Film vs Film
Select two cult films to compare side by side.
The Broadway Madonna Synopsis
Dr. Kramer, secretly married to cabaret dancer Vivian Collins, forces his wife to encourage the attentions of wealthy Tom Bradshaw in order to blackmail Tom's father, Judge Bradshaw. At a masked ball Kramer, costumed like Tom, robs Bradshaw's safe and kills the judge. Mrs. Bradshaw is jailed for the murder, but a suspicious Tom discovers the truth with the aid of Kramer's nurse, Gloria Thomas, with whom he falls in love.
The Great Shadow Synopsis
Jim McDonald, the foreman of a shipbuilding plant and head of the labor union, strives to combat the anarchistic propaganda being put forth by Klimoff, the leader of a Bolshevik gang whose goal is to disrupt the country with strikes and anarchy. Despite McDonald's efforts, a strike is called, resulting in chaos. McDonald's child is knocked down by runaway horses abandoned by their striking driver, and dies. Mob scenes take place in America, as well as in Russia. Eventually, the unrest is quelled with an armistice called between Capital and Labor for a year, during which time wages are to be increased to reflect the cost of living, and leaders are to work out a common plan for their mutual advantage. The strikers now realize that they have been pawns of the Bolsheviks and call off the strike, agreeing to the plan.
"The Broadway Madonna" holds a slight edge in general audience appreciation, but "The Great Shadow" offers its own unique cult appeal.
Suggested Watch:
The Broadway MadonnaBoth films share