Summary
A pastoral idyll, "In Wrong" unfurls with the earnest, somewhat bumbling affections of Johnny Spivins, a grocery-wagon driver whose heart beats solely for Millie Fields, the vivacious daughter of his landlady. Their bucolic tranquility is disrupted by the arrival of Morgan Coleman, a debonair New Yorker whose sophisticated charm immediately captivates Millie. Johnny, consumed by a green-eyed monster, attempts a foray into the world of finance, seeking a bank position, only to be ignominiously rebuffed by a furious bank president still smarting from Johnny's neglected grocery deliveries. His subsequent, transparent efforts to ignite Millie's jealousy by feigning interest in another city visitor, Dolly Sheldon, fall flat, highlighting his romantic ineptitude. The narrative crescendos with a dramatic river rescue: as Johnny prepares to save a capsized Millie, Morgan, with a breathtaking dive from a perilous bridge, seizes the heroic moment. This act cements Morgan's status as a town hero, leading to a celebratory fête that further marginalizes a dejected Johnny. On the precipice of abandoning his small-town life, fate intervenes. Johnny stumbles upon a pair of bank robbers, transforming his pitchfork from a rustic tool into an instrument of justice. His unexpected capture of the culprits and their subsequent public parade through town catapults him from local underdog to celebrated champion, earning him both the bank job he once coveted and, more importantly, Millie's long-sought declaration of love, thus repositioning him from "in wrong" to unequivocally "in right."
Synopsis
Grocery-wagon driver Johnny Spivins is in love with Millie Fields, whose mother owns a boardinghouse. When Millie takes an interest in Morgan Coleman from New York, vacationing at her home, jealous Johnny tries to get a job at the local bank, but retreats when the livid bank president raves that his groceries have not been delivered. Although Johnny pretends an interest in visiting Dolly Sheldon, also from the city, Millie seems unconcerned. One day, just as Johnny is about to save Millie from an overturned canoe, Morgan dives from a high bridge and rescues her. When the townspeople, including Johnny's ma, plan a party to honor Morgan, Johnny decides to leave town, but on his way he discovers two bank robbers, and after he captures them and leads them back into town with his pitchfork, the townspeople honor Johnny, the bank president gives him a job, and Millie declares her love for him.
Review Excerpt
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Venturing back to the nascent days of cinema, one occasionally unearths a gem that, despite its century-old vintage, still sparkles with an undeniable charm and narrative ingenuity. James Kirkwood's 1919 silent romantic comedy, In Wrong, is precisely such a discovery. Far from being a mere historical curiosity, this film, featuring the ebullient Jack Pickford, transcends its era to deliver a story rich in character, humor, and heart. It's a delightful exploration of youthful infatuation, th..."
