Hidden Genre Gems In Alignment with the style of In a Pinch: Cult Guide

Dir: William A. Seiter

Alice, an energetic vixen, lives in a country estate with her gouty uncle, who denies her any companions. She plagues him with pranks until he leaves the estate. Now free to seek adventure, she dresses as a maid and convinces a passer-by, Richard Comstock, a celebrated author, that the estate is a boardinghouse. She has the servants pose as distinguished guests. The uncle returns and spoils the spoof. Later she meets Richard at the hunt club ball, which Galloping Dick, a gentleman burglar, also attends, in a strictly professional capacity. When jewels are discovered missing, Alice, thinking Richard is the thief, hides him in the cellar, where they run into Galloping Dick's accomplice. Alice and Richard are at first denounced as thieves, but the actual culprits are apprehended.

Dir: William A. Seiter

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

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: William A. Seiter

When J. Smythe opens a fashionable women's shop in the little town of Santa Boobara, Jackie Cameron takes over her father's establishment across the street and converts it into an up-to-date haberdashery. Smythe, having fallen for Jackie, gives her preference over all his other customers and persuades her to buy a dress already promised to Evelina Skinner, daughter of the town's richest and meanest man. Two kidnappers, shadowing Evelina, mistake Jackie for her and hold Jackie for ransom. Smythe, learning of Jackie's disappearance and seeing the men enter the Skinner residence, follows them to their cabin and rescues Jackie. They force the kidnappers, who have robbed Skinner, to the sheriff's office, collect Skinner's reward, and decide to enter into a lifetime partnership.

Dir: William A. Seiter

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

The hero, jilted by his best girl, tries various methods of getting rid of life, but is frustrated at every turn. Finally he lands in jail and is noticed by a pretty philanthropist who gives him the position of butler in her home. After various amusing incidents in connection with a call by one of the girl's admirers, the butler suddenly finds himself heir to a million dollars and wins his benefactress for his wife.

Dir: William A. Seiter

Jack wants to spend their vacation in the mountains and Daisy wants to spend it at the beach in Santa Barbara.

Dir: William A. Seiter

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of He Did and He Didn't perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: William A. Seiter

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: William A. Seiter

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

Young Southerners Buck Hineman and Remington Osbury both are in love with the same woman, who promises to marry the one who returns when the Civil War breaks out. On the battlefield, Remington is wounded and left for dead, and Buck returns to marry her. Shortly afterward, Remington returns and contents himself with becoming one of the Hineman family. Years pass and Buck's daughter Luzelle finds herself wooed by two young men, Philip Burwood and Boyd Savely, whose families have been enemies for years. Luzelle's rejected suitor, Boyd, robs the Hineman bank, opens the strongbox containing Mrs. Hineman's papers and tampers with a letter written to her years before congratulating her on the birth of her daughter. The letter, sent to General Buck Hineman on the occasion of his daughter's marriage to Philip, gives the impression by the obliteration of a word that Remington is Luzelle's father. The wedding is halted and a duel between the two old men arranged. Each shoots in the air and realizes that neither wants to kill the other. Soon after, the robbery is discovered and the two old friends are reconciled.

Dir: William A. Seiter

Fanchon Browne promises to marry elderly Peter Armitage to extricate Nethercote, her guardian, from financial difficulties. Before meeting him, however, she meets an attractive young man in the woods and persuades her friend Lilah to vamp the old man. Lilah, however, vamps the wrong Armitage, who turns out not only to be the nephew of the elder Armitage but also the young man with whom Fanchon is involved. Meanwhile, Fanchon's aunt falls in love with the elder Armitage, and Tony, a prizefighter, who adores Lilah, presses his suit. Fanchon borrows money from old Peter's safe to aid young Peter in speculation; when the safe is reported robbed, young Armitage is accused, but guilt is fixed on the butler. Thus, Fanchon is free to marry Armitage, Jr., and her aunt accepts Armitage, Sr.

Dir: William A. Seiter

A newly married couple decide to spend their first Sunday at home. Mr. Newlywed boasts to his office associates of his wife's cooking and they immediately invite themselves for a Sunday dinner. Some friends of his wife decide to make their first Sunday at home anything but a quiet one. They advertise in the papers for a cook, giving the Newlywed's address, with the result that many applicants call for the position. Their cook, thinking that she is to be fired, packs her grip and in a huff leaves them. Nothing is left for the Newlyweds now but to cook their own dinner. The antics in the kitchen and the resulting dinner which is served to their guests are very funny. In the end they all proceed to a lunch counter where they eat a hearty meal.