Paramount Press Books (1918)

PRESS REVIEW OF “JOHNNY GET YOUR GUN” To be Sent to Newspapers Immediately After the First Display of Fred Stone’s New Photoplay AN ARTCRAFT PICTURE Fred Stone a Moving Picture Cowboy in His New Artcraft Picture ((Johnny Get Your Gun ” Makes Big Hit Photoplay is One Hundred Per Cent Fred Stone , Which Means it is One Hundred Per Cent Pep, Fun and Drama — An Interesting Story A picturesque moving picture cowboy, who breaks into society with a bang and saves his sister’s fortune in the nick of time is the character that Fred Stone, newest of Artcraft stars, impersonates in his new screen vehicle, “Johnny Get Your Gun,” which was shown with unusual success at the theatre yesterday. This Artcraft picture is one hundred per cent. Fred Stone, which means it is one hundred per cent pep, fun and drama. Mr. Stone has literally bounded from a phenomenal success on the speaking stage to one equally as great on the screen. His wonderful ability as an eccentric comedian gets over like a million dollars on the silver sheet, and he has an excellent story in which to make his picture debut. The story, “Johnny Get Your Gun,” served Louis Bennison as a starring vehicle in the form of a musical comedy, and ran for a year in New York. In the picture its stunts and fun possibilities are undoubtedly realized to a far greater extent than they were on the stage. As for Mr. Stone, when he isn’t making you laugh by his comedy, he is doing daredevil stunts on horses, or on foot, or by walking on his hands in perilous places, that fairly take your breath away. Johnny Wiggins is a wild western stunt man in a motion picture company. His chum is Bill Burnham, formerly a cowboy, whose pugnacity gets him into trouble and ultimately lands him in jail. It develops that Bill’s father has died in Florida, leaving a vast fortune to Bill and his sister Fred Stone Janet, who is about to be married to a fortune hunting Count. Bill prevails upon Johnny to personate him, and go to Florida, prevent Janet’s marriage and take charge of the fortune until Bill’s jail term expires. When Johnny gets to Florida, there is something doing every minute. He learns that the Burnham fortune has been gobbled up by an unscrupulous broker who owns a railroad. Johnny falls in love with Ruth Gordon, a maid, the part played by Mary Anderson, prevents Janet from eloping with the Count whom he lassoes and drags out of an automobile and at the point of a gun forces Milton, the broker, to make restitution of the Burnham money. He then confesses that he has personated Bill and weds Ruth. Donald Crisp directed the picture in fine style, bringing out the comedy touches and arranging the action so that the picture goes zip-zip from start to finish. The story has wonderful possibilities in the way of humor, which are realized to the full, and the comic bewilderment of Johnny Wiggins, moving picture cowboy, on finding himself in a palatial Palm Beach home is made the most of by the star. The picture was given excellent photography by Henry Kotani and a strong cast supports the star. Heading the support is pretty Mary Anderson, who is excellent as Ruth Gordon, the little maid with whom the cowboy falls in love. Casson Ferguson is excellent as Bert Whitney and James Cruze realizes the comic possibilities of the character part of the Count of Bullionnia. Raymond Hatton is well cast in a character role of importance and Dan Crimmons plays the sneaking valet, Pollitt. Others who play parts that stand out are Nina Byron, SylvSia Ashton, Maym Kelso, Ernest Joy and Hart Hoxie. 5