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The Definitive Watchlist For Devotees of Wiggle Your Ears: Cult Guide

Author

Senior Film Conservator

26 June 2026

3 min read

The United States-born brilliance of Wiggle Your Ears offers a unique stylistic flair, the juxtaposition of stylistic flair and narrative makes it a Short outlier. Dive into this collection and find the spiritual successors to Robert F. McGowan's vision.

The Wiggle Your Ears Phenomenon

In the Pantheon of Short cinema, Wiggle Your Ears to elevate Short to the level of high art.

Mary Ann enjoys Harry's ear wiggling, but he refers doing this for Jean whom he admires. Joe, who likes Mary Ann, tries several times to impress her but cannot wiggle his ears. Using string and gum on his ears didn't work either.

The Definitive Watchlist For Devotees of Wiggle Your Ears

Based on the unique stylistic flair of Wiggle Your Ears, our vault has identified these titles as the most compelling follow-up experiences for fans of Short cinema:

The Great Cheese Robbery scene — Scene from The Great Cheese Robbery

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

The Great Cheese Robbery

1. The Great Cheese Robbery 1920

Dir: Vernon Stallings

Krazy Kat is held in jail and Ignatz finally bails him out after encountering "guilt".

The Amazing Quest of Mr. Ernest Bliss

2. The Amazing Quest of Mr. Ernest Bliss 1920

Dir: Henry Edwards

A millionaire bets £25,000 that he can earn his own living for six months.

The Amazing Quest of Mr. Ernest Bliss scene — Scene from The Amazing Quest of Mr. Ernest Bliss

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Amazing Quest of Mr. Ernest Bliss perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Striking Models

3. Striking Models 1920

Dir: Reggie Morris

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

On Strike

4. On Strike 1920

Dir: Bud Fisher

Mutt and Jeff go on strike and make their own film.

Striking Models scene — Scene from Striking Models

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

Homer Comes Home

5. Homer Comes Home 1920

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.

Down the Mississippi

6. Down the Mississippi 1920

Dir: Frank Moser

The simple story is about two siblings, little brother Bud and big sister Susie. After they've been reading "Huckleberry Finn" they dream of adventures on the Mississippi River.

On Strike scene — Scene from On Strike

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

Kids Is Kids

7. Kids Is Kids 1920

Dir: Charley Chase

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.

Trail of the Rails

8. Trail of the Rails 1920

Dir: Unknown Director

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Homer Comes Home scene — Scene from Homer Comes Home

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Homer Comes Home perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

In the River

9. In the River 1920

Dir: Edgar Jones

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

Lunatics in Politics

10. Lunatics in Politics 1920

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.

Cinematic Comparison Matrix

Analysis relative to Wiggle Your Ears

Film Title	Atmosphere	Complexity	Similarity
The Great Cheese Robbery	Surreal	Linear	87% Match
The Amazing Quest of Mr. Ernest Bliss	Gritty	Linear	86% Match
Striking Models	Tense	High	96% Match
On Strike	Gothic	Linear	92% Match
Homer Comes Home	Ethereal	Linear	93% Match

* This matrix is generated based on structural DNA and genre proximity to the 1929 classic Wiggle Your Ears.

This guide was algorithmically generated using the cinematic metadata of Robert F. McGowan's archive. Last updated: 6/26/2026.

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