Film vs Film
Select two cult films to compare side by side.
The Midnight Ace Synopsis
A young black girl falls in love with a master criminal, believing him to be a good and decent man. The criminal and his gang's many robberies leave the city gripped in terror. After the criminal calls the police to direct them to the sight of the latest robbery, a black detective finds a playing card, the ace of spades, at the scene of the crime. The detective is hopelessly in love with the girl who loves the criminal. After the detective finds another clue leading to the identification of the criminal, he informs the girl that the man she loves is a crook and a philanderer. After the criminal's wife finds a photograph of the girl in her home, she horsewhips her husband, who then beats her and leaves her to die after turning on the gas in their kitchen. The girl saves the wife, and they go to the scene of the next robbery, where the criminal and his gang are apprehended. At the trial, as he is being sentenced, the criminal escapes from the courtroom and makes a break for freedom. The stolen car in which he flees goes over a cliff, however, and carries him to a rocky death. The detective and the girl find love and happiness with each other.
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 Midnight Ace" holds a slight edge in general audience appreciation, but "Man's Plaything" offers its own unique cult appeal.
Suggested Watch:
The Midnight AceBoth films share