Hand-Picked Alternatives for Fans of His Pal's Gal: Cult Guide

Dir: George Ridgwell

A country girl runs away to town, and achieves success as an actress. A struggling actor desiring a part in her company visits her home town, absorbs local color, and on his return brings a faded rose from the girl's mother, and poses as one of her country neighbors with such success that the girl cancels all engagements and returns home. Then the actor decides to follow her.

Dir: George Ridgwell

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

Two women are waitresses in a cheap restaurant. None of the male customers ever look Tildy's way, while Aileen is the recipient of many attentions. One day one of the customers, who has lost his job and imbibed too freely, hugs and kisses Tildy. She is so elated she cannot keep her secret; takes various steps to beautify herself, and sees visions of future happiness. After a lapse of a few days, the customer reappears and apologizes for his disgraceful conduct, and departs leaving the poor waitress almost broken-hearted.

Dir: J. Gordon Edwards

William Farnum is Drag Harlan, a tough cowboy vigilante. After learning about a gold mine from a dying man, he seeks his daughter (Jackie Saunders) as well as the gold. He falls in love with her, but the same gang that shot the old man is after the gold.

Dir: George Ridgwell

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

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Unknown Director

The Judge needs a present for his wife's birthday, so Harry suggests a new corset. They go to the shop, but he's so embarrassed to ask the saleslady he hides in a phone booth.Harry goes in, but finds a GUY wearing one, and runs out.They both dress as women to get back in, but Mrs. Rummy gets there and chases him out.

Dir: Charley Chase

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

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: Reggie Morris

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: George Ridgwell

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

Count Giuseppe Rizzo, pressed by his creditors, marries June Baxter, heiress to a large fortune, for her money. As the wedding party emerges from the church, Phillipa Garrie, once mistress to the Count, but now cast aside, attempts to stab him. Humiliated, and realizing a. side of the Count's nature unknown to her, June secludes herself in her home and orders him out of her sight. To avoid notoriety, she leaves town to take up her home near the site of the plant left her by her father. Together, with Clay Foster, superintendent of the plant, she devotes her time to the welfare of her workmen. By threats of creating public scandal, the Count blackmails June, compelling the payments of large sums of money. As their work at the plant draws them closer together, the seeds of love take root within the breast of Clay Foster and with them a deep hatred for the Count, who refuses to give June a divorce. After a while, however, hard pressed by his creditors, and a heavy loser at gambling, the Count agrees to grant her a divorce if June will make a settlement upon him. June, determined, leaves for New York, and registers at the Count's hotel. Unbeknown to June, Clay Foster follows her to protect her from harm. The Count's demands upon June are staggering and she refuses to comply with them. The Count is enraged and June saves herself only by her presence of mind. Clay Foster enters the scene, and threatens to kill the Count if he does June any bodily harm. Adventure and complication follow each other in quick succession. Thirteen, the number on the door of .the Count's room in the hotel, has begun to cast its spell about. That night, the Count is murdered. Suspicion falls upon Clay, and he is arrested for the murder. Yet, as the numerous complications begin to untangle themselves, we find that the Count was killed, not by June, because of her fear of him alive; not by Clay, because of his hatred for him; not by Phillipa, because he had blighted her life; nor by Antonio, her father, who had sworn to take vengeance, but by one with no personal ties, urged on merely by the sight of the Count's winnings that night, and cursed by the awful spell, unable to escape the talons of number thirteen.

Dir: Edgar Jones

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

Dir: Harris Gordon

A man named Chandler, claiming to be a novelist in search of local color, arrives at a town near the Mexican border, where he makes advances toward Jo, a girl living a solitary life on a desert ranch. Manning, a cowboy, suspects Chandler's motives, and his suspicions are strengthened when Chandler is caught cheating at cards. Following a gang of Mexicans to their mountain retreat, Manning learns that Chandler and the Mexicans are smuggling opium across the border. Two gang members are killed in the ensuing fight, but Chandler, wounded by Manning after a chase on the cliffs, escapes to Jo's home, where he denounces Manning as a smuggler. Manning arrives and dispels Jo's misgivings about him by revealing that he is a Texas Ranger, sworn to secrecy. Chandler is allowed to escape, and Manning and Joe are united.