The Definitive Watchlist Seeking the Same Brilliance as Repka: Cult...

Dir: Charley Chase

A young married couple volunteer to take charge of several orphans after the asylum has burned down. Of course they find their hands full with their troublesome charges.

Dir: Malcolm St. Clair

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Don't Weaken! perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A dancing instructor gets involved with a newly rich family.

Dir: Alfred J. Goulding

Two tramps wrest a pistol from a hold up man, then try to pull a stick up of their own, unfortunately for them, a cop appears and takes the money back and then chases them through a park with a lake. One steals canoe and the chase continues when a mob of cops go after him in more boats.

Dir: Bud Fisher

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Run 'Em Ragged perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Mutt and Jeff go on strike and make their own film.

Dir: Victor Heerman

The night of the Policeman's Benefit is at hand and all the coppers with their wives are in the audience. On the stage is a magician. Everything goes well until he asks for the officers' watches. Presumably he will turn them into eggs or something. He has a charming confederate and both enter compartments. When they don't reappear, the curtains are lifted and the fakirs are absent. They escaped through a trap in the stage. Then the chase is on.

Dir: Hal Roach

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

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: Claude Friese-Greene

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Edgar Jones

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Chicken à la Cabaret perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A mail-order bride arrives at a Maine lumber camp but doesn't like her prospective husband.

Dir: Richard Smith

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: Lasse Ring

Mr and Mrs Stockholm visit the Paul U. Bergström (PUB) department store to buy a new wardrobe for a journey. They visit different departments, where the future Greta Garbo (Gustafson at the time) is one the models showing outfits for Mrs Stockholm.