Hand-Picked Alternatives Movies That Echo the Spirit of Say! Young Fellow: Cult Guide

Dir: Joseph Henabery

Wealthy, snobbish, patronizing Horace Winsby is refused by Patricia Owens, then must leave his California valley because of restiveness by farmers whose mortgages he is foreclosing. In New York Horace runs up large bills, cannot pay them when his wallet is stolen, is put out of his hotel, and finally is helped by Shorty, a park bum. Patricia and her father come to New York and find a changed Horace washing dishes, and everything is resolved.

Dir: Joseph Henabery

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

When respectable Lloyd Norwood becomes infatuated with moll Goldie Lewis, he falls into a life of debasement that results in his being accused of the murder of gangland henchman Joe the Swell. Norwood's wife Mary, convinced of her husband's innocence, determines to clear his name. Disguising herself as a vamp and infiltrating the underworld, Mary extracts a confession from the real murderer, Pussyfoot Connor, whom she dupes into believing that he sees the ghost of the murdered man. Later, to have witnesses to the story, Mary takes a midnight dinner with gang leader Jack Frost, arousing the jealousy of Connor, who enters and accuses Frost of instigating the murder. The police, alerted to the scheme, rush in and arrest the criminals. Finally, a phone call to the prison warden results in Norwood's release as a wiser man.

Dir: Joseph Henabery

Sam Sandell, an American engineer working in India, is attacked by a tiger but rescued and nursed back to health by Chameli Brentwood, a half-caste. Sam's subsequent marriage to Chameli angers her uncle, Sathoo Ram, and Raj Singh, a former suitor, and results in a plot to destroy Sam and his dam. Sam's onetime English sweetheart, Harriet Halehurst, on the other hand, takes the marriage well and even accepts Chameli into society. Chameli proves to be faithless and is killed by a bullet meant for Sam, who has again been saved from a tiger--this time by Harriet. Sathoo, Singh, and their fellow Thugs succeed in breaking the dam; Sam is reunited with Harriet after rescuing her from the flood.

Dir: Joseph Henabery

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

Mountaineer Pap Clayton has promised his daughter Sairy Ann (Dorothy Gish) to his cousin Jed Martin, but Sairy Ann loves Dr. Richard Cavanagh (Sam DeGrasse), the son of Judge Lee Cavanagh. In the midst of a feud between the Claytons and the Jacksons, a jealous Jed sets out to kill Richard. Jed shoots a deputy who gets in his way and is taken before Judge Cavanagh, whom the Claytons have threatened to kill if Jed is convicted. The Claytons are true to their word when Cavanagh finds him guilty, and Richard immediately vows to kill Jed, who has escaped. Sairy Ann, however, reminds Richard that he has railed against family feuding and has said that only the law can take a life. A sobered Richard captures Jed and hands him over to authorities; then, after he has forgiven the Claytons, he and Sairy Ann become engaged.

Dir: Joseph Henabery

When his honeymoon is over, Knox Randall shifts his attention from his wife Ailsa to his business. Feeling neglected, Ailsa accepts her sister-in-law Clarissa's advice that a little jealousy might re-ignite her husband's interest. Undertaking a harmless flirtation with playboy Porter Maddox, Ailsa discovers that Clarissa has fallen madly in love with Maddox, who is using her to accumulate confidential information regarding Wall Street secrets. When Ailsa overhears Clarissa making plans to elope with Maddox, she hurries to save her sister-in-law. Rumor spreads that Ailsa is a faithless wife and, upon hearing the gossip, George Mott-Smith, Clarissa's husband, notifies Knox and the two set out to intercept the guilty pair. Once they overtake the threesome, Ailsa tells all and Knox finally realizes the value of his wife.

Dir: Joseph Henabery

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

A conservative young man inherits his uncle's pearl-fishery concession in the South Pacific. Upon his arrival there, he becomes involved with a woman and a mystery.

Dir: Joseph Henabery

Although Jimmy Kirk earns only $7.50 a week as a soda jerk, he is ambitious and hopes to marry Mamie Smith, the bank president's daughter. He saves up enough money to rent a car, in which he finds money stolen from the bank. When James Smith tries to keep Jimmy from receiving the reward, Jimmy shrewdly claims that the bank encroaches on his 4-ft. plot of property. Jimmy wins both a financial compromise and Mamie.

Dir: Joseph Henabery

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

During a quarrel at a Scottish inn, Captain Gordon wounds another officer and flees to New York with detective Jenks on his trail. Once there, he meets Marjory Seaton, an heiress whom her Uncle Tidmarsh is trying to marry to the profligate Winslow, but she is interested in fashionable sportsman Sylvester. One night at a ball, Gordon spies Jenks following him and, in the course of his escape, accepts refuge from a fight promoter named Brooks. At Brooks' request, Gordon substitutes for Sylvester's opponent, burglar Deacon, at a charity bout, and knocks out the real pugilist. Later, during a dinner party at the Tidmarshes', Gordon is mistaken for a lord and, when the real nobleman appears, is denounced as an impostor. The police are called, and while awaiting their arrival, Gordon prevents Deacon's attempt to rob the Tidmarsh safe. With the appearance of Jenks, who discloses that the quest for his search was to deliver a large inheritance to Gordon, Marjory declares her love for the Scotsman and all ends happily.

Dir: Joseph Henabery

Galen Albret, factor of the Hudson's Bay Co. in the Canadian Northwest, believes Graham Stewart guilty of conspiracy with his wife and sends them into the wilderness, where they die. Years later, Ned, Stewart's son, is a free trader interfering with Galen's trade, though unaware of Galen's connection with his fathers death. Ned is captured, but Galen's daughter, Virginia, helps him to escape. Discovering Ned's identity and that his father was unjustly suspected, Galen offers him an opportunity for revenge, but Virginia intervenes and the factor relents, surrendering his daughter to Ned.

Dir: Joseph Henabery

Traveling salesman Bob Blake finds himself at a railroad junction instead of his intended destination through a practical joke played on him by two drummer friends, and he spends the night in an unoccupied house up for sale. In Grand River he falls in love with its owner, Beth Elliott. Politician Martin Drury conspires with her suitor, Franklin, to buy the property cheaply, knowing it is wanted by the railroad, but Bob beats him to the sale and pays the taxes. Beth, thinking Bob has deceived her, accepts their offer, but when he learns that a wife's signature is invalid without the assent of her husband they get married, thus checkmating the schemers.