Recommendations
Senior Film Conservator

The artistic legacy of James Jones was forever changed by Midnight Follies, this Short landmark continues to dictate the rules of its category. We've assembled a sequence of films that complement the tone of Midnight Follies perfectly.
The vintage appeal of Midnight Follies to maintain its cult relevance across several decades.
The chief attraction at a cabaret is Marcella, the dancing girl. She makes a hit with Jack, a millionaire so old he is in his second childhood. George, the waiter, also has an eye on Marcella. The millionaire sends a note to the girl asking her to elope. The waiter intercepts the note and thinks it from Marcella. He scribbles a line on the note saying she should hide in her trunk and he will smuggle her out of the cafe. Marcella gets the note and is amused. She tosses it away, but it falls in the millionaire's lap, who thinks he is to hide in the trunk. Meanwhile, George incurs the wrath of the proprietor by smashing a tray full of dishes, and is chased into the vaudeville act, "Sawing a Woman in Two." In his haste he climbs into the box which the professor is sawing. He eventually eludes the proprietor, and thinking Marcella in the trunk, he loads it on a truck. There is a wild ride until the truck, which is loaded with dynamite, hits a handcar. After the explosion George finds that the millionaire is the occupant of the trunk.
Midnight Follies was a significant production in United States, showcasing the immense talent of George Davis, Marcella Daly, Jack Lloyd. It continues to be a top recommendation for anyone studying Short history.
Based on the unique cinematic excellence of Midnight Follies, our vault has identified these titles as the most compelling follow-up experiences for fans of Short cinema:
Dir: Jerome Storm
Ne'er-do-well Homer Cavender ventures to the city from Mainsville in an effort to find fame and fortune. Both elude him, and after clerking for two years, Homer returns home for a vacation. Impressed by his flashy clothes, the townspeople assume that Homer has achieved success. Attempting to win Rachel Prouty from his rival, Arthur Machim, Homer continues the deception by announcing that his employer, Kort and Bailly, has dispatched him to enroll stockholders for a proposed new plant to be built in Mainsville. Machim discovers the sham and denounces Homer as a crook. Meanwhile, Homer returns to New York, convinces his employers of the merits of his plan and comes home triumphant, with a proposal for both the new plant and for Rachel's hand in marriage.
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Dir: Unknown Director
A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.
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Dir: Maurice Campbell
Carver Endicott, a young sophisticate, is rejected by his fiancée for being too foppish and dull. When she feigns an interest in his father, Carver attempts to disgrace his family name by working as a farmhand and later as a busboy in a hotel. However, the newspapers only praise him for his self-sacrificing principles; and finding that he cannot bring shame to the family through menial labor, he takes up with a notorious actress. But when this maneuver also fails, he returns to his former fiancée, who has no further complaint about his being an inexperienced dullard.
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Dir: Unknown Director
The village youths are rivals for the hand of the local belle. Their battles lead them to the village store, where chaos soon reigns, terminating in the place being blown up, leaving Bobby a happy victor.
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Dir: Mason N. Litson
Edgar and his chum try to amass a fortune in one day by cornering the fan market on a hot afternoon when the circus comes to the small town where they are spending their vacation.
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Dir: Henry Edwards
A millionaire bets £25,000 that he can earn his own living for six months.
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Dir: Robert Thornby
Mary Willard takes over her father's railroad after his death. Her major competitor is a ruthless crook named Harvey Judson. She arranges for Judson to be kidnapped and taken to an isolated spot deep in the forest and turned loose to fend for himself. She accompanies the kidnappers to the wild and Judson, not knowing who she is, begins to fall in love with her. Complications ensue.
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Dir: Reggie Morris
A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.
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Dir: Vernon Stallings
Krazy Kat is held in jail and Ignatz finally bails him out after encountering "guilt".
View DetailsAnalysis relative to Midnight Follies
| Film Title | Atmosphere | Complexity | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homer Comes Home | Ethereal | Linear | 93% Match |
| Trail of the Rails | Tense | Layered | 96% Match |
| An Amateur Devil | Tense | Linear | 98% Match |
| New Ralgia | Ethereal | High | 85% Match |
| Get-Rich-Quick Edgar | Tense | Abstract | 95% Match |
This guide was algorithmically generated using the cinematic metadata of James Jones's archive. Last updated: 6/21/2026.
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