The Tear That Burned is a silent movie drama.

Agnes, a singer in a country church, is practicing one day when a vaudeville manager hears her and offers her a job. Over the objections of the curate who loves her, she accepts the offer and goes to the city. Later the curate goes to hear Agnes perform and, fearing that her soul is being corrupted by show business, he asks her to return to the small town with him. When she refuses, he is prepared to kill her in order to protect the purity of her soul. This brings about her change of heart, and together they return to the little church.

On a whim, a greedy tycoon decides to corner the world market in wheat. This doubles the price of bread, forcing grain producers into charity lines and others further into poverty. The film contrasts the differences between the lives of those who work to grow the wheat and the life of the man who dabbles in its sale for profit.