Curated Recommendations Similar Cinematic Experiences to The Miracle of Life: Cult Guide

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A simple country girl, brutally mistreated by her stepfather, awakens first the sympathy, then the love, of The Boy. The Spider, who lusts after The Girl, makes a bargain with the stepfather and takes her to the city where, kept prisoner, she is soon broken in health and spirit. Cast out and near death, she is taken in by The Boy. Following the demise of The Spider, The Boy takes her to church, where he prays, and after many hours she is restored to health.

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Susan, a young girl, the support of her old uncle, earns her living in Madame Millet's fashionable shop. She almost loses her position through her rebuff of the advances of Madame's son, but the arrival of a rich customer renders he services as model necessary. The customer, Mrs. Luckett, a parvenu, struggling desperately to get into society, is struck by Susan's beauty and ladylike bearing, and when a Countess, whom she intended to use as an entering wedge into society, fails to appear, she prevails upon Susan to assume the role of Countess for a night. Susan is a great success and society goes mad over the titled lady. Mrs. Luckett is delighted and insists that Susan continue to play the role. At first Susan refuses, but Mrs. Luckett's pleas and the sudden death of her uncle cause her to change her mind, and she decided to go through with the part. As the Countess, Susan wins the heart of Clavering Gordon, a wealthy and attractive young bachelor. Mrs. Luckett had hoped to "land" Gordon as husband for her daughter, Ninon, and she resents Susan's rivalry. She tells Susan that the disappointment of losing Gordon is killing Ninon, and urges her to go away. Though now deeply in love with Gordon, Susan decides to sacrifice her own feelings to save Ninon. She is about to leave when La Salle, Mrs. Luckett's scheming social secretary, tells her that Ninon is a confirmed drug fiend, and would only ruin Gordon's life. He persuades Susan that she owes it to Gordon to marry him, and save him from Ninon and at last Susan is won over by his arguments. Just before the marriage ceremony, the scheming secretary reveals his true motives. He demands a large sum of money from Susan on penalty that, if she refuses, he will reveal to the assembled wedding guests that she is not a Countess, but a poor working girl and an impostor. Susan is dismayed. Determining that she will go no further with the deception, and scorning the secretary, she rushes into the midst of the wedding party and confesses all. Before the astonished Gordon or any of the other guests can stop her, she disappears. Seeking to forget he sorrow and unhappiness, Susan becomes a nurse and by her sweet unselfishness, wins the love of all whom she meets. After Susan disappeared, Gordon searched in vain, and finally despairing over the results and giving up all hopes of ever finding her, her marries Ninon, in the hope of reforming her. His hopes are vain, for with the years Ninon has grown continually worse, until she has become a shattered wreck. Susan is called upon to nurse her, and though town with conflicting emotions, when she learns that Ninon is the wife of Gordon, the man she loves, Susan tries desperately to save the drug-crazed woman. After a fierce struggle, the maddened Ninon succeeds in blinding Susan with a pair of scissors and then flings herself from the window to her death in the court below. Gordon meets the blinded Susan, and after a brief courtship, the two are married. In their great love they are rendered doubly happy by indications that Susan's sight is about to be restored.

