Underground Favorites Parallel to the Artistry of Not Exactly Gentlemen: Cult Guide

DbcultAccessing Vault...

The Not Exactly Gentlemen Phenomenon

The visceral impact of Not Exactly Gentlemen (1931) stems from to transcend the limitations of its 1931 budget and technology.

In 1877, thieves Ace Beaudry, Bronco Dawson and Bull Stanley head West together after having each been betrayed by a woman. They come across a wagon train bound for the town of Custer, where hundreds of people are gathering for a land rush in the Dakotas, which President Ulysses S. Grant has opened to settlers thanks to a treaty with the Sioux Indians. After the three rogues ride off, they spy a lone wagon with a tempting string of thoroughbreds. Before they can steal the horses, however, the wagon is attacked by a gang led by Layne Hunter, a shifty saloon owner from Custer. The trio chase off the gang, and as they are about to abscond with the horses, they find pretty Lee Carleton, whose father was killed in the attack. Believing that the men are her rescuers, Lee tells them that she and her father were traveling to Custer to file a claim on a gold mine. Bull and his pals escort Lee to Custer and help her set up camp in preparation for the next morning's land rush. Determined to get their hands on the gold mine, the trio decides that one of them must marry Lee. They cut cards to see who will propose first, and Bronco, much to his dismay, wins. Lee gently turns him down, telling him that he is like a brother to her. She tells the same thing to Ace and then to Bull, who is genuinely interested in her. He confesses that he and his friends "ain't exactly gentlemen," but her faith in them is not swayed. Meanwhile, Hunter's henchman Nelson spies on the group and learns of the map. Bronco and Ace decide to find Lee a husband whom they can kill after he gains the title to the mine, and they search for an eligible candidate in the saloon. They return with Bull to the camp, where they see Lee kissing her fiancé, Bruce Randall, who has come from the East. Overjoyed that the map will soon be owned by a fair competitor, the men bid Lee goodnight and promise to treat Bruce "like a gold mine." Hunter and his men capture Lee in the night, however, then steal her map, and send some of their numbers to cross the line before the land rush and block the pass, while Hunter remains waiting for the signal to cross the line legally. Bull and Bruce rescue Lee from the saloon, and Lee, knowing the map by heart, leads the men on a furious ride to the mine. Hunter and his men and the team of Bull, Bronco, Ace and Bruce shoot it out until Hunter's men ride off and Bull topples Hunter off a cliff. Lee thanks her friends and offers to share her claim with them. Just then, Marshal Dunn is sighted, and the trio of Bull, Ace and Bronco wave goodbye and ride away as Lee and Bruce smile and wish them well.

Underground Favorites Parallel to the Artistry of Not Exactly Gentlemen

Based on the unique character-driven intensity of Not Exactly Gentlemen, our vault has identified these titles as the most compelling follow-up experiences for fans of Drama cinema:

★ 6.6

1. The Kelly Gang 1920

Dir: Harry Southwell

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Film Title	Atmosphere	Complexity	Similarity
The Kelly Gang	Tense	Linear	95% Match
The Virgin of Stamboul	Gothic	Layered	97% Match
The Key to Power	Gritty	Dense	91% Match
The Devil's Riddle	Ethereal	Dense	86% Match
In the River	Gritty	High	92% Match

The Not Exactly Gentlemen Phenomenon

Stylistic Legacy