Essential Cult Cinema Drawn from the Same DNA as Some Job: Cult Guide

Dir: Alfred Santell

Bank clerk John Hart is about to marry Mary Kelly, but she insists that before that happens he must grow a mustache. The idea of that shakes him up so much that he gets distracted at work, comes up short in his accounts and gets fired. Unable to find another job, he begins to work as an extra at a nearby film studio to earn money. One day the leading man of a picture John is working on gets into an argument with the director and storms off the set. Angered, the director sees John and, deciding that he'll show his arrogant star that he can make a movie idol out of just about anybody, picks John to replace him. As it turns out, John has a real talent for acting and before he knows it he becomes a star. Unfortunately, "stardom" isn't what John thought it would be.

Dir: Alfred Santell

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Tin Knights in a Hallroom perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Alfred Santell

Rancher Matt Black is willed half of a Nevada gold mine. Arriving there, he learns that the heir of the other half is a young girl named "Bertie." Realizing that there may be some dirty work and theft going on at the mine, he conceals his identity and gets a job as a miner.

Dir: Alfred Santell

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

American sculptress Adele La Rue, working in Paris, lacks the inspiration to create a masterpiece, until Jean Ballard, a wild apache leader, takes refuge from the police in her apartment. Adele saves him from capture on the condition that he pose as the model for one of her works. Adele and Jean fall in love, finding happiness with each other until Marie, Jean's former love, insults him by telling him he is no better than a rich woman's lap dog. Jean returns to the underworld and becomes involved in a gang war with a rival gang, the Wolves. Looking for Jean, Adele goes to a cafe he is known to frequent, where she is abducted by the Wolves. When Jean comes to rescue her, he is also captured. The Wolves heat knives with which to torture the reunited lovers, but before they can be used, the police arrive and open fire on the Wolves' hideout. During the excitement, Marie, who has joined the Wolves, repents of her hate and releases Adele and Jean. They jump from an open window just as the hideout is destroyed by artillery fire. Jean decides to repent, and the lovers look forward to a romantic future together.

Dir: Alfred Santell

The boys have won as a prize a life-size baby doll. Their very particular friends, the Misses Millionbucks, request that they bring the doll to a reception which they are holding. Before the reception takes place, however, a real baby is left at the door of their room, and the situation is covered by dressing the baby in the doll's dress suit. The boys are nabbed before they are able to return the baby to its parents for an offered reward. It turns out, however, that the child belongs not to riches, but to a fruit dealer's wife, who already has twelve children and refuses to shoulder the responsibility of the thirteenth.

Dir: Alfred Santell

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

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Alfred Santell

The Boys answer an ad for a man and wife to manage a summer hotel.

Dir: Alfred Santell

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Oh, Baby! perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Percy Schwartz is the son of a rich trash-can manufacturer but forgoes joining the company business in order to write thriller movie stories about bigger-than-life heroes, which he also aspires to be. Percy is deeply in love with Ruth Rand, the niece of Dr. Rand. a world-exploring scientist who majors in the mysteries of the Orient. The latter, after hearing Percy read one of his blood-curdling scenarios to the awe-struck Ruth, decides to test Percy character. Percy goes to ask Dr. Rand for Ruth's hand-in-marriage and finds him in his study going through some Orienral artifacts with his giant Hindu servant, Kotah. Dr. Rand later informs Percy that Ruth has been abducted and he needs Percy to help rescue her.

Dir: Alfred Santell

Notorious crooks "Hairpin" Annie and Sea Bass steal a suitcase on the train and discover that it is filled with scenarios. Its owner, Egbert Winslow, agrees to write a screenplay about the underworld with Sea Bass's help. Sea Bass, seeing a chance to expose a pal who has double-crossed him, describes "High-Shine" Joe and some of his underworld activities. Joe sees the film in a South American theater and recognizes himself. He goes to the motion picture studio determined to kill Egbert Winslow, but bank president Peyton, who has been robbed by Joe, appears simultaneously with the police and saves Winslow.

Dir: Alfred Santell

Milt Kimberlin (Bowers) falls in love with an marries a cabaret dancer, Rosalie (Bow) but looses all his money. Rosalie dies. Years later, a wealthy Milt marries Madeline (Rich), but wishes he could have the same happiness that he did with his former marriage. Madeline leaves him over a forged letter that "proves" Rosalie's infidelity. After the letter's author, a blackmailer, is unmasked, Milt is reunited with Madeline and the two find new happiness with each other.