Cinematic Discoveries Resonating with the Themes of All Americans: Cult Guide

Dir: Hal Roach

An American book salesman (Lloyd) is persuaded to go to the kingdom of Thermosa to impersonate the Prince. He is greeted by a peasants' revolt before the real prince shows up to claim his throne and princess. The revolution succeeds, and the American is elected president of the new republic.

Dir: Frederick J. Ireland

An unemployed cook takes her shot at working for an upper class family. When none of their fancy guests show up to a party, she and the butler impersonate them.

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

Dir: Frank Moser

The simple story is about two siblings, little brother Bud and big sister Susie. After they've been reading "Huckleberry Finn" they dream of adventures on the Mississippi River.

Dir: Victor Heerman

The night of the Policeman's Benefit is at hand and all the coppers with their wives are in the audience. On the stage is a magician. Everything goes well until he asks for the officers' watches. Presumably he will turn them into eggs or something. He has a charming confederate and both enter compartments. When they don't reappear, the curtains are lifted and the fakirs are absent. They escaped through a trap in the stage. Then the chase is on.

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

Dir: Lasse Ring

Mr and Mrs Stockholm visit the Paul U. Bergström (PUB) department store to buy a new wardrobe for a journey. They visit different departments, where the future Greta Garbo (Gustafson at the time) is one the models showing outfits for Mrs Stockholm.

Dir: Alfred J. Goulding

Two tramps wrest a pistol from a hold up man, then try to pull a stick up of their own, unfortunately for them, a cop appears and takes the money back and then chases them through a park with a lake. One steals canoe and the chase continues when a mob of cops go after him in more boats.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Chicken à la Cabaret perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Claude Friese-Greene

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Vernon Stallings

Krazy Kat is held in jail and Ignatz finally bails him out after encountering "guilt".

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of How Not to Dress perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dir: Reggie Morris

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Edgar Jones

A mail-order bride arrives at a Maine lumber camp but doesn't like her prospective husband.