Just Pals

Ford's trademark brisk pacing is in full force here. He cleverly edits several threads of the story together, never dwelling too long on any one scene or plotline. Also, his mise-en-scene is full of interest using the full space to give depth to his shots.

Found myself watching the clock here & there despite its short length, but still interesting to see such an early John Ford (billed here as "Jack"). Overall, it was well done with an involved and somewhat charming storyline and worth watching to the end.

along with the humor what's most 'fordian' here is the terrific jones as a man out of step with a '20s town that's starting to roar, an alienated outsider framed amidst the trees or skies and always gazing, yearning but resisting, until in classic griffith style (the debt fully apparent at this stage) his stubbornly rustic naturalism is swept up in a stampede of action crosscutting. ford's lyrical side is also showcased in a pair of sublimely moving sequences involving a train and a river.

Highly melodramatic and naive, but fun to watch mostly since Ford's directing bursts with talent in every respect.