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Select two cult films to compare side by side.
Daughter of Maryland Synopsis
Beth Treadway, a high-spirited young Southern woman, lives with her father, Major Treadway, and her Aunt Sarah on the Treadway estate, Headland Hall, in Maryland. Beth is being courted by Rippley, a Southerner with questionable morals, when John Standish comes from New York to landscape the grounds of Headland Hall. Standish arouses Beth's antagonism until he rescues Haskell, a hermit living on Treadway land, from a fire. Beth dresses Standish's wounds and eventually comes to admire him. Meanwhile, she learns that Rippley has compromised Dorothy Pennell, the overseer's daughter, and tricks him into marrying Dorothy. Their marriage is short-lived, however, when Rippley is caught by the Major while robbing his safe and kills the old man. At first, Haskell is charged with the murder, but when a piece of Rippley's pajamas is discovered in the Major's hand, he is accused of the crime. Rippley resists arrest and in the ensuing melee is killed by Standish.
Her Shattered Idol Synopsis
Mae Carter is the ward of Col. Aitken and the fiancée of his nephew Robert. They plight their troth and after much teasing from Mae, Bob succeeds in giving her an engagement ring. While Mae and Bobby are out riding one day the shoe of Mae's horse becomes loosened. She calls for Bob to exert his masculine strength and jerk the shoe from the horse's foot to save the horse further pain. After several unsuccessful pretenses to release the shoe they go to a blacksmith. Mae discovers in the blacksmith a man of extraordinary strength. He jerks the shoe from the horse with one pull, and thereby wins the admiration of Mae. That night Mae dreams that she is the cave woman of Robert, a cave man. While eating shrubs she is attacked by another giant cave man and about to be carried off when a rescuer appears, and he proves to be none other than the blacksmith. In the morning she pays a visit to his shop and takes a snapshot of him, much to the distress of Robert. She breaks off her engagement with Robert and is about to elope with the blacksmith when her uncle, having dealt with many women in his time, and knowing feminine ways better than Bob, concocts a scheme whereby he will induce the two to live at his house for a month to find out if they still love each other, at the end of which time he promises to consent to the marriage. The girl gives an engagement party and his conduct makes her see how impossible a match would be between the two. Thoroughly disgusted, she breaks off her engagement and returns to Robert. A marriage between her and Robert is arranged by the Colonel for the following day, and the blacksmith learning of it becomes jealous. When the ceremony is about to take place, the blacksmith comes to the house and steals the bride and plans to take her to a neighboring town and marry her himself. He gets away with her and after many hair-breadth escapades he finally gets caught in the quicksand with the girl but Robert releases him and the wedding takes place.
"Daughter of Maryland" holds a slight edge in general audience appreciation, but "Her Shattered Idol" offers its own unique cult appeal.
Suggested Watch:
Daughter of Maryland