Just Pals
About Just Pals
Bim (Buck Jones), the town idler, takes in Bill (Georgie Stone) after a brakeman throws the boy off a train. He promises the teacher Mary Bruce (Helen Ferguson) that Bill will go to school. Bill steals a uniform so Bim can work, then is hurt jumping from a train. The doctor's wife sees a reward notice and tries to keep Bill from Bim. Harvey Cahill (William Buckley) courts Mary. He is exposed as the chauffeur who kidnapped the boy and is arrested. Bim, in a new suit, stumbles through a proposal to Mary.
Cast & crew
More about Just Pals
John Ford directed, credited as Jack Ford. This was his first film for Fox. Paul Schofield wrote the scenario from a story by John McDermott. George Schneiderman photographed it. William Fox presented it. Fox released it on 21 October 1920. A copyright, LP15829, is dated 14 November 1920. It runs 50 minutes, five reels. The working title was Bimbo. It is not a Universal picture.
Themes
Making
Fox sent Ford out of the Universal program pictures he had been making and gave him Buck Jones in a small-town story, shot by Schneiderman.
Look
George Schneiderman photographed the town street, the school, and the train.
Preservation
A 35mm print survives. A circulating copy runs about 49 minutes. Public domain in the United States.
Notes
- Duke R. Lee plays the sheriff. Edwin B. Tilton plays Dr. Warren Stone. Eunice Murdock Moore plays Mrs. Stone.
- A surviving copy runs 49 minutes.
- Silent Era lists a 35mm positive. Public domain in the United States.
- Bert Apling plays the brakeman who throws Bill off the train.
- Ford was still billed as Jack Ford.
Scenes
- Bim pulls Bill off the tracks after the brakeman dumps him.
- Mrs. Stone reads the reward and tries to separate the boy from Bim.
- Harvey is arrested as the kidnapper, and Bim proposes to Mary.
