Curated Recommendations Similar Cinematic Experiences to The Love Expert: Cult Guide

Dir: David Kirkland

When retired New England skipper Captain Purcell finds Kit as a baby in a storm, he adopts her and she grows up to be an adventurous youngster of the docks. One evening years later, she boards a fishing boat to break up a poker game and extricate the husband of a weeping woman, and she is taken prisoner by Capt. Burt Kincaid, who tries to force his attentions on her, but when she proves her courage, he admires and comes to love her. When it is discovered that she is the daughter of the Hamptons, a wealthy family, Kit becomes a woman of fashion but longs for her former life and Captain Burt. Soon it is revealed that she is not a member of the Hampton family but only a daughter of their former maid, and she happily returns to Burt.

Dir: David Kirkland

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

A rich producer of a new theatrical version of Cinderella declares that he will give a role to the woman who can fit into a tiny slipper. Many women fail, but a poor little girl who has always dreamed of a romantic life manages to put on the shoe and then, to fulfill her fantasy, she and the producer fall in love. Meanwhile, a former lover of the show's prima donna returns. In a quarrel she had cut his hand, ending his career as a musician, and he has vowed revenge. He tries to shoot her, but the little girl deflects the bullet. She recovers, however, and the prima donna and her former sweetheart finally realize that they are still in love.

Dir: David Kirkland

Fred Saunders rides into a wild town and aids the minister in recovering money stolen from the collection plate, thereby winning the love of the minister's daughter, June. Fred prevents Buddy, an orphan boy, from being trampled by a runaway horse and later "kidnaps" Buddy from an orphanage. Carney and his gang kidnap the boy in earnest, and Fred rescues him. Buddy turns out to be June's long-lost brother, and Fred and June are married by her father.

Dir: David Kirkland

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

Robert Bennett, an idle socialite, wagers $30,000 with his three friends that he can tell nothing but the truth for a period of one week. His troubles begin at a party where his friends' wives question Robert about their husbands' outside activities. Forced to tell the truth, Robert's veracity results in domestic disharmony. Consequently, his vengeful trio of friends pursue Robert for the next five days, intent upon silencing him until the week is over. They finally resort to committing Robert to an insane asylum where he escapes with the aid of Dolly, who is in love with him because she believes that Robert is a society thief. When the real burglar arrives, he tries to frame Robert for his crimes, but Robert is cleared as the week ends and claims both his wager and his sweetheart, Gwendolyn Gerald.

Dir: David Kirkland

Capricious Billie Billings determines to marry bashful bachelor Senator Newton of Nevada and succeeds. She discovers on her honeymoon that her husband's secretary "Smith" is actually a woman. When the senator refuses to heed his wife's demands to fire Smith, Billie flirts with a French count and runs away with him to a country inn. The count gets drunk and Billie insists on separate rooms. Billie's friend Dr. Wise arrives at the inn with Smith, her husband and twin children, and Senator Newton. Smith assuages Billie's jealousy and then leaves the senator and his wife alone. The reunited couple depart for a second honeymoon.

Dir: David Kirkland

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Nothing But the Truth perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Dick Alden, a 12-year-old boy mistreated by his stepfather and picked on by the other residents of his village, is wrongly accused of setting fire to the local schoolhouse. He runs away but vows to take his revenge on the village. Years later he gets his chance when he returns to take over the mill he has inherited--he plans to close it down, which would throw most of the people out of work and destroy the economy. However, he runs into someone from his past that could put a halt to his plans.

Dir: David Kirkland

When Mary Blake applies for the position of personal secretary to misogynist James Stanhope, she is judged too attractive to accomplish the job. Mary returns home, makes herself unattractive and is promptly hired. Stanhope is assisting the government in the arrest of Bolshevists, and one night three revolutionaries enter the house, bind and gag Stanhope and put a time bomb under his chair. Discarding her unattractive disguise, Mary vamps the three into submission, clouts each on the head with a brass statue and saves her boss's life. Mary's resourcefulness forces Stanhope to give up his disdain for pretty women, and he proposes to his attractive secretary.

Dir: David Kirkland

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

Cattle rancher John Drake sends his son, Ted, to the Mexican border to stop the smuggling that is using Drake's land as the crossing point. Ted meets Ysabel Castro, the daughter of the rancher just across the border-river, when he saves her from a mad-bull. He captures a messenger for the smugglers, captures him and then goes to the gang's camp posing as the messenger. They soon find out he is an impostor, and he and Ysabel and her father are lined up before a firing squad. Maybe Silver King can summon the Calvary.

Dir: David Kirkland

Dad Randall is forced to mortgage his cattle to pay a debt to Ivor Johnson, who has bought them after stealing the receipts for the money Randall actually has paid. His son, Dean, returns home from action in the trenches and saves John Stickley, his daughter Grace, and a child from the grasping tactics of Texas Pete, a Johnson hireling who is charging for use of the waterhole. Meanwhile, Dad Randall is being forced to sign over the ranch, but Dean arrives and disposes of the villains just before Dad's death. When Johnson's cattle are rustled, Dean goes to work for him to track down the rustlers; returning the stolen cattle, Dean is tricked by Johnson, but with the aid of Grace and his horse, Silver King, he escapes. By a pulley stunt, Dean leads his pursuers into the sheriff's trap, and following a final showdown with Johnson, Dean and Grace are united.

Dir: David Kirkland

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.