''Just Around the Corner'' is an extant 1921 American silent

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

produced by William Randolph Hearst's

Cosmopolitan Productions Cosmopolitan Productions, also often referred to as Cosmopolitan Pictures, was an American film company based in New York City from 1918 to 1923 and Hollywood until 1938. History Newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst formed Cosmopolitan in co ...

and distributed through Paramount Pictures. The film is based on a short story, "Superman," by

Fannie Hurst Fannie Hurst (October 18, 1889 – February 23, 1968) was an American novelist and short-story writer whose works were highly popular during the post-World War I era. Her work combined sentimental, romantic themes with social issues of the d ...

and was directed by

Frances Marion Frances Marion (born Marion Benson Owens, November 18, 1888 – May 12, 1973) was an American screenwriter, director, journalist and author often cited as one of the most renowned female screenwriters of the 20th century alongside June Mathis a ...

, a prolific Hollywood scenarist. The cast are competent

silent actor A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, whe ...

s but no big names.

Sigrid Holmquist Sigrid Holmquist (21 February 1899, in Borås – 9 July 1970, in Sydney, Australia), also known as Sie Holmquist or Bie Holmquist, was a Swedish actress during the silent film era. After three films in Sweden, she went to pursue a career in Holly ...

came from Sweden but was no Garbo and

Fred Thomson Frederick Clifton Thomson (February 26, 1890 – December 25, 1928) was an American silent film cowboy who rivaled Tom Mix in popularity before dying at age 38 of tetanus. Birth and athletic achievement Born in Pasadena, California to Clara ...

had married Marion in 1919, and later became a big cowboy star. Marion directed one other picture, her friend

Mary Pickford Gladys Marie Smith (April 8, 1892 – May 29, 1979), known professionally as Mary Pickford, was a Canadian-American stage and screen actress and producer with a career that spanned five decades. A pioneer in the US film industry, she co-founde ...

's better-known ''

The Love Light ''The Love Light'' is a 1921 American silent drama film starring Mary Pickford. The film was written and directed by Frances Marion. Pickford selected the story as she wanted to play an adult and not another adolescent role. Plot Based upon a ...

'' (1921).

Plot

As described in a

film magazine Film periodicals combine discussion of individual films, genres and directors with in-depth considerations of the medium and the conditions of its production and reception. Their articles contrast with film reviewing in newspapers and magazines whi ...

, ailing Ma Birdsong's (Seddon) well intentioned but misguided daughter Essie (Holmquist) is wooed by a worthless young man, Joe Ullman (Phillips), who will not visit the home in the ghetto to visit either her mother or brother Jimmie (Sargent), who works to support and protect the family. Essie definitely dismisses him on a night when, unbeknownst to her, her mother is dying, but when she finds out she attempts to recall him so that her mother can believe that she will be well cared for. A passing stranger (Thomson) sympathy is aroused and he agrees to substitute for the trifling Joe. The mother dies peacefully after seeing him, and he eventually comes to love and marry Essie.

Cast

Margaret Seddon Margaret Seddon (November 18, 1872 – April 17, 1968) was an American stage and film actress. Biography She appeared in more than 100 films between 1915 and 1951. Her most memorable role was perhaps as one of The Pixilated Sisters, a come ...

as Ma Birdsong *

Lewis Sargent Lewis Sargent (August 19, 1903 – November 19, 1970) was an American film actor. He appeared in 80 films between 1917 and 1949. Biography Sargent was born in Los Angeles on August 19, 1903. He had 8 brothers and sisters. His father Lewis ...

as Jimmie Birdsong *

as Essie Birdsong * Eddie Phillips as Joe Ullman (credited as Edward Phillips) *

as The Real Man *Peggy Parr as Lulu Pope *Rosa Rosanova as Mrs. Finshreiber *William Nally as Mr. Blatsky

Preservation status

A copy of ''Just Around the Corner'' is in the collection of the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library ...

.The Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: ''Just Around the Corner''
/ref>

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Just Around the Corner 1921 films American silent feature films Films based on short fiction Paramount Pictures films American black-and-white films Silent American drama films 1921 drama films Films based on works by Fannie Hurst 1920s American films