Film vs Film
Select two cult films to compare side by side.
The Crimson Runner Synopsis
In Vienna after the war, Professor Schreber and his daughter, Bianca, are reduced to poverty. Gregory, the janitor of the apartment house in which they live, assaults the girl, and her father sets fire to the building in order to preserve his daughter's honor, himself dying in the flames. Bianca escapes from the burning building and devotes herself to avenging the rich, from whom she, disguised as the Crimson Runner, and her band of daredevil thieves continually steal. Among those who suffer from the gang's depredation is the handsome Count Meinhard, a gallant nobleman who later shields Bianca from the police when she take refuge in his apartment. Meinhard falls in love with the lovely thief, and she eventually comes to return his affection. Under the assumed name of Krutz, Gregory has been elevated from janitor to chief of police; he falls into Bianca's power, and Meinhard kills him in a duel. Bianca is later pardoned for her crimes, and she and Meinhard find happiness in the halls of royalty.
Man's Plaything Synopsis
While working as a flower girl in Devlin Maddox's nightclub, Nellie Vaughan meets wealthy young Pelton Van Teel and falls in love. Maddox, desirous of using Nellie to blackmail Van Teel, spreads a rumor that she is his mistress. This makes Nellie uncomfortable, and she demands that Van Teel marry her immediately, to which he agrees. Meanwhile, Van Teel has been losing money gambling to Maddox, who threatens to break up the marriage by producing a worthless check that the young husband has written. Venturing to Maddox's apartment for a showdown, Nellie pulls a gun and demands the check, accidentally shooting Maddox when he throws a lamp at her. Maddox plans to charge Nellie with assault, but when the police arrive, his butler, actually a detective employed by the elder Van Teel, exposes Maddox, who is then arrested, clearing the path for the couple's happiness.
"The Crimson Runner" holds a slight edge in general audience appreciation, but "Man's Plaything" offers its own unique cult appeal.
Suggested Watch:
The Crimson RunnerBoth films share