Recommendations
Archivist John
Senior Editor

The artistic legacy of Robert A. McGowan was forever changed by Growing Pains, this Short landmark continues to dictate the rules of its category. We've assembled a sequence of films that complement the tone of Growing Pains perfectly.
The vintage appeal of Growing Pains to maintain its cult relevance across several decades.
Mary Ann has a liking toward Wheezer. Her mother tells her that if she gives him cod liver oil, he can become a giant. A circus giant comes to board, learns the plan and substitutes for Wheezer.
Based on the unique artistic bravery of Growing Pains, our vault has identified these titles as the most compelling follow-up experiences for fans of Short cinema:
Dir: Charley Chase
A young married couple volunteer to take charge of several orphans after the asylum has burned down. Of course they find their hands full with their troublesome charges.
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: 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.
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: Bud Fisher
Mutt and Jeff go on strike and make their own film.
Dir: Reggie Morris
A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.
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Dir: Henry Edwards
A millionaire bets £25,000 that he can earn his own living for six months.
Dir: Eduardo Notari
A crime drama in the Gennariello-series. The police detective in Naples that is confronted with modern gangsters and crime events.
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Dir: Malcolm St. Clair
A dancing instructor gets involved with a newly rich family.
View DetailsAnalysis relative to Growing Pains
| Film Title | Atmosphere | Complexity | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Land of Opportunity | Gritty | Layered | 87% Match |
| Kids Is Kids | Tense | Layered | 94% Match |
| Get-Rich-Quick Edgar | Tense | Abstract | 95% Match |
| Homer Comes Home | Ethereal | Linear | 93% Match |
| An Amateur Devil | Tense | Linear | 98% Match |
This guide was algorithmically generated using the cinematic metadata of Robert A. McGowan's archive. Last updated: 5/13/2026.
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