Deep Archive Finds in the Vein of Too Much Progress for Piperock: Cult Guide

Dir: Victor Heerman

In the gold fields of the Canadian Northwest, a man is falsely accused of a crime and determines that a lookalike is responsible.

Dir: Hal Roach

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of His Royal Slyness perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

An American book salesman (Lloyd) is persuaded to go to the kingdom of Thermosa to impersonate the Prince. He is greeted by a peasants' revolt before the real prince shows up to claim his throne and princess. The revolution succeeds, and the American is elected president of the new republic.

Dir: Reggie Morris

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Vin Moore

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

The town of Parched City was being reformed. One of the evidences was a she-sheriff named Susie. But Susie had seen Eddie Polo in the pictures and had adopted his pattern of shirt and his inexhaustible revolvers. By looking cross-eyed she could shoot a man standing at right or left angles with the accuracy of a boomerang thrower. Susie's brother was a bold bad man, although in Susie's hands he was like putty. His gang was always falling afoul of the liquor laws. The greatest indoor sport in Parched City was going to the express office and calling for shipments of dynamite, T.N.T. and Mustard Gas, but finally Susie got wise to this game and shot her revolver through every package as it went by the desk. As a glassware exhibit it wasn't worth taking away. Al Cohol called for his shipment. Susie busted the look with a well-placed shot and out jumped a ferocious lion. When the lion got through with the town it was still more parched and not a drop to wet its whistles.

Dir: Richard Smith

Two female candidates for Chief of Police live across the hall from each other, and their political rivalry follows them home, leading to plenty of hi-jinks.

Dir: Vin Moore

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Frisky Lions and Wicked Husbands perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Last Chance Valley fairly wallowed in wickedness. To it came Professor Polonius Pinhead upon the back of his donkey and boon companion, King Solomon, and there he found two shrinking flowers of the valley. One's name was Violet and the other was Molly, whose expansion was in direct contrast to Violet's shrinking. She weighed 350 and could juggle a bean-shooter as well as any gun-toter. And, of course, there was a bad man. His name was Howling Hank, and he was a union villain licensed by the Moving Picture Theater Villains' Association, to wear the official black mustache and carry forty-seven shots in his six-shooter. Now, Howling Hank was determined that Violet should work in his dance-hall, and Molly was just as determined that Violet should not. Into this life and death struggle King Solomon, the donkey, kicked Professor Pinhead, and this elongated individual eventually obtained Dutch courage enough to route the villain, to save Violet, and to marry Molly.

Dir: Lloyd Ingraham

While walking along the street one day, Arthur P. Hampton, an impoverished young doctor, and his chums, Stub Masters and Johnny Stokes, are persuaded to part with their last remaining funds by tag day solicitor Mary Jane Smith, with whom the doctor promptly falls in love. Doc's friends then hit upon a get-rich-quick scheme. Knowing that his Uncle George has promised a large sum of money upon his nephew's marriage, they persuade Doc to send out fake wedding invitations naming Mary Jane as the blushing bride. Uncle George, elated at the good news, writes to Mary Jane's aunt, Angelica Burns, an old sweetheart, to invite Mary Jane and Angelica to be his guests on an ocean voyage. Meanwhile, Mary Jane pays a visit to the doctor's office and, upon seeing the wedding invitations, becomes so flustered that she trips and sprains her ankle. Doc comes to her rescue and then begs her to pose as his wife. She agrees, but at ship-side, Stub and Johnnie confess all to Uncle George, who flies into a rage until Doc announces that he and Mary Jane have chosen a wedding at sea.

Dir: Charley Chase

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Lunatics in Politics perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A young married couple volunteer to take charge of several orphans after the asylum has burned down. Of course they find their hands full with their troublesome charges.

Dir: Ralph Ince

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Vin Moore

Everybody was talking about poor Minnie because she couldn't shimmies. So poor Minnie buys a book that guarantees to teach you how to shimmy. She puts a piece of ice down her back and lo and behold she is an expert at "it". Hubby has to do all the k.p. work, mind the baby, feed the cows and chickens and everything while wifey shimmies. The yearly train arrives, bringing with it a theatrical troupe,who stop at the hotel conducted by Minnie. The vamp of the troupe, looses no time in winning the affections of "hubby", but is foiled by "Bob" the clever dog, who always has his mistress's interest at heart. He pulls Minnie by her skirts into the room where the vamp and hubby are making love. Hubby disappears under the bed but "Bob" goes after him and forces him out. "Bobby" does some clever work; he minds the baby, and is general housemaid in the hotel. He discovers hubby and the vamp making love under the table with their feet. He bites Hubby's foot. Hubby accuses his neighbor of stabbing him in the leg with a fork. An argument follows, during which "Bob" gets away with the sausages. Everybody chases "Bob", and he leads them a lively chase.