Film vs Film
Select two cult films to compare side by side.
The Devil's Cargo Synopsis
Arriving in Sacramento during the Gold Rush of 1849, John Joyce becomes the editor of a newspaper that crusades stridently for the reformation of the manners and morals of Sacramento's citizens. John meets Faro Sampson, whom he believes to be the daughter of a minister; he later discovers that her father is a notorious gambler and that she is the chief attraction of a gambling casino. John spurns Faro, but a group of vigilantes, inspired largely by John's editorial policy, later find him in her room and denounce him as a hypocrite. John and Faro are then herded with the other undesirables of the town onto a cargo ship, to be taken to the East. The deportees overpower the ship's crew and take charge, but a boiler explodes and the ship drifts out into the open sea. A rugged seaman named Ben assumes command and attempts to molest John's sister, who had been put on the boat by accident. John rescues his sister, "the Devil's cargo" are rescued by another ship, and John is reconciled with Faro, finding love more rewarding than reform.
Blackmail Synopsis
Confidence artist Flossie Golden attempts to fleece foolish but wealthy James Venable with a breach-of-promise suit. Venable's shrewd attorney, Richard Harding, outwits Flossie by proposing that she marry Venable and live on an allowance of $3,000 per year. Flossie is determined to get even with Harding for ruining her plans. In an attempt to con him, she poses as Innocence Page, but falls in love and marries him instead. Larry, Flossie's former accomplice, endeavors to blackmail her with her errant past, but Harding is already cognizant of the facts and Larry fails.
"The Devil's Cargo" holds a slight edge in general audience appreciation, but "Blackmail" offers its own unique cult appeal.
Suggested Watch:
The Devil's CargoBoth films share