Log in Register

DbcultAccessing Vault...

Recommendations

Must-Watch List Comparable to the Style of The Big Squeal: Cult Guide

Author

Senior Film Conservator

10 June 2026

5 min read

Ever since The Big Squeal hit screens in 1933, fans have sought that same stylistic flair, it's essential to look at the contemporaries that shared this stylistic flair. Prepare to discover your next favorite movie in our hand-picked collection.

The The Big Squeal Phenomenon

Whether it's the stylistic flair or the thematic depth, this film to leave an indelible mark on the history of United States film.

Andy Wilson (Andy Clyde), a millionaire pig farmer from Kansas, comes to Chicago (unless New York has a stock yard district)looking for his girl friend, Natalie (Dorothy Christy) who had left the Sunflower state as she did not care much for the company of pigs and/or pig handlers, although Andy wasn't rich when she left, else she would have most likely been a bit more tolerant. Andy runs into his old friend Jake (Billy Bevan), who has been married for about a year to another belle from Kansas, that Andy hasn't met. He invites Andy out to the house and, of course, he is called away on business and asks Andy to stay and entertain his bride Betty (Ethyl Sykes, which is how she spelled it until some researcher changed it to Ethel), who Andy still hasn't met, although she did dain to stick a hand out of her bedroom door for Andy to shake, as she too has an aversion to pig farmers, even rich ones like Andy who was also the Pig-Calling Champion of Kansas three years running. Betty calls a friend over to take her place. The friend---what a coincidence---is Andy's old girl friend, and she peeks out and recognizes Andy and also a million reasons why she now likes him better than she did. She invites him into the bedroom where she is spread out, wearing silk pajamas, on the chaise lounge and, like Cleopatra, is not prone to argue. Andy, of course, thinks his old girl friend is now his friend's wife. Will Andy yield to temptation despite his fondness for his old friend?

Critical Consensus

6.2/10

Critics widely regard The Big Squeal as a cult-favorite piece of Comedy cinema. Its stylistic flair is frequently cited as its strongest asset, solidifying its place in United States's film legacy.

An Amateur Devil scene — Scene from An Amateur Devil

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of An Amateur Devil perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Must-Watch List Comparable to the Style of The Big Squeal

Based on the unique stylistic flair of The Big Squeal, our vault has identified these titles as the most compelling follow-up experiences for fans of Comedy cinema:

An Amateur Devil

1. An Amateur Devil 1920

Dir: Maurice Campbell

Carver Endicott, a young sophisticate, is rejected by his fiancée for being too foppish and dull. When she feigns an interest in his father, Carver attempts to disgrace his family name by working as a farmhand and later as a busboy in a hotel. However, the newspapers only praise him for his self-sacrificing principles; and finding that he cannot bring shame to the family through menial labor, he takes up with a notorious actress. But when this maneuver also fails, he returns to his former fiancée, who has no further complaint about his being an inexperienced dullard.

Homer Comes Home

2. Homer Comes Home 1920

Dir: Jerome Storm

Homer Comes Home scene — Scene from Homer Comes Home

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Homer Comes Home perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Ne'er-do-well Homer Cavender ventures to the city from Mainsville in an effort to find fame and fortune. Both elude him, and after clerking for two years, Homer returns home for a vacation. Impressed by his flashy clothes, the townspeople assume that Homer has achieved success. Attempting to win Rachel Prouty from his rival, Arthur Machim, Homer continues the deception by announcing that his employer, Kort and Bailly, has dispatched him to enroll stockholders for a proposed new plant to be built in Mainsville. Machim discovers the sham and denounces Homer as a crook. Meanwhile, Homer returns to New York, convinces his employers of the merits of his plan and comes home triumphant, with a proposal for both the new plant and for Rachel's hand in marriage.

The Deadlier Sex

3. The Deadlier Sex 1920

Dir: Robert Thornby

Mary Willard takes over her father's railroad after his death. Her major competitor is a ruthless crook named Harvey Judson. She arranges for Judson to be kidnapped and taken to an isolated spot deep in the forest and turned loose to fend for himself. She accompanies the kidnappers to the wild and Judson, not knowing who she is, begins to fall in love with her. Complications ensue.

On Strike

4. On Strike 1920

Dir: Bud Fisher

The Deadlier Sex scene — Scene from The Deadlier Sex

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

Mutt and Jeff go on strike and make their own film.

In the River

5. In the River 1920

Dir: Edgar Jones

A mail-order bride arrives at a Maine lumber camp but doesn't like her prospective husband.

The Great Cheese Robbery

6. The Great Cheese Robbery 1920

Dir: Vernon Stallings

On Strike scene — Scene from On Strike

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

Krazy Kat is held in jail and Ignatz finally bails him out after encountering "guilt".

Don't Weaken!

7. Don't Weaken! 1920

Dir: Malcolm St. Clair

A dancing instructor gets involved with a newly rich family.

Get-Rich-Quick Edgar

8. Get-Rich-Quick Edgar 1920

Dir: Mason N. Litson

In the River scene — Scene from In the River

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

Edgar and his chum try to amass a fortune in one day by cornering the fan market on a hot afternoon when the circus comes to the small town where they are spending their vacation.

The Land of Opportunity

9. The Land of Opportunity 1920

Dir: Ralph Ince

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Trail of the Rails

10. Trail of the Rails 1920

Dir: Unknown Director

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Cinematic Comparison Matrix

Analysis relative to The Big Squeal

Film Title	Atmosphere	Complexity	Similarity
An Amateur Devil	Tense	Linear	98% Match
Homer Comes Home	Ethereal	Linear	93% Match
The Deadlier Sex	Gothic	Layered	97% Match
On Strike	Gothic	Linear	92% Match
In the River	Gritty	High	92% Match

* This matrix is generated based on structural DNA and genre proximity to the 1933 classic The Big Squeal.

This guide was algorithmically generated using the cinematic metadata of Charles Lamont's archive. Last updated: 6/10/2026.

Back to The Big Squeal Details →

Share this archive