Cinematic Discoveries Resonating with the Themes of A Waiter's Wasted Life: Cult Guide

Dir: William Watson

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: William Watson

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

As Caesar and Marc Antony in the movies, the rivals fail and after various other crimes they land in the home of their mutual sweetheart. Father appears with a gun, but they escape by borrowing the girl's clothes.

Dir: William Watson

Charles and Bert who have defied the Volstead act are seen clambering about the roof of a building, high above a busy street. After a few hair-raising stunts that will give nervous ones in your audience a jolt. Bert demands money that Charles owes him. They end a fast chase on the roof of a building overlooking a lion's den. Here Bert slips down the roof in among the beasts and Bert lowers a flag to half mast, supposing of course this is the end of his pal. But to his astonishment Charles not only comes out alive but is seen reclining comfortably on one of the biggest lions.

Dir: William Watson

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Hold Your Breath perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Living in a private school while awaiting the fortune she will inherit if she remains unmarried until she's 21, Mary is not only already married, but also has a child with her gym-teacher husband. About to be discovered by the Principal's conniving son, they hide their baby in the attic of her dormitory.

Dir: William Watson

Walking along some country roads is a hazardous undertaking, a fact which Nervy Ned and his valet had brought to their attention very forcibly when a horse and carriage careened past them at the rate of about forty per. They just escaped by the skin of their teeth and, quite naturally followed the subsequent course of the vehicle as far as their eyes would permit. That, however, was far enough for the carriage drove in through the gate of a magnificent estate and stopped. The next thing the two "companions of the road" saw was a beautiful girl being carried, against her will, from the carriage. Being gentlemen they immediately went to her assistance. By tying a rope to the axle of the carriage and also the the villain's leg and giving the horse a none too gentle hint that it was time to move on they managed to get rid of the first obstacle in their path. The girl promptly fainted in Ned's arms and so with instructions to his valet to prepare the way he carried her into the house. What was there to greet them was not revealed to them until they had selected suitable clothing from a convenient wardrobe. Then they met them, while searching for water to revive the girl. Five or six skeletons. Frightened, they ran and were chased. Chased from room to room, until every room in the house had been covered. Then papa arrives with the police and the "skeletons" are captured. The girl relates the bravery of her hero to papa who offers monetary reward. Ned refuses, much to the disgust of his hungry valet, being satisfied with the beautiful smile the girl gave him. Nervy Ned says "Live in a box car and you'll have no family skeletons."

Dir: William Watson

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Up in Mary's Attic perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

The benefactor who made her father millions demands her hand in marriage as part of the bargain, but the daughter has her own sweetheart, who rushes to get a marriage license.

Dir: William Watson

Mr. Newlywed was a pleasant sight for sore eyes. He was hurrying home to his own wifie. Ye Gods. what a strange sight. He was in such a hurry that Motor Mike, the Cop could not keep up with him. The cause of all this rush was the prettiest, dimpliest little wifie you have ever seen, and she had the cutest dog, who did all kinds of tricks. The, only thing that marred their happiness was the fact that their Landlord was their next door neighbor. Mrs. Landlord was a domineering factor in the whole house. Her poor husband and cat had to shimmy the way she jazzed. The Newlyweds' dog and the Landlords' cat were friendly enemies. The dog chases the cat into Mrs. Newlywed's apartment, and the poor cat seeks shelter under her bed. Mr. Landlord was very fond of his cat and therefore followed the cat under the bed. Just then, Mr. Newlywed rushed into his house to escape the Cop. Mrs. Newlywed does some antics in trying to hide the Landlord under the bed. Her husband thinks she has gone crazy and tells her to help him hold the door shut so that the Cop won't get in. She gets up, and lo and behold there is Mr. Landlord as big as life. A general melee ensues where the Newlyweds and the Landlords have a terrible scrap. The Newlyweds beat up the Landlords and leave their house. When the Landlords regain consciousness, they vow vengeance. The Newlyweds are now comfortably settled in their "Dollar down and a dollar when you catch me bungalow." Their off-spring, Brownie, helps wifie in the kitchen, and hubby in the garden. He performs some of the most wonderful tricks that have ever before been seen on the screen. Their happiness is only short-lived, for the Landlords are on the job. While they slumber sweetly at night, the Landlords attach the bungalow to a horse and drive the bungalow into the ocean. The Newlyweds awaken in mid-ocean. They put a note in Brownie's collar. He swims ashore and gets the fire boat. In the meantime the villains are on shore and glorying in their sweet revenge. The lamp in the bungalow over-turns and a fire is started. The Newlyweds climb to the roof and are rescued by the fire boat where they fade out happily.

Dir: William Watson

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

Nervy Ned, blackened up so he can attend a negro barbecue without an invitation, forgets to smear burned cork on his hands and is chased by the irate negroes as soon as they detect him. Washing off his make-up in a nearby stream, he gets a taste of some contraband hootch being poured out by dry agents up stream. While pepped up by the hootch he volunteers to take a trip to Mars in a cannon invented by his sweetheart's father, Professor McKerony. The projectile lands a few miles away; Ned alights and is hit by a flivver. He immediately radios back to the professor that Ford, John D. and others, including Volstead, have been there first. The professor and his party, celebrating the success of his invention, arrive at the same café wherein Ned is drinking. After a general mix-up, explanations are made and all ends well.

Dir: William Watson

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: William Watson

After fleecing a group of people by pretending to repair their broken fountain pens, Ned and his valet seek refuge from the angry mob in a museum. They hide in a couple of empty mummy cases--which are soon taken out and moved to a lab where a group of scientists hook them up to electrical equipment with the intent of bringing the "mummies" back to life!