Essential Cult Cinema Drawn from the Same DNA as Roped: Cult Guide

Dir: John Ford

The owner of a gambling hall is entrusted with the care of a pretty young girl. He falls in love with her, but he must decide whether to let her go to his best friend, with whom he believes her to be in love, or to try to win her for himself.

Dir: John Ford

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

A mother is convinced her son is a ranch owner when in fact he is an outlaw, and she just saves him from hanging.

Dir: John Ford

A ranch foreman battles a rich stockbroker for the affections of a beautiful young woman.

Dir: John Ford

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

A cowboy must save his girlfriend from captivity and then cross the desert on foot with a single waterhole on the way.

Dir: John Ford

An Arizona cattleman defeats the rustlers and the sheriff who is in league with them.

Dir: John Ford

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

A man declined admission to fight in the American Civil War joins a gang of marauders and winds up as a fugitive.

Dir: John Ford

A grizzled hero is revisiting the town of his youthful exploits.

Dir: John Ford

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

This is the same plot as Three Godfathers. Three outlaws rescue a baby in the desert and with barely any water left try to return to the town in which they just robbed a bank.

Dir: John Ford

Jode McWilliams, the foreman of Circle O, is in love with Peg, the daughter of Pa Owens, the owner of the ranch. The trouble is that daddy won't allow! Which does not stop Jode from wanting to marry Peg. He asks Stumpy, the cook, to help him write a love letter to the lady of his heart. The other cowhands find it and, with a view to making fun of Jode, nail it to the door. Two Horns, an Indian, steals it and ... delivers it to Peg. When Jode and his posse, pursuing the facetious redskin, arrive at the Owenses' house, Jode's boss has already found out. A showdown ensues and the young man, who has lost the fight, is made prisoner and held in a room. But he is rescued by his pal Chub and a helpful parson marry the two lovebirds. Away they ride from the reluctant father towards happiness.

Dir: John Ford

Cattleman Flint cuts off farmer Sims' water supply. When Sims' son Ted goes for water, one of Flint's men kills him. Cheyenne is sent to finish off Sims, but finding the family at the newly dug grave, he changes sides.