Hand-Picked Alternatives for Fans of Midnight Alibi: Cult Guide

Dir: Victor Heerman

In the gold fields of the Canadian Northwest, a man is falsely accused of a crime and determines that a lookalike is responsible.

Dir: Alan Crosland

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

Wanting to impress the beautiful Bella Cavallo, whose stepfather Ferris forces her to act as a decoy in his Tenderloin gambling establishment, Richard Brettner commits a minor robbery. Judge Reverton pardons the love-struck young man but regrets his decision when Richard is arrested for murder. Through his physician, Dr. Comyns, the judge meets Bella and soon makes her his wife. The doctor, however, tells Reverton about Bella's profession, thereby causing him to distrust his new wife. Reverton returns home to find Bella planning a night meeting with Arthur Hallam, the murdered man's nephew. Expecting the worst, the judge soon realizes that Bella plotted only to beguile Arthur into a confession that he, and not Richard, committed the murder. Richard is released and the married couple is reunited.

Dir: Alan Crosland

Chris, a student, ambitious in his own way but resisting tutors, was always in trouble until, at an auction sale, he purchased an old Oriental lamp because of its odd design, not dreaming that it was possessed of magical powers which he discovered when he began polishing it. A huge slave appeared, told him the lamp was his master and that he was prepared to obey any command that its owner, Chris, might give. As a test Chris bade the slave to transform himself into another Chris. He then sent the double of himself to school, where he was made to take the thrashings intended for Chris and to serve as the butt of many jokes and experiences meant for the real Chris. When the genie finally decides that he does not relish serving as Chris' double, the real trouble and fun begins, involving Chris' father and mother, teachers, family doctor, and farcical mix-ups develop with great rapidity. The doings of "Chris and the Wonderful Lamp" in the days of the Twentieth Century rival the best of Arabian Night tales.

Dir: Richard Smith

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Chris and His Wonderful Lamp perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Two female candidates for Chief of Police live across the hall from each other, and their political rivalry follows them home, leading to plenty of hi-jinks.

Dir: Maurice Elvey

A lady marries a horse trainer but withholds herself until her crippled brother is cured.

Dir: Alan Crosland

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

Nancy Price, who manages her own farm in Ohio, follows her cousin Eleanor Howitt to New York to check on her after the latter inherits a fortune and is persuaded by her father to live with him and his second wife Maude. Nancy is treated inhospitably by Maude and her social set when she discovers that they are encouraging Eleanor to spend money on jewelry and fancy clothes for all of them. One member of the group, George Tewksbury Reynolds, III, after trading insults with Nancy, becomes attracted to her, but she rejects him. After uncouth Archie Gore gets Eleanor intoxicated during a party and Nancy covers up for her, sacrificing her own reputation to protect Eleanor's, Eleanor is convinced to return home, and she resumes a romance with her reliable hometown beau, Sammy Wilson. Reynolds goes to Ohio to learn to be a farmer and is rewarded by Nancy's love.

Dir: Hal Roach

An American book salesman (Lloyd) is persuaded to go to the kingdom of Thermosa to impersonate the Prince. He is greeted by a peasants' revolt before the real prince shows up to claim his throne and princess. The revolution succeeds, and the American is elected president of the new republic.

Dir: Alan Crosland

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

In Scotland in 1751, young David Balfour is shanghaied aboard a ship where he meets Jacobite rebel Alan Breck Stewart with whom he escapes to the Scottish Highlands, dodging the redcoats.

Dir: Alan Crosland

A wealthy young American, bred to class distinction and racial intolerance, enters First World War. In the course of his experiences in the trenches and being wounded, he comes to a recognition of the equality and brotherhood of men.

Dir: Raoul Walsh

Dave Henderson, an orphan who has become the beneficiary of a rich man's will, falls in with race-track crooks Martin Tydeman and Bokky Sharvan who bilk him out of his $100,000 inheritance. In retaliation, Dave steals the money from Tydeman's safe, but is caught and sentenced to five years in jail. In prison, Dave becomes friendly with Millman, who is about to be released, and reveals the money's hiding place to him, arranging to rendezvous at the end of Dave's term. Once released, Dave is hounded by members of Tydeman's gang as well as the police, who are waiting for him to retrieve his bounty. While taking refuge at the house of Capriano, an old bomb maker, Dave falls in love with the old man's daughter Teresa. However, Capriano sets a trap for Dave, who awakens in a drugged state to find the $100,000 missing. With the help of Millman and Teresa, Dave recovers the money, turns it over to the police and resolves to go straight.