The Essential Watchlist Similar Cinematic Experiences to Headin' Home: Cult Guide

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

When Juliet Pim, bored with her husband Archibald's habitual ardent attentions, goes to a Swami, his advice that her "individualism" is being crushed leads her to request that Pim furnish her with a "reason" for a divorce suit. Shocked but compliant, Pim rents a hotel room. Later, he finds his college friend and rival stockbroker, wealthy James Wortley Tammers, at a restaurant with his wife, who also felt neglected and went to the Swami. Pim joins them and then goes with Mrs. Tammers to a roadhouse. After Tammers locates them, and his wife returns, the two husbands engage in an all-night wine party with cabaret dancers. The next day, while Tammers sleeps, Pim manipulates the market to control Tammers' wealth. The newspaper reports of Pim's elopement with Mrs. Tammers leave Juliet valuing her husband more than her freedom. After Pim reveals he was saving Tammers from a scheme to ruin him, he sells back most of the stocks and the couples are reunited.

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Nothing But Lies perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

George Cross, a junior partner in the advertising agency of Nigh and Cross, goes to his office one evening to get a plate for a newspaper and surprises Allan Nigh, his partner's son, who has been distributing a leaflet exposing the lies of the advertising firm. Rosie, a member of the "Truth Society" to which Allan belongs, is hiding in the next room. George sends Allan to the newspaper office and then discovers Rosie. Shortly thereafter, Nigh and his daughter Ann, who is also Allan's sweetheart, arrive and George lies his way out of a compromising situation. Soon after, a detective arrives to investigate a front-page exposé on the circulars that Allan has written. When the advertisers realize that the exposé is actually the best campaign ever conceived, the supposed detective offers Allan a tremendous salary to write ads for him, Rosie reveals herself as a reporter from the Journal and Allan and Ann reconcile.

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

When Miriam Smith's devoutly religious aunt and uncle insist that she marry pious Simeon Althoff, she answers an ad in a matrimonial newspaper and runs away to New York to meet her correspondent. Upon learning that Miles Sprague, the man in the ad, is coming to claim her, Miriam gets cold feet and begs her experienced friend Kittie Swasher, the hotel telephone operator, for help. When Miles arrives, Kittie pretends that she is Miriam and the three go to a cabaret. Meanwhile, the detectives employed by Miriam's aunt and uncle to bring her home appear and arrest Kittie, thinking that she's Miriam. Simeon arrives soon after and identifies the real Miriam, who is then taken home and locked in her room. Kittie and Miles follow and rescue Miriam, who realizes that she has fallen in love with the man from her ad.

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Girl with the Jazz Heart perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Gilbert and Edith Goodhue lack nothing in life except a child, which they desperately desire. Edith's brother Alan, who is interested in eugenics, suggests that they pay their chauffeur Joe and maid Nora to have a baby for them. While awaiting the proper time to elapse, Edith and Gilbert travel to Palm Beach for an extended vacation, where Gilbert, attempting to obtain a child for his wife, vamps a dancer with a baby. Edith misunderstands and becomes desperately jealous until Gilbert finally explains his motives, causing the two to renew their love with ardent fervor. Returning home, they discover that the maid has given birth to a baby boy, but is loath to part with him. Embarrassment follows as the couple puzzle over what to tell their friends who are awaiting the blessed event until Edith discloses that the Florida sunshine has worked wonders and that another baby is on its way.

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

Becky Warder constantly indulges in the telling of little white lies. In an innocent effort to ease the troubled marriage of her quarreling friends Eve and Fred Lindon, Becky meets secretly with Fred, thereby constructing a web of deceit that leads Eve to suspect Becky of trifling with her husband's affections. Eve informs Becky's husband Tom of these meetings and Tom, suspicious, accuses his wife of infamy. After denying her participation in the matter, Becky goes to Baltimore to see her father Stephen Roland, who, like his daughter, is a schemer. Roland begins to construct an elaborate plan by which his daughter can win back her husband and so sends a false telegram to Tom notifying him that Becky is extremely ill. Rushing to Baltimore, Tom overhears Becky inform her father that she will not participate in any more lies, and, elated by his wife's reformation, Tom forgives her.

