Film vs Film
Select two cult films to compare side by side.
Reputation Synopsis
Raised in a small town by a maiden aunt, Constance Bennett leaves her home and sweetheart John Clavering, the local grande dame's son, to go to New York, where she models at a suit and cloak house. Her employer, Edmund Berste, attempts to force his attentions on her, which provokes Berste's wife to become wildly jealous. Constance returns home and establishes her own store, but Berste follows. After Mrs. Berste arrives and denounces Constance before a crowd of customers, Constance is turned out of church and ostracized by her community. Back in New York, Constance lures Berste to her apartment where she has arranged for Mrs. Berste to overhear his avowal of love. In retaliation, Berste hires a woman detective to lure Constance to his hotel room. Clavering, who has been in Mexico, returns and after searching for Constance, bursts into Berste's room as he and Constance struggle. A pistol shot kills Berste and Constance is arrested, but after a jury acquits her, she marries Clavering and returns home.
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.
"Reputation" holds a slight edge in general audience appreciation, but "Her Shattered Idol" offers its own unique cult appeal.
Suggested Watch:
Reputation