Hand-Picked Alternatives for Fans of The Man from Montana: Cult Guide

Dir: George Marshall

A flippant remark causes Van to be challenged by a crack ski jumper. Van is scared, but the rival gives him a push and he takes the slide against his will, making a record jump. He loses his nerve when it comes to entering the cross country run and climbs a hill to get away. A bear chases him and he makes a getaway by using two boards for skis. Once he gets started he can't stop and catches up with his rival, who slings him off the course into a tree. Van circles the tree several times and, unable to bold on, is flung down the hill, crossing the finish line first and winning the prize.

Dir: George Marshall

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Why Trust Your Husband perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Elmer Day and his wife, Eunice, are visiting Gilbert and Maud Stone, and the two husbands, wishing to attend a masquerade, plead business engagements to escape from their wives. But the wives, discovering the invitation, also attend, and matters are complicated by changes and substitutions of costumes and the appearance of Mrs. Day's aunt and uncle. After a police raid there are general explanations and reconciliations at the police court.

Dir: George Marshall

John Harley leaves his job as a milkman upon inheriting half of a cattle ranch, while waitress Sallie Summers goes West to claim her half. Together, John and Sallie fight for possession of the ranch against foreman Buck Osborne and his gang, who stage fake holdups, gunfights, and battles with Native Americans to scare off the new owners. John beats the gang at its own game and marries Sallie after rescuing her from a kidnapping.

Dir: George Marshall

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Where Is This West? perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Upon riding into a border town, Tex Roberts soon rescues lovely Ramona Wadley from the unwanted attentions of Pete Dinsmore, leader of a gang of rustlers, and later plucks her sister in time from a stampede, he is then awarded a job on the Wadley ranch. When the owner sends his son, Ford, who is in alliance with Dinsmore, to collect money, a fake holdup is staged and Ford is killed. Tex is arrested but clears his name and fights to a showdown with Pete and the gang.

Dir: George Marshall

Ruth, the owner of Haunted Valley, borrows a million dollars in order to finish a dam. The terms of the loan specify that if she doesn't pay it back in three months she will lose both Lost River Dam and Haunted Valley.

Dir: George Marshall

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

A visit to a police station starts the chase of a notorious thief and killer and Van finds himself, against his will, dragooned into the role of an arm of the law.

Dir: George Marshall

The "hero" knows as much about sailing as a reformer about a drinking song, but a tricky fate decrees that he shall be skipper to his sweetheart and a bunch of girl friends. The crew turns out to be a crowd of bootleggers. They man-handle him severely until fate swings to his side and a series of fortunate coincidences gives him control of them.

Dir: George Marshall

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

A young woman finds a trunk full of stolen diamonds, takes them and heads westward, pursued by the thief.

Dir: George Marshall

Van Bibber, arriving in Paris, is made a detective by the police prefect and starts off on the trail of a kidnapped child. Van and his party visit a cafe, where he resents attentions of a tough gent to his fiancée. He retires during the all-around scrap which ensues, dons female attire, makes a getaway and accidentally plunges into an Apache den, where he finds the abducted infant, is appointed nurse to it by the Apaches, escapes and delivers up his quarry and receives congratulations of police, populace and fiancée.

Dir: George Marshall

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.