Rare Cinematic Gems Exploring the Legacy of Romance and Dynamite: Cult Guide

Dir: James D. Davis

A country girl is sent to visit her Aunt Maggie in the city. She arrives, carrying a pet duck. Aunt Maggie hates her niece until she learns that the girl has inherited a million dollars, when her hatred turns to love.

Dir: James D. Davis

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

Paul is trying to elope with a girl whose father offers vigorous opposition. A rival suitor, who is a giant in stature, is also an impediment in the pathway of the swain and "his girl," but opposition to the runaway is finally overcome when the girl in the case sets fire to the house in which she is held captive and in the ensuing complication of events escapes with her Romeo.

Dir: James D. Davis

This film, with Larry as a dry agent, pokes fun at the situations which the enforcement act has produced throughout the country.

Dir: James D. Davis

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

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: James D. Davis

A burlesque on the performance of a traveling theatrical troupe performing the well-known "Uncle Tom's Cabin."

Dir: James D. Davis

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

On the usual thread of romance in this kind of Mack Sennett comedy, are hung a series of amusing situations, and one of the most original is where one of the "fighting gentlemen" attempts to keep the tail of the cow he is milking still by tying it to his suspenders. When the cow takes fright and decides to make her getaway it is easy to imagine what happens. This, however, is only the outcome of another funny incident in which the dog and a couple of his grown-up playmates are engaged in a game of "blind man's buff" and he who happens to be chosen "it" gets in the way of an old-fashioned swing in motion. He is knocked into the midst of several hives of bees, and his mad rush to escape the stings of the insects sets several other comedy properties in motion. An old automobile, a team of horses in a runaway dash, driven by a tiny baby boy, and various persons on bicycles and otherwise propelled enter the chase. Another amusing and original incident is where Louise Fazenda, in a perfectly modest bathing suit, is fished from the stream by the hook of a young man's fishing pole. - Moving Picture World, 12 June 1920.

Dir: James D. Davis

A country youth, who is an amateur cameraman, and a city chap, are in a rivalry for a girl.

Dir: James D. Davis

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Uncle Tom's Caboose perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Down on the farm old Pop Hebenezer had his troubles keeping his two daughters from spooning with his hired help. Luke loved Lucy, the younger daughter, and Billy loved Sally, the older one. The girls were serving their sweethearts with food but they forgot the food and made love. In the meantime the animal family, consisting of a goat, a donkey, a dog and a pig, were hungry, too. The dog spied the tray of food on the table, jumped through the window, grabbed the food and, ran away. Charlie, the oriental cook, the greatest little K. P. that ever was. He happened to pass outside of the window where the lovers were deeply engrossed, when they suddenly discovered the loss of their food, and blamed Charlie. They threw a pail of water over him for revenge. Pop invented a Nutt motor that would make anything on wheels stand as permanent as rock. The girls are keen about this, invention and all have a hand in perfecting it. When Pop looks around for his help he discovers Luke and Lucy on top of the barn on a see-saw. They had assigned the goat to beat the carpet and water the lawn, the donkey to put the hay in the loft, and the dog to mow the lawn. Sally and Billy camouflaged themselves like trees and were having a wild time all by their lonesome. Pop chases the lovers back to work and all is peaceful again. Two crooks are on their way to steal Pop's new invention, but the chief of police advises Pop of their arrival. The daughters put a lion in the case where the Nutt motor originally was, and the crooks steal this case and are very much surprised to find a not too loving lion staring them in the face. An uproarious chase follows, wherein the lion scares nearly everybody half to death.

Dir: James D. Davis

Magnolia Milkshake wants to help the war effort to compensate for her husband who is exempt for being overweight. She tries to join the Red Cross, then the rifle corps.

Dir: James D. Davis

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.