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

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Nan Perrine, a shop girl in the S. and X. Department Store, of which Irwin is the manager, is unjustly accused of stealing a ring which has been placed in the pocket of her coat by Jenny, another employee of the store. Kirby is the prosecuting attorney of the town and his wife, Violet, is in love with Irwin. Nan declares her innocence. Kirby, who was a friend of Nan's father, thinks she is innocent, but Irwin insists that she is guilty. Kirby agrees to take her as maid for his wife and hold up the indictment for a time. Violet is having a flirtation with Barrett when Nan is taken into the house. Kirby gets a letter warning him of his wife's flirtations. At a party in the evening Nan sees Barrett and Violet go to the piazza and Kirby discovers them. He expostulates with her, and when she answers indignantly he shows her the letter he has received. Nan, after they disappear, finds that she is standing on the note which Kirby has dropped and reads the line, "A scandal would ruin him." Barrett and Violet later meet on the rocks at the shore with Nan and Kirby both watching, unseen by each other, and they go separate ways after Barrett and Violet disappear. At night Kirby 'phones his wife that he will be at the court late and she 'phones to Barrett, who is out when she rings up, and Nan is surprised to see Irwin calling. While he is there Barrett calls up. Irwin demands to know who is calling. She refuses to tell; they struggle for the 'phone; she strikes Irwin with it and kills him. A burglar breaking into the house sees the affair but is unseen. Nan and Violet start to take the body out to the road, but Kirby drives up in his car. Violet, trapped, tells him that Nan has killed Irwin. Nan pleads with him not to have her arrested, and when his back is toward her. escapes through a window. Kirby and his wife have an affectionate scene, while the burglar follows Nan. Nan on the rocks writes a letter indicating suicide, with the burglar watching. Removing the body, detectives find Irwin's note to Violet. The burglar reads Nan's note, catches her and tries to make her agree to Join his gang. Violet tries to bluff Kirby about any connection between the note and the murder. He threatens arrest; she admits that she killed Irwin and he reproaches her with allowing an innocent girl to be charged with the crime. Detectives come back with Nan's coat and note and Kirby orders the search stopped as Nan is innocent. Detectives learn that it was his wife and tell him that the girl has faked a suicide; that no one will suspect his wife, and they let matters rest until morning. Then Violet packs up her jewels to go to Barrett. Nan is taken to a tough dance. Barrett is there and Nan appeals to him to save her. Barrett is attacked and the whole crowd fights. Barrett and Nan escape, aided by a dancing girl. He takes her to his looms. Violet goes to Barrett's room and is shocked to see him come in with Nan. She faints. Kirby at home finds Violet away. Nan tells Barrett they must get Violet home. Nan will take her there. As they get there in a cab, Kirby comes out and sees the driver carrying the body with Nan beside him; he slips back into the house and opens the door when Nan rings. She tells him the story. Doctors declare Violet died from heart failure. Kirby tells Nan this is the second time that night she has sacrificed herself to save him and he knows now that she did not commit the first crime, the theft.

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In Alberta, Canada, a Cornish emigrant unmasks a rustler posing as the girl's "blind" father.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Her Great Hour perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

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Brian O'Farrell (Snowy Baker), is an English 'new chum' who takes a job at an Australian cattle station. He is teased by station hands because of his appearance (including spats and a monocle) but he soon impresses them with his skills at riding and boxing. The station manager, John MacDonald (Wilfred Lucas), takes O'Farrell to Sydney to meet his daughter Edith (Kathleen Key) who is working in the slums. Edith is kidnapped by criminals after witnessing a crime but O'Farrell rescues her. It is later revealed he is the owner of the station.

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

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

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Jim McDonald, the foreman of a shipbuilding plant and head of the labor union, strives to combat the anarchistic propaganda being put forth by Klimoff, the leader of a Bolshevik gang whose goal is to disrupt the country with strikes and anarchy. Despite McDonald's efforts, a strike is called, resulting in chaos. McDonald's child is knocked down by runaway horses abandoned by their striking driver, and dies. Mob scenes take place in America, as well as in Russia. Eventually, the unrest is quelled with an armistice called between Capital and Labor for a year, during which time wages are to be increased to reflect the cost of living, and leaders are to work out a common plan for their mutual advantage. The strikers now realize that they have been pawns of the Bolsheviks and call off the strike, agreeing to the plan.

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A woman realizes that her son is following the same path of corruption pursued by her father, a Civil War traitor, and her husband, an embezzler.

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

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Bruce Wendell, the son of West Virginia coal mine owner James Wendell, graduates from West Point and prepares to lead a fighting unit to the front during World War I. As his father lies dying, however, he convinces Bruce to remain at home and guard the mine. Bruce's fiancée Ann Blair assumes that he is a coward and breaks off their engagement, but her brother Bobbie remains Bruce's loyal friend. Meyer, a German agent, persuades railroad president Parrish to refuse to transport Wendell's coal, but when Bruce adamantly refuses to close the mine, the spy's men decide to blow it up. While Ann is being abducted by Meyer, Bobbie is buried in an explosion at the mine. Bruce rescues Bobbie and then sends a plea to Lieutenant Parrish to rescue Ann. Meyer and his gang are captured and Ann renews her vow of love to Bruce.

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A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.