In Wrong

Jack Pickford plays Johnny Spivins, a character not unlike himself, in this light romantic comedy. He's immature, lazy and generally unreliable. His boss at the grocery store where he clerks puts up with him for a lot longer than I would have. Everything that he does seems to turn out wrong, but it is hard to have much sympathy for him because he is such a lout. But for some unfathomable reason, Millie Fields, the town's sweetheart (played by Marguerite De La Motte) loves him anyway. City slicker Morgan Coleman (George Dromgold) shows up to make Johnny jealous, but everyone, except maybe Johnny, knows that Millie really loves him. Towards the end of the movie, Johnny finally does one thing right (I won't spoil it for you by saying what), and all is forgiven. The film also features a remarkable mongrel dog with a crippled left foreleg, who, despite his handicap, can do amazing things like walk on his hind legs and close doors and drive a buggy with the reins in his teeth. All told, this photo play is a pleasant evening's diversion.

Jack Pickford is a clerk at the store, and not likely to amount to much. He thinks about leaving town, but thoughts of best girl Margueerite de la Motte keep him there. But the summer people start to show up, and Jack is pleasant to Clara Horton, and Marguerite is jealous. Then George Dromgold shows up in his white shoes, and Marguerite is taken by his city manners, and Jack is jealous. And then everything goes wrong for Jack, until his only friend is his dog, played by Pard.

It's a pleasant coming-of-age story about a boy who is too big to be whipped by his mother, but not yet a man in anyone's eyes, even his own. Pickford's performance may be a trifle monotonous, but under the direction of James Kirkwood, the affronts to the dignity of a 19-year-old do mount up.

The copy I looked at was derived from Videobrary tape. While we yearn for better prints, this seems to be the only one that's available.