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Recommendations
Senior Film Conservator
Witnessing the stylistic evolution of Arvid E. Gillstrom through Smiles is profound, this cult landmark continues to dictate the rules of its category. If the cast impressed you, these next recommendations will too.
The synthesis of form and function in Smiles to maintain its cult relevance across several decades.
When their father is reported missing at the front during World War I, Jane and Katherine are stamped and sent by parcel post across the country to their Aunt Lucille Forrest in New Jersey. The two girls manage to smuggle their dog into the mail bag as well. Aunt Lucille is in love with Lt. Tom Hayes, but she is angry with him after he resigns his commission at the start of the war. She does not know that Tom is in the Secret Service, and she becomes jealous of a female spy whom Tom is trailing. Jane and Katherine's mischievous pranks finally assist in capturing the spy and the secret plans, and getting Aunt Lucille back together with Tom.
Based on the unique cinematic excellence of Smiles, our vault has identified these titles as the most compelling follow-up experiences for fans of cult cinema:
Dir: Arvid E. Gillstrom
After a busy day of playing pranks on their father's servants and guests, Harry Williams' daughters Jane and Katherine tumble into bed and fall asleep. Having seen a film depicting World War I fighting in Europe, little Jane dreams that two armies, consisting entirely of mechanical dolls, are advancing against each other in battle. While Trik leads the German troops, who are guilty of committing a score of atrocities, Trak heads the Allied army, which ultimately wins the war. In the end, Jane awakens with a start to find that it has all been a dream.
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Dir: Arvid E. Gillstrom
Buddy, a homeless orphan, is the life of the old orphanage where Sadie and Ella are both in love with him. Ella tries her best to take Buddy away from Sadie. The time comes when Buddy leaves the orphanage and the two brokenhearted girls are left behind. While Buddy is making his way through life as a very fine caddy on the neighboring golf links, Ella and Sadie are adopted by respectable families. It is while Buddy is in the act of stealing a pie that he again meets Ella, but fate is kind to him and he once more finds Sadie, who wins over her foster-mother to adopt Buddy also.
Dir: Arvid E. Gillstrom
Harry is the farmer's helper, while Johnny is the helper to the helper. Johnny has with him some bottles of "Pepo." A few drops of this wonderful liquid puts speed into anything. They drop some into the sheriff's motorcycle and it dashes away. A few drops in the chicken feed and the hens drop their eggs all over the place. At the barn dance Johnny pours some "Pepo" into the ice cream and the old ladies start flirting with the young men and the old boys shine up to the girls. Then they play leap frog and Harry and the farmer's daughter elope.
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Dir: Arvid E. Gillstrom
Brownie plays the part of a literal rum-hound, and assisted by a remarkably small boy and several adults, depicts the sleuthing, pursuit and capture of a band of bootleggers who dispense their wares through the medium of a piano hitched on a wagon, which emits liquid notes when given keys are struck. Brownie "soaks up the evidence" by rolling in it, but is captured by the bootleggers and thrown into a lake. He manages to keep his tail above water, and the liquor still upon it is drained off and used as evidence.
Dir: Arvid E. Gillstrom
Billy is forced to become a messenger and through this he gets a position as leading man. However, his seriousness spoils the play and nearly results in disaster.
Dir: Arvid E. Gillstrom
A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.
Dir: Arvid E. Gillstrom
Interrupting the marital troubles of a man whose wife's cooking was not conducive to longevity, comes Jimmie Adams in the role of a book agent. His call is unwelcome and the housewife first calls the poodle dog, then the bull dog. The latter puts the book agent on the run. Two policemen take up the chase and all scamper through a field where straw is heaped in piles and the pursued endeavors to hide, without much success. There is considerable action without humor in the first reel. The second has something to do with the title, since it takes place in a "scout " camp and ends in a swamp, where there are splashes of action, again without humor.
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Dir: Arvid E. Gillstrom
Andrew Sheldon is so busy perfecting a new explosive for the United States' effort in the Great War that he fails to realize that his butler, cook, housekeeper, and chauffeur are all German spies. However, his two mischievous daughters Katherine and Jane make life difficult for the spies by throwing pies at the Kaiser's picture and clipping the butler's long, Prussian-style mustache while he sleeps. When Andrew's wife announces that she is pregnant, he tells the girls that he has written a letter requesting a baby brother for them, whereupon they decide to steal the letter, convinced that two children are enough for their family. Breaking into Andrew's laboratory, they take the "letter," actually the secret formula, but after Andrew reveals that his plans are missing, the butler enters the laboratory and seizes the invention itself. Following an automobile chase and then a battle staged in rowboats on the Hudson River, the butler is apprehended by U.S. agents. Although he is the proud father of a new baby boy, Andrew gratefully blesses the impish little girls who saved his formula.
View DetailsAnalysis relative to Smiles
| Film Title | Atmosphere | Complexity | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tell It to the Marines | Gothic | Layered | 93% Match |
| The Caddy | Surreal | High | 87% Match |
| Speed 'Em Up | Tense | High | 94% Match |
| The Tattle Tail | Surreal | Dense | 87% Match |
| Meet Betty's Husband | Gritty | High | 93% Match |
This guide was algorithmically generated using the cinematic metadata of Arvid E. Gillstrom's archive. Last updated: 5/19/2026.
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