Film vs Film
Select two cult films to compare side by side.
The Man Trail Synopsis
Young and athletic John Peabody is sick of city life and visits his uncle's lumber camp and is put to work, although his uncle will not recognize him as a nephew. But after John wins a lumber-sawing contest and subdues a drunken brawl among the lumberjacks, his uncle, "Wolf" John, is pleased and announces him as his nephew and as a future partner. John falls in love with with Belle, and adopted daughter of his uncle. Another lumberjack, "Bull" Bart is also in love with her. "Bull" quits and goes to work for a rival company where he plans to sabotage John's work on the big King Pines job, which would forfeit "Wolf" John's rights to the timber. However, all of "Bull's" efforts are for nothing, and he challenges John to a gunfight duel in the street.
The Crimson Wing Synopsis
Count Ludwig von Leun-Walram, a German army officer, meets Marguerite Clairon, an actress, while at a watering place on the border line of France. She falls in love with him and reveals her feelings. He rejects her in such a kindly way that she only loves him the more. Later, the count meets Marcelle de Lembach, daughter of a French general, whom he had known in childhood. He falls deeply in love with her. While he is still courting her, however, war breaks out between Germany and France and he is called back to his command. Marcelle is intensely patriotic and goes to the front with her father. She leads a troop of soldiers against a German scouting party when the officer is killed. She is captured by the count, who sends her safely back to the French lines. Paul D'Arblay, a spy, is one of the suitors of Mlle. Clairon, whom she hates. He swears that he will get her into his power. She joins the French army as a Red Cross nurse. On the battlefield she finds the count wounded and nurses him until he is almost recovered. She then arranges to send him back to his command. Arblay discovers this and threatens to denounce the count as a spy unless she yields to his wishes. She consents in order to save the count, promising to meet him at the home of her aunt nearby. He goes there that evening and finds her dead. She has kept her promise, but takes poison rather than submit to him. The count meets Marcelle after the war is over and they are betrothed.
"The Man Trail" holds a slight edge in general audience appreciation, but "The Crimson Wing" offers its own unique cult appeal.
Suggested Watch:
The Man Trail