Film vs Film
Select two cult films to compare side by side.
Creaking Stairs Synopsis
Dearie Lane loves Fred Millard, but she turns down his offer of marriage because she was once involved with the disreputable Mark Winfield. When she explains the situation, Fred forgives her, and they get married. For a while they live happily in a modest home. But the situation gets complex when Winfield, who owns the house, comes by to collect a delinquent payment and suddenly dies. Dearie, afraid that Fred will not understand what really happened, gets a boarder and her cook to help her hide the body. At midnight they carry it down the stairs to the countryside, but Fred hears their steps creaking on the stairs. All seems lost when the police find the body and the suspicious Fred finds Winfield's hat under a couch. He opens Dearie's private trunk and discovers the fancy clothes that Winfield gave her. Fred goes after Dearie, furiously chopping with an ax through the closet door behind which she is hiding. Dearie persuades him to listen and explains that she had kept the clothes only because she thought Fred would admire them, and that in fact Winfield died from a heart attack.
The Gift Girl Synopsis
While Major Abercrombie and wife were hurrying through a Persian forest, in order that Mrs. Abercrombie might reach an English settlement to bear her child, a tent was hurriedly pitched, and there a little girl was born. The mother surrendered her life and Major Abercrombie went mad with grief. He ran into the forest and was killed by lions. Usun Hassan, while passing with his huntsmen, discovered the tent and sent Malec, his secretary, to investigate. Malec found the dead body of Mrs. Abercrombie and heard the faint cry of her baby. The body of the woman was buried and the babe was carried to Hassan's harem. There she grew to become a beautiful girl, with Malec acting as her tutor. They called her Rokaia. Hassan having decided she should marry a merchant whom she loathed, Rokaia readily listened to Malec's proposal that she go with him to France. Having provided her with clothes, money and tickets, Malec was detected while helping the girl escape. Malec hid himself away to save his head, while Rokaia proceeded to France. Arriving at Marseilles the girl was robbed of her purse, thus becoming easy prey for a young gallant who made her acquaintance and started to take her to his apartments. Rokaia was struck by an automobile and her admirer found safety in flight. The motor was owned by Marquis De Tonquin, who helped Rokaia into the tonneau and drove her to his home. There she was found to be little hurt. The Marquis about this time received a letter from the Parisian college where his son, Marcel, was being educated, stating that the boy was incorrigible. Believing that there must be a "woman in the case," the Marquis prevailed upon Rokaia to go to Paris as his son's companion. Marcel did not look upon the girl as his father would have him, but secured separate lodgings for her, where he lived, and treated her with utmost respect. The day Rokaia arrived in Paris she halted before a Persian bird-vendor and asked the directions to Marcel's lodgings. It so happened that Malec had just arrived from Persia and lived at the Asiatic lodgings where the bird-vendor stopped. He heard the man's gossip about the girl who spoke in his own tongue and bought his birds. Malec believed he was on the trail of the girl be sought, and went to the address the bird-vendor gave him, and there found Rokaia. Through hypnotic influence he controlled the girl so far as to cause her to go away with him. Marcel was informed by his fellow students, when he returned, after a brief absence from his lodgings, that Rokaia had just departed, and the note she left for him confirmed the story. When a drayman called for Rokaia's trunk, Marcel learned her address, and leading a party of students, went to her rescue. The happy ending was attained when Marcel and Rokaia were married.
"Creaking Stairs" holds a slight edge in general audience appreciation, but "The Gift Girl" offers its own unique cult appeal.
Suggested Watch:
The Gift Girl