Visionary Picks Drawn from the Same DNA as Healthy and Happy: Cult Guide

Dir: Noel M. Smith

Al and Hilliard are in love with Bartine. She leads them a merry chase which takes them to the swimming pool. There the chase continues when they encounter Big Bill, swimming instructor and hated rival.

Dir: Noel M. Smith

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

While engaging in their favorite pastime a group of hunters cause a commotion that culminated in a chase involving autos and geese.

Dir: Noel M. Smith

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Noel M. Smith

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of It's a Boy perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

The boys meet a girl whose father is an amateur magician. They attend a séance and stay all night in the house, meeting with all sorts of comedy experiences with spooks, skeletons, etc. Finally they manage to escape only to be captured by a man with a court summons who has waited all night outside to catch them.

Dir: Noel M. Smith

Pal, the Dog, gets top billing in the comedy short, "Checking Out." He's paired for the second time and row with Harry Sweet. Harry and Pal run a hot dog stand with both having matching costume of hat and apron. Trouble comes early in the form of a rival stand owner (Al Alt) who wants to put the hot dog stand out of business. By the time the scene finishes, both hot dog stands have been obliterated. With hot dog stand in ruins, Pal and Harry team up to work in a hotel. With Harry finding a love interest in the hotel operator, Pal comically has to perform both the bell hop and check boy's work. Rival Al Alt appears and forcibly removes Harry in a comical scene of defenestration. Fortunately, Harry gains knowledge that rival Alt is going to rob the hotel. In the film's comical high-point, Harry gets control of the crooks guns, entrusting Pal, the Wonder Dog, with both guns as the canine holds the crooks at bay. When one of the incredulous crooks tries to rush Pal, the dog fires a warning shot which keeps the crooks at bay until the police arrive. In the finale, Pal retrieves a minister so Harry and the hotel operator can be married. Comical flourish occurs as the minister asks anyone if there is an objection. With all eyes on Pal, the canine nods in approval ending the ceremony and the film. After having played the underling to Pal in a Mah-Jong film and this film, Sweet was probably pleased to move on from Century Comedies to other studios.

Dir: Noel M. Smith

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Spirit of '23 perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A young couple motors to California where, after the wife has succeeded in distracting her husband's attention from the bathing girls, they invest in a house and lot, but the house proves rather unsubstantial.

Dir: Noel M. Smith

Pal proves himself to be a real pal to his master, helping him to evade the landlady and also to get rid of a troublesome rival.

Dir: Noel M. Smith

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

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Noel M. Smith

Paradise Alley is a street in a tough neighborhood in which every inhabitant has a grudge against every other one. Consequently the street is a constant battle field. Ruler of the street is the Big Boss. His slumbers are disturbed by the tumult and he appears at the door of his house and yells an order. Instantly the street is cleared. The Boss then goes to a beanery where a beautiful girl presides over the cash register. Around the corner a cop sleeps undisturbed by the constant fighting. As the Boss disappears, the combatants resume their fight. A "man of Mystery" gets in the way of several thrown vegetables and determines to stop the fracas as the Boss did. He goes to the restaurant, borrows the Boss' hat and goes out on the street. He is mistaken for the Boss and the fighters again disappear. The man of mystery then returns the hat, steals the Boss' cigar and disappears. Two or three harmless urchins come forth and play craps. The cop wakes up, seizes them, calls the patrol wagon and the urchins are hustled off to the lock-up. At the far end of the street is a mission. James, our hero is one of the congregation. He sits with wide-staring eyes. The minister gets nervous under his gaze and others the congregation grow restive. It is finally discovered that James has painted the eyes on his eyelids, thus enabling him to appear awake, while he is really sound asleep. He wakes up and in walking out, steals the poor-box. Outside he finds the Boss beating two crooks for stealing. James hurries back and replaces the poor-box. The pretty cashier sees this and extends her sympathy. A fat man is thrown out of the beanery. James and the man of mystery get into his clothes and go in to eat. James hides inside the suit and the man of mystery feeds him. The ruse is discovered and James is put to work in the kitchen. He manages to almost wreck the place. The Boss conspires with the mystery man to rob the restaurant. The Boss passes out the money from the cash register, but James accidentally gets it. The proprietor discovers the loss and pursues the man of mystery. James is required to still the noise of a German street band. He proves a target for all the vegetables thrown at the band. He acquires a soldier's uniform and puts them all to rout. He also helps regain the stolen money of the proprietor and thus proves himself a hit with the girl.

Dir: Noel M. Smith

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.