Film vs Film
Select two cult films to compare side by side.
Flaming Love Synopsis
After his wife dies, Roland Keene finds work as an actor with a road company, provided that he give up cards and liquor. The troupe has a poor season, and Keene is stranded in a mining town in Placer Valley. He meets Sal Flood there, and they are soon engaged, bringing west Keene's young son, Benny, for the wedding. Sal leaves the operation of her saloon to Keene, devoting herself to winning Benny's love and affection. Keene soon resumes his heavy drinking and is constantly cheated at cards by a professional gambler named Osner. Despite the interference of Steve McGregor, a mining superintendent, Keene continues to lose heavily to Osner; and, eventually, in order to pay off his IOU's, Keene is forced by the gambler to help him rob the saloon safe of McGregor's mining payroll. Benny sees his father steal the money and is injured by the blast from the dynamite used by Osner to blow the safe; but Benny still has faith in his father and, the following day, lies to the sheriff rather than implicate Keene. Keene is overcome with remorse for Benny's injuries and sets out to bring back the stolen gold. He tracks down Osner, and the two fight in the car of an aerial tramway. Osner falls to his death, Keene returns the gold, and he is pardoned and happily reunited with his family.
The Family Skeleton Synopsis
Wealthy young Billy Bates's greatest fear is that he has inherited his family curse: drink. But when he falls for a beautiful showgirl from the Ziegfeld Follies, she shows him he has nothing to fear.
"Flaming Love" holds a slight edge in general audience appreciation, but "The Family Skeleton" offers its own unique cult appeal.
Suggested Watch:
Flaming Love