Recommendations
Senior Film Conservator

The evocative power of Forbidden Waters (1926) continues to haunt audiences with its unique vision, the artistic provocations of Forbidden Waters demand a follow-up of equal intensity. Explore the following titles to broaden your appreciation for Comedy excellence.
The visceral impact of Forbidden Waters (1926) stems from to transcend the limitations of its 1926 budget and technology.
After divorcing her husband in Reno, Nancy Bell is arrested for speeding and thrown into jail. Unable to pay the fine, she wires her former husband, J. Austin, for help; he comes to Nevada and gets her out of the clink. A blonde crook named Ruby becomes enamored of J. Austin, and Nancy, who still loves her former husband, does everything within her power to prevent J. Austin from falling in love with the gold digger. Eventually Ruby is arrested by the police, and Nancy and J. Austin are remarried by a bemused preacher.
The influence of Alan Hale in Forbidden Waters can be felt in the way modern Comedy films handle unique vision. From the specific lighting choices to the pacing, this 1926 release set a high bar for atmospheric immersion.
Based on the unique unique vision of Forbidden Waters, our vault has identified these titles as the most compelling follow-up experiences for fans of Comedy cinema:
Dir: Maurice Campbell
Carver Endicott, a young sophisticate, is rejected by his fiancée for being too foppish and dull. When she feigns an interest in his father, Carver attempts to disgrace his family name by working as a farmhand and later as a busboy in a hotel. However, the newspapers only praise him for his self-sacrificing principles; and finding that he cannot bring shame to the family through menial labor, he takes up with a notorious actress. But when this maneuver also fails, he returns to his former fiancée, who has no further complaint about his being an inexperienced dullard.
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Dir: Lloyd Ingraham
While walking along the street one day, Arthur P. Hampton, an impoverished young doctor, and his chums, Stub Masters and Johnny Stokes, are persuaded to part with their last remaining funds by tag day solicitor Mary Jane Smith, with whom the doctor promptly falls in love. Doc's friends then hit upon a get-rich-quick scheme. Knowing that his Uncle George has promised a large sum of money upon his nephew's marriage, they persuade Doc to send out fake wedding invitations naming Mary Jane as the blushing bride. Uncle George, elated at the good news, writes to Mary Jane's aunt, Angelica Burns, an old sweetheart, to invite Mary Jane and Angelica to be his guests on an ocean voyage. Meanwhile, Mary Jane pays a visit to the doctor's office and, upon seeing the wedding invitations, becomes so flustered that she trips and sprains her ankle. Doc comes to her rescue and then begs her to pose as his wife. She agrees, but at ship-side, Stub and Johnnie confess all to Uncle George, who flies into a rage until Doc announces that he and Mary Jane have chosen a wedding at sea.
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Dir: Henry Edwards
A millionaire bets £25,000 that he can earn his own living for six months.
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Dir: Sidney Franklin
A chorus girl hopes to rise to stardom and thus accepts the advances of a wealthy man. But she becomes fearful of her reputation and safety. In an attempt to escape the rake's attentions, she hides out with a disparate group of men who room in a house called "The Barn." There she learns that there is more to life than that found on the stage.
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Dir: Herbert Blaché
After Schuyler Rutherford's divorce from his rich wife Caroline, who was his meal ticket, his sister Kathleen is so humiliated by the fact that her penniless condition was brought to light during the court proceedings that she seeks solace in her sculptor friend Mary Carter, who offers her a job as her secretary. While working, she becomes acquainted with Mary's wealthy cousin Robert Winston when she overhears him denouncing parasitic girls like Kathleen. Vowing revenge, Kathleen assumes a false name and obtains a position as Robert's secretary, determined to make him fall in love with her. Kathleen's plan succeeds, and then, to spite Robert, she announces her engagement to wealthy Murray Van Allan. After a series of incidents, Robert makes Kathleen realize that she really loves him and, after forgiving him, she agrees to be his wife.
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Dir: Robert Thornby
Mary Willard takes over her father's railroad after his death. Her major competitor is a ruthless crook named Harvey Judson. She arranges for Judson to be kidnapped and taken to an isolated spot deep in the forest and turned loose to fend for himself. She accompanies the kidnappers to the wild and Judson, not knowing who she is, begins to fall in love with her. Complications ensue.
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Dir: Jerome Storm
Ne'er-do-well Homer Cavender ventures to the city from Mainsville in an effort to find fame and fortune. Both elude him, and after clerking for two years, Homer returns home for a vacation. Impressed by his flashy clothes, the townspeople assume that Homer has achieved success. Attempting to win Rachel Prouty from his rival, Arthur Machim, Homer continues the deception by announcing that his employer, Kort and Bailly, has dispatched him to enroll stockholders for a proposed new plant to be built in Mainsville. Machim discovers the sham and denounces Homer as a crook. Meanwhile, Homer returns to New York, convinces his employers of the merits of his plan and comes home triumphant, with a proposal for both the new plant and for Rachel's hand in marriage.
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Dir: Mason N. Litson
Edgar and his chum try to amass a fortune in one day by cornering the fan market on a hot afternoon when the circus comes to the small town where they are spending their vacation.
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Dir: Unknown Director
The village youths are rivals for the hand of the local belle. Their battles lead them to the village store, where chaos soon reigns, terminating in the place being blown up, leaving Bobby a happy victor.
View DetailsAnalysis relative to Forbidden Waters
| Film Title | Atmosphere | Complexity | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| An Amateur Devil | Tense | Linear | 98% Match |
| Mary's Ankle | Surreal | High | 86% Match |
| The Amazing Quest of Mr. Ernest Bliss | Gritty | Linear | 86% Match |
| Two Weeks | Surreal | Linear | 94% Match |
| The Walk-Offs | Gothic | High | 88% Match |
This guide was algorithmically generated using the cinematic metadata of Alan Hale's archive. Last updated: 6/18/2026.
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