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

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

Lord Dawlish is made the heir of an eccentric English millionaire, who cuts off a nephew and niece, living in America. Dawlish is engaged to Claire Edmont, an actress. Dawlish offers half his inheritance to the niece, and when she refuses to accept he goes to America to persuade her. Claire follows, but not having received the letter regarding the inheritance she marries a man she meets on the boat. Dawlish meets Elizabeth as Bill Chalmers, his family name, and as Bill she learns to love him, but she discovers his identity, and things work to a rapid conclusion.

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

When her two roommates, Maude Raynes and Helen Bartlett, become engaged, Darcy Cole invents a titled fiancé of her own, in part to ward off her friends' nasty remarks about her untidy appearance. Darcy's friend Gloria Green lends a photograph of her cousin, Jack Remsen, made up as a lord for a college play, then transforms Darcy into a stylish beauty. As a practical joke, Gloria's fiancé Tom Harmon agrees to lend his bungalow to each couple for their honeymoon. Darcy pretends to elope with her imaginary lord, played by Jack. The real and pretended honeymooners arrive in succession and are assigned bedrooms by housekeeper Veronica. When Veronica sees Jack remove his makeup, she is certain he is Gentleman Jack, the burglar she has been reading about. Finally, Gloria and Tom arrive and straighten matters out, and Darcy and Jack decide to become real honeymooners.

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

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

As an accountant Philander Jepson was a corking good gambler. He knew Dame Fortune has cast her optics on him at the start of his career and played his hands with corresponding confidence. After plucking a select bunch of cronies for a considerable wad he caressed his rabbit's foot and started on the annual two weeks' tour of the summer resorts. Enter Brunhilda, a young lady of quite some appearance, whose parents regard her as the family jewel and stood watch accordingly. In the eyes of Philander this surveillance was nothing more nor less than a dare. The result was romance. Unfortunately, at just this time Madame Fortune took a much-needed rest and trouble suddenly planted itself squarely in young Jepson's path. Brunhilda's pater discovered all there was to know about his gambling proclivities, and the gamblers suddenly proved that a bartender's foot on a victim's chair out-jinxes the strongest combination of horseshoes and four leaf clovers. When Philander realized what he was up against he determined to make a fresh start. Rather, he commenced to start for, after leaving his former job by request, the best he could land was fifty dollars a week work for ten per. He cast tokens, signs and omens to the winds, and strange to relate, found things were actually breaking right for him. And then, when he took the annual outing and discovered Brunhilda knew all about his changed circumstances, had been watching him all the time from a distance and thought more of him than ever; well, he could only feel thankful that good sense came to him as soon as it did.

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

T. Boggs Johns and George Nettleton, proprietors of the Digestive Pile Manufacturing Companny agree upon a unique method to stop their quarreling: play a game of poker, the loser to act as servant to the winner for a year. If either member of the agreement reveals the circumstances of the pact, he shall pay a fine of $5,000. Boggs loses, and he must serve as butler in the Nettleton home. His sweetheart Florence Cole comes to dinner at the Nettletons' and is surprised to see Boggs acting as butler, but cannot learn what has brought about the change in his social status. Thomas J. Vanderholt, an attorney in love with Florence, lets her in on the pact and tells her that he drew up the plans. She denounces him, and she and Boggs plan revenge on Nettleton. Boggs arranges an intimate tableau with Mrs. Nettleton; this so angers Nettleton that he schemes to make Boggs the loser financially, but Florence declares that the pact, being based on a poker game, is not legal.

Dir: Lawrence C. Windom

Robert Hervey Randolph receives $10,000 a year because of the inability to locate the rightful heir of a will, who would receive the money if she could be found. Madge Van Tillier jilts Robert because he does not have enough money. While riding in a taxi, Robert rescues chorus girl Imogene Pamela Thorton from her companion Duke Beamer, and takes her home. Pam turns out to be the missing heir, and Robert loses his inheritance. He then gets a job as a taxi driver. Pam receives a large portion of her inheritance from the Ajax Taxi Company. Beamer tries to ruin Ajax, but Robert foils him, becomes vice-president of the company, and wins Pam's love.