He Comes up Smiling (1918)

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Synopsis by Janiss Garza

This film was originally a 1914 stage play by Byron Ongley and Emil Mytray. Douglas Fairbanks was the star on Broadway, and he also stars here. Although Jerry Martin (Fairbanks) is called "assistant cashier" at the small-town bank where he works, his main duty is to take care of the Vice President's pet canary. When the bird flies off, Jerry gives chase. Along the way he meets a hobo, Mike (Herbert Standing), and decides to quit work and become a hobo himself. One day, while he is taking a swim in a lake, yet another tramp, Baron Bean (Bull Montana) runs off with his clothes. Undaunted, Jerry merely puts on the clothes of another bather, a stockbroker named Batchelor (Albert McQuarrie), and he decides to take Batchelor's car and identity to boot. What Jerry doesn't know is that Batchelor is a bitter enemy of John Bartlett (Frank Campeau), a financier. All he knows is that Bartlett has a pretty daughter, Billy (Marjorie Daw). When Jerry finds Billy's father being threatened, he comes to his aid and battles all comers, including the real Batchelor. Bartlett gratefully offers a partnership to Jerry, which he accepts -- and then an emissary from the bank arrives, informing Jerry that the Vice President has died and willed him his fortune, since he took such good care of his canary.