''Just Pals'' is a 1920 American silent

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

film directed by

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...

, and was Ford's first film for

Fox Film Corporation The Fox Film Corporation (also known as Fox Studios) was an American Independent film production studio formed by William Fox (1879–1952) in 1915, by combining his earlier Greater New York Film Rental Company and Box Office Attractions Film ...

. John Ford is credited as 'Jack Ford', as was typical for his earliest films. The film introduces the theme of the partnership between two vagabonds, a young man and a boy, who support and help each other.Holmstrom, John. ''The Moving Picture Boy: An International Encyclopaedia from 1895 to 1995'', Norwich, Michael Russell, 1996, pp. 51–52.

Buck Jones Buck Jones (born Charles Frederick Gebhart; December 12, 1891 – November 30, 1942) was an American actor, known for his work in many popular Western movies. In his early film appearances, he was credited as Charles Jones. Early life, milita ...

and

Georgie Stone Georgie Robertson Stone is an Australian actress, writer and transgender rights advocate. At the age of 10, Stone was the youngest person to receive hormone blockers in Australia, which set a precedent that eventually changed the law that comp ...

already anticipates some of the elements that will contribute to the extraordinary success of

Charles Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is consider ...

and

Jackie Coogan John Leslie Coogan (October 26, 1914 – March 1, 1984) was an American actor and comedian who began his film career as a child actor in silent films. Charlie Chaplin's film classic ''The Kid'' (1921) made him one of the first child stars in the ...

in ''

The Kid The Kid or The Kids may refer to: Fictional characters * The kid (''Blood Meridian''), a character in Cormac McCarthy's 1985 novel ''Blood Meridian'' * The Kid (''The Matrix''), a character in the ''Matrix'' film series * The Kid (''The Stand'' ...

'' (1921). The sheriff in the film, played by

Duke R. Lee Duke R. Lee (May 13, 1881 – April 1, 1959) was an American actor. Lee's career began when he performed in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, and he later played Buffalo Bill on film. He appeared in more than 90 films between 1913 and 1946. I ...

, keeps saying five times in the film, "The law'll take care o' this!".

Plot

The town bum, Bim (Buck Jones), rescues Bill, (Georgie Stone) thrown off a train by brakeman (Bert Appling). Bim gives Bill a bath and promises Mary (Helen Ferguston) to take Bim to school. Bill steals a uniform so Bim can get a job but gets hurt jumping off the train. Bim takes him to the town Doctor (Edwin Tilton) where his wife (Eunice Murdock) discovers Bill may be a runaway with a reward. They plot to keep Bill away from Bim. Mary is wooed by Harvey Cahill (William Buckley). Next, the townspeople come to her for the memorial fund and she gives Bim a note to get the fund from Harvey. Mary supposedly sees a boy drowning some kittens and faints. Bim sees Mary being carried to the doctor, reads the note and confronts Harvey who gives him the money he has stolen. The town sheriff (Duke R Lee) opens the safe to find the money missing. Bim is arrested for returning the money but escapes with Bill. Bim and Bill meet up with outlaws planning to rob the town bank. Bim tries to stop them but the outlaws tie them up. Nearby a car roars down a hill, the driver is thrown out. A boy comes out, frees them and they pursue the outlaws into town. Bim catches them robbing the bank, the towns people catch them. Outlaw (Slim Padgell) claims Bim is one of them and Bim is tied up. Harvey attempts to escape with Mary while Bill tells the sheriff he is the real villain. A rich man appears claiming to be Bill’s father but upon seeing him says he isn’t. The boy from the car turns out to be the man’s son and Bim gets a reward for rescuing him. Harvey is unmasked as the chauffeur who kidnapped the boy and is arrested. Bim and Bill, dressed in suits show up at Mary’s house. Bim stumbles through a proposal and they walk off.

Cast

as Bim *

Helen Ferguson Helen Ferguson (July 23, 1901 – March 14, 1977) was an American actress later turned publicist. Biography Born in Decatur, Illinois, in 1901, Ferguson graduated from Nicholas High School of Chicago and the Academy of Fine Arts. Ferguson wa ...

as Mary Bruce * Georgie Stone as Bill *

as Sheriff * William Buckley as Harvey Cahill * Eunice Murdock Moore as Mrs. Stone * Bert Appling as Brakeman * Edwin B. Tilton as Dr. Stone (credited as Edwin Booth Tilton) * Slim Padgett as Outlaw

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Just Pals 1920 films 1920 Western (genre) films American black-and-white films Films directed by John Ford Fox Film films Articles containing video clips Silent American Western (genre) films 1920s American films