The Essential Watchlist Similar Cinematic Experiences to The Keys of the Righteous: Cult Guide

Dir: Jerome Storm

Hosiah Howe struggles to earn his living on a farm that lies in the shadow of a wealthy summer resort. Visiting the resort are Dr. Rand, his daughter Virginia, and a scoundrel named Ward Andrews. One day Andrews stops at the Howe farm and discovers that the land contains water with a highly-exploitable medicinal value. Smelling money, Andrews convinces Dr. Rand to buy an option on the farm, then runs away to the city with Hosiah's innocent sister Martha. Hosiah, who has fallen in love with Virginia, pursues his sister to the city but fails to locate her. Time passes, and Martha returns, having run away from Andrews. Attempting suicide to atone for her disgrace, Martha is saved by Hosiah in the nick of time. Andrews also reappears and attempts to claim the Howes' land, but Hosiah soundly thrashes him to win back both his land and Virginia's love.

Dir: Jerome Storm

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

Andy Fletcher is a blacksmith in a country village, but he dreams of racing automobiles. He gets his chance to enter a big race, but winning is complicated by a band of bank robbers.

Dir: Jerome Storm

Cuthbert Trotman wants to be a writer. He becomes the protege of wealthy Harry Travistock, who shows him the ways of the big city. But Harry's girlfriend Anita begins to take more of an interest in Cuthbert than in Harry.

Dir: Jerome Storm

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

A bumbling would-be detective always seems to reach the wrong conclusion, but one day accidentally stumbles across a real crook, guilty of a real crime.

Dir: Jerome Storm

Bill Henry Jenkins is a country boy on the lookout for a good career. He faces numerous obstacles, including losing his sales job when his bicycle is lost. A bigtime poker game turns out to be the key to Bill Henry's success.

Dir: Jerome Storm

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

Andrew Gray is a shy youth who also stutters. He has worked in the office of the Wells Motor Truck company for five years, never getting beyond the job of clerk. Yet, he knows more about the business than anyone else, but his shyness has held him back. He is also in love from afar with his employer's daughter, Dorothy. Meanwhile, William Blinker, a cocky newcomer, has advanced to assistant manager after only four months at the company. The firm needs to land a big trucking contract from Mr. Dodge. Blinker tries, but his cockiness antagonizes Dodge. Andy meets Dorothy, and when she accidentally thinks he is Blinker, he is too bashful to deny it. Andy then meets Mr. Dodge, who finds Andy appealing. Andy lands the contract for the firm, and wins Dorothy's love.

Dir: Jerome Storm

A young baseball pitcher in the bush leagues is discovered by a big-league manager and given his chance in the major leagues. But will he be up to the challenge?

Dir: Jerome Storm

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

Salesgirl Marion Hoyte, unlike the other members of her family, seeks to better her situation; hence, when she accidentally becomes acquainted with young architect James Lodge, who clears her of the charge of stealing a customer's purse, Marion accepts his attentions. Leroy, a suitor for Marion, and her sister Bertha object, but Marion soon becomes engaged to James. Shipley, a financier, plans that James will marry his daughter, Gwendolyn, and will be engaged to plan the new state capitol building; but when Marion and James are married, Shipley withdraws his support and Marion is snubbed by James's social set. Determined not to ruin her husband's career, Marion arranges a fake elopement with Clifford Trent. However, Marion learns that James has been injured in a western mining camp, soon she goes to his aid; and through this twist of fate their love is reawakened.

Dir: Jerome Storm

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.

Dir: Jerome Storm

Socially prominent but nearly penniless Easterner Mrs. Bereton, marries her daughter Avice to wealthy cattleman Barton Masters. Before the ceremony, Avice promises Dr. Fortescue Van Fleet, with whom she has been carrying on a flirtation, that her marriage will mean nothing, but after she moves to Barton's ranch, she comes to respect her husband deeply. When the wedding party, consisting of Van Fleet as well as Avice's mother and brother Billy, visits the ranch, Van Fleet attacks Avice in her room, but Barton catches him and turns him out. The next day, Barton sends Avice's relatives home and compels her to work on the ranch. She is resentful until Van Fleet returns and shoots Barton, seriously wounding him. At the point of a gun, Avice forces the doctor to tend her husband's injury, and after Barton's recovery, she devotes herself to him.