Although George Beban was most famous for his Italian characterizations, he would sometimes branch out into other ethnic "types" -- here he's Jean, the cheerful French-Canadian cook for a lumber camp. Jean has a sweetheart, Marie (Helen Jerome Eddy), who lives across the lake. A man known only as "Silent Jack" (Monroe Salisbury) comes to work at the camp. He keeps to himself, but one night tells Jean his story: he arrived at the camp after walking out on his wife, whom he found in the arms of another man. Jean sympathizes and confesses that he has the same dilemma, then has Jack write him a letter begging forgiveness so that he can take it to his wayward spouse. The truth is that Jean has no wife, and he takes the letter to Jack's wife in Quebec (Florence Vidor) to effect a reconciliation. However, Marie's father (John Burton) has only heard that Jean has a wife, and he breaks the news to a heartbroken Marie. When Jean returns, he has to convince Marie that he has never been married and finally they are reunited. The grateful Jack gives Jean a generous reward for his efforts, and he uses the money to open up his own coffee shop. Beban played a French-Canadian again a year later in Jules of the Strong Heart, which had a lot of similarities to this picture, including the director Donald Crisp and co-star Eddy.
by Janiss Garza
synopsis
