The Auteur's Selection In the Shadow of Kiss Me Quick: Cult Guide

Dir: John G. Blystone

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: John G. Blystone

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

Chester is a trolley conductor who has a child's bank in which to carry his cash and whose usual pastime is robbing the company of nickels by failing to ring up fares.

Dir: John G. Blystone

A city chap is sent West by his father for taming.

Dir: John G. Blystone

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

Pansy Pickles was the step-daughter of Peter Pickles who kept the most fashionable boarding house in Corncob Corner. He had ambitions of either sending Pansy to school or marry her off so that he could live comfortably from his son-in-law. Pa Pickles receives a letter from some attorneys stating this his step-daughter's uncle died and left a vast estate but that Pansy was not mentioned in the will. At and the same time the school teacher who taught Pansy her P's and Q's, received a letter stating that his inheritance was being shipped by express. The station agent hears of this inheritance and knows right well old Pa Pickles will favor the school teacher. He takes a bank book from one of the men, crosses out the name and puts his name on it, adding several figures too. Pansy goes off to school, but when teacher calls the roll, Pansy is not present. He sends a notice to her Pa, who searches for her, finds her sitting in a tree reading a book. He throws a stone at her and she falls right into the school room under the spanking machine. She, in turn, throws the teacher under the spanking machine and the poor fellow has matches in his pocket, that burn and blaze like fury. Pa Pickles finds the bank book with the station agent's name on it and decides that Pansy shall marry the agent. Some one put's Pa wise that it isn't his book at all, and the agent is thrown out. The wealthiest man in town is at the wedding and offers his son as a groom, the minister sets them up again and just as he's about to pronounce them man and wife, Pa discovers that the bridegroom isn't worth a cent, and he too is thrown out. Pansy is thoroughly disgusted now and changes place with another girl who has come to the wedding. This time the school teacher is pronounced bridegroom and they are married. His inheritance comes at the same time and to Pa's dismay he finds it is a pig, he is just about to murder the teacher he discovers the change in brides. Pa gets a bridegroom whom Pansy likes and they are married with a whoop and hooray.

Dir: John G. Blystone

Clyde is in the bull ring in Mexico, and it is here that he manages to attract the attention of the pretty Spanish ladies in the arena. His behavior is insulting to the heads of the ring and he makes a very clever escape.

Dir: John G. Blystone

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

Lupino is sent as a reporter to cover a story of a revolution in Mexico.

Dir: John G. Blystone

Sailor Clyde and the rest of the ship wrecked crew are rescued from a cannibal island after Clyde wins all the paraphernalia of the cannibals with a pair of loaded dice.

Dir: John G. Blystone

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

A military burlesque, with the nimble comedian in the role of Private Wright, who does everything wrong.

Dir: John G. Blystone

John Steele (Frank Beal), a rich uncle, threatens to disinherit his nephew, Tom Steele (Tom Mix), unless the latter learns to curb his violent temper. Tom is put on a 30-day trial and must resist all temptation to get mad or fight back no matter how provoked. And he is easily provoked, especially when called a lavender sissy-boy.

Dir: John G. Blystone

Clyde is a chauffeur trying to make a living running a taxi but his rivals in business grab off all his customers, a policeman shoves his auto out of the way and his best girl turns him down. Finally he becomes adept in maneuvering his machine from place to place, and bests his business rivals.