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Select two cult films to compare side by side.
The Shop Girl Synopsis
Peter is smitten with Winifred, a model, whom he met on board the steamer returning from Europe, but is discouraged by his sister, Ena, who is more ambitious for him. Peter is the son of Peter Rolls, the wealthy New Yorker. Ena tells Winifred that Peter is engaged to Eileen, sister of Lord Ravglan and that he is just trifling with her. Winifred believes her and refuses to speak to him. Before disembarking, Ena gives Winifred a stylish gown which she bought in New York. Winifred is working in a stylish modiste's shop. One of the best customers insults her and she slaps his face. Mme. Nadine, the modiste, sees her action, and fearful of losing the customer, discharges her. She tries to get a position in the other shops, but in each case finds herself blacklisted by Madame Nadine. In sore straits, she moves to cheaper quarters. She meets Lily, a salesgirl in Roll's department store, and the former takes her to Megeison, the store manager to get her a position. The manager, at first says he has no opening, but when he sees what a handsome girl Winifred is, he employs her. Ena Rolls comes to the store to do some shopping, and sees Winifred against whom she harbors a dislike. She makes various remarks calculated to arouse Win's anger, and when Win resents them she complains to Megeison, who pretends to discharge her. When Ena leaves, he tells her that she may remain and transfers her to another department. Megeison arranges a party for that night at which Winifred, Lily, a floorwalker and himself are to be present. Megeison tells the floorwalker to escort the girls to the party, but to keep them ignorant of the fact that it is to be held at his house. Winifred dons the dress Ena gave her, the only decent gown she possesses. They start off, but when Winifred sees that she is being taken to his apartment she tries to back out, but she is persuaded to continue by Lily. Meanwhile, Peter in his hunt for Winifred, gets a clue which leads him to the department store. Here he learns that she has been discharged and is told that Megeison could give him her address. In Megeison's apartment, all drink except Winifred and after a while, she feels sheepish and drinks with them. She catches Megeison trying to "dope" her drink and denounces him. He catches her and tries to kiss her and a struggle follows in which her dress is badly torn, the pieces falling on the floor. She manages to elude him and escapes to another room where she locks herself in. Peter enters and asks for information about Winifred, but Megeison tells him that he knows nothing about her. Then the pieces of Winifred's dress catch his eye and he demands to know the truth. Megeison's valet, who went through another room to admit him, opens the door and Peter sees Winifred within. Winifred shrinks from Peter, thinking he is in league with Megeison, but when she realizes that he really loves her and has come to claim her for his own, she leaves misery behind, and goes with Peter, her suffering relieved in the knowledge of his devotion.
A Regiment of Two Synopsis
Ira Wilton and his son-in-law Harry Bennett resort to the subterfuge of telling their wives that they are members of the Thirteenth Regiment, to be sure of having a night off each week, Friday night, for the regiment drills. They substantiate their deception by bringing into their little game Ira's daughter Laura and her fiancé Jack Brent, a genuine member of the Thirteenth. Their deception runs along nicely until one Friday night when the men have gone to the club, their wives find the invitation, and are just about to start out when they discover that the water pipe has burst. Laura informs the men by telephone what is discovered, and warns them to hurry home. They arrive and find that the kitchen and dining room are flooded, and, after all has been given a good soaking, Lord Dudley, an admirer of Laura, manages to stop the flow of water. Just as the trouble concerning the flood has subsided, Jack Brent arrives home and tells the men that the Thirteenth has been ordered to the front. The husbands, seeing a good chance to take a little vacation, purchase soldiers' clothing and fall in behind the Thirteenth Regiment as it passes their wives, but slip out as soon as it is out of sight. They then go to the barn, where they substitute their soldiers' habiliments for civilian clothes and then make all possible haste to the lake, where they intend to spend a little vacation. But their vacation is short-lived, for one day they see in the newspapers that the entire Thirteenth regiment has been wiped out. They hurry home to the old barn, where they get into their regimentals as quickly as possible--not forgetting to add a few rents here and there, to make it appear as if they have had a terrible struggle at the front and in escaping. When they arrive home they observe that Mrs. Wilton's brother has returned from the West and promised to take care of the "widows." In reply to Lena's (the fat cook), question concerning her lover Conrad, they were just about to tell her that he died with her name on his lips, when in come Harry and Conrad with the news that the newspaper report was all wrong. Ira and Harry fix it up with Conrad, and Jack, desiring to keep on the right side of the old man, tells the women that the men had a terrible fight, and brother Tom forgets about asking questions when a couple of good cigars are shoved into his mitt.
"The Shop Girl" holds a slight edge in general audience appreciation, but "A Regiment of Two" offers its own unique cult appeal.
Suggested Watch:
The Shop Girl