Film vs Film
Select two cult films to compare side by side.
Romola Synopsis
In Renaissance Florence, Tito, a no-good young man pretending to be a scholar, wins the admiration of a blind man who has long looked for someone to finish his scholarly work. He has a beautiful daughter named Romola. Tito flirts with a peasant girl in the streets, and for fun goes through a mock marriage with her -- but she takes it seriously. Romola doesn't really love him, but marries him because her father wishes it. When the Medici are forced out, Tito joins the new government and rises to be chief magistrate. His evil actions earn him the hatred of Romola and of the people, and he is killed by his stepfather. Romola ends up with sculptor Carlo, who has always loved her.
The Bride's Silence Synopsis
Clutching a dagger, a woman enters a room through velvet portieres and murders Nathan Standish, the scion of a distinguished family. Nathan's sister Sylvia hides the knife, and when the butler Bobbins--whose hatred of Nathan was well-known--is arrested, Sylvia remains silent. To please her father, Sylvia marries the prosecuting attorney Paul Wagner. When she secretly tries to help free Bobbins, detective Bull Ziegler, who believes that Bobbins is innocent, suspects Sylvia. After Sylvia's hysterical speech during sleep leads Wagner to suspect her, she becomes insane. Wagner and her father take her to a mountain retreat where she recovers her sanity without regaining her memory. Just as Ziegler is about to have Sylvia arrested, a telegram arrives informing them that Sylvia's cousin committed suicide and left a note stating that she killed Nathan in revenge for being betrayed by him. Sylvia, who tried to protect the family name, recovers her memory when she learns of the suicide.
"Romola" holds a slight edge in general audience appreciation, but "The Bride's Silence" offers its own unique cult appeal.
Suggested Watch:
Romola