Summary
When the First World War roars across Europe, the young sisters Jane and Katherine receive the shocking telegram that their father, a frontline officer, has gone missing. The military bureaucracy, indifferent to the children's plight, consigns them to a parcel post shipment bound for their distant Aunt Lucille Forrest in New Jersey. In a daring act of sibling solidarity, the girls conceal their beloved dog within the mail sack, turning the sterile courier system into a covert animal transport. Upon arrival, Aunt Lucille, a sharp‑tongued matriarch nursing a bruised heart, discovers that her erstwhile lover, Lieutenant Tom Hayes, has abruptly resigned his commission. Unaware that Tom now operates as a covert operative for the Secret Service, Lucille's resentment simmers, especially as Tom becomes entangled in a pursuit of a mysterious female spy whose allegiance threatens national security. The sisters, ever mischievous, unleash a series of elaborate pranks—switching letters, sabotaging telegraphs, and orchestrating a chaotic chase through Lucille's estate. Their antics inadvertently expose the spy's hidden cache, leading to the seizure of classified battle plans. In the climactic showdown, the girls' canine companion, emboldened by the chaos, apprehends the infiltrator, while Tom confronts his own doubts and confesses his true vocation. The revelation dissolves Lucille's anger, rekindling the romance between her and Tom. