''Lightnin is a 1925 American silent

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), better known as John Ford, was an American film director and producer. He is regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers during the Golden Age of Hollywood, and w ...

. It was based on a successful play of the same name. The original run of the play started in 1918 at the Gaiety Theatre and continued for 1,291 performances, breaking the record for longest running play at that time. The film was remade in 1930 by Henry King for

Fox Foxes are small-to-medium-sized omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull; upright, triangular ears; a pointed, slightly upturned snout; and a long, bushy tail ("brush"). Twelve species ...

as an early

talkie A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades passed befo ...

starring

Will Rogers William Penn Adair Rogers (November 4, 1879 – August 15, 1935) was an American vaudeville performer, actor, and humorous social commentator. He was born as a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, in the Indian Territory (now part of Oklahoma ...

with support from

Louise Dresser Louise Dresser (born Louise Josephine Kerlin; October 5, 1878 – April 24, 1965) was an American actress. She is perhaps best known for her roles in the many films in which she played the wife of Will Rogers, including ''State Fair'' and ' ...

and

Joel McCrea Joel Albert McCrea (November 5, 1905 – October 20, 1990) was an American actor whose career spanned a wide variety of genres over almost five decades, including comedy, drama, romance, thrillers, adventures, and Westerns, for which he bec ...

Plot

As described in a film magazine reviews, war veteran Lightnin’ Bill Jones is a likeable old man who has a friend in every acquaintance, and loves his dog and his liquor. His wife and he operate a hotel. When some swindlers from the city seek to get possession of the property, Lightnin’ Bill Jones sees through their scheme and refuses to sign the deeds. His wife construes his refusal as a malicious move and sues him for divorce. In the courtroom, she relents and, at the moment before the decree is handed down, they become reconciled.

Cast

References

External links

* 1925 films 1925 comedy films Silent American comedy films American silent feature films American black-and-white films Films directed by John Ford Fox Film films Films with screenplays by Frances Marion 1920s American films 1920s English-language films {{1920s-comedy-film-stub