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 Winner Take All perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

The annual tournament of the Clear Valley Country Club is a particularly notable event because the winner is to receive not only the prize cup but the hand of the president's daughter. Paul is outdistanced by the champion in the golf and driving contests, but comes into his own in the Pogo race through the aid of a goat.

Dir: Alfred Santell

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

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.

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.

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 Empty Hearts perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Two foreigners own a hardware and plumbing store. The Amalgamated Hardware Company, a trust, make Mike and Louie an offer on their place, which they refuse. Amid their denunciation of the trust Madge and her sweetheart, Jack Kennedy, enter. Jack has come to ask Madge's uncles for her hand, but they will give Jack no answer. That evening Madge is told the story of her life. Her father, while mining in the West, was killed by a blast and she has been raised by Mike and Louie, who are informed by John Andrews that her father passed away leaving nothing. Jack's father, "Boss" Kennedy, is the silent partner with John Andrews, none other than the former partner to Madge's father, in the Amalgamated Hardware Company. Though a crook, Kennedy endeavors to keep his actions from his boy. Andrews and Kennedy decide to squash the two Dutchmen by opening a store across the street and underselling them. Eventually the trust forces the foreigners out of business. Madge gets a position in a laundry where an alkaline tank explodes and blinds her. Andrews and Kennedy argue and vow "to get" each other. Mike and Louie read that a specialist has come to town, who can perform an operation upon the blind which will enable them to see, but charges $300 for his service. Mike and Louie offer to sell their store to Kennedy, who refuses them. He refers them to Andrews if they are in search of charity. Leaving Jack in charge of the store, Mike and Louie visit Andrews. Introducing Madge as Miss Morton, the Dutchmen do not notice that Andrews is surprised. He informs them that he will think about it. Madge's name causes visions of the past and Andrews sees his old partner as he died begging Andrews to take care of his child, for which he wills him one-half interest in his mine. After Morton's death the mine paid enormously and Andrews took no further interest in Madge other than to inform her guardians that she had been left nothing by her father. Andrews is informed that Kennedy is double-crossing him and that Jack is caring for the store across the street. Andrews buys the store for $500. Crooks learn that Mike and Louie have $500 and that night rob them of their money. The crooks are captured and in the night court Mike and Louie accuse them. The crooks send for Kennedy who arrives with Jack, and the "Boss" has his henchmen released and Mike and Louie get the worst end of it. Jack, realizing his father's actions, demands an explanation, which results in an argument and the boy leaves his father's house. Intent upon revenge, Mike and Louie steal into Kennedy's house and rob him of $500, which pays for Madge's operation. Inspired by their success, they go out to make another haul and accidentally get into Andrews' home, where they rob his private safe and get a tin box which they take home. On opening it, they find evidence to prove Andrews' guilt and resolve on revenge. Madge is released from the hospital, able to see again. Andrews in attempting to get even with Kennedy, frames circumstantial evidence proving Jack guilty of stealing the tin box. In the court trial everything is going against Jack when Mike and Louie jump up and confess. Andrews makes a get-away, but Mike and Louie are sentenced to two years in State prison. For one year they are remorseful but later are shown as trusted trusties. They speak to their fellow convicts and impress upon them the folly of wrong-doing; they avert a break in the prison, and are in truth "beloved rogues." One day they are called to the warden's house to set a banquet table, where they are interrupted by the entrance of Madge, Jack Kennedy, the Governor of the State, and a clergyman, and invited to the wedding of Madge, having been released by the Governor.

Dir: Alfred Santell

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Alfred Santell

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

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

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Alfred Santell

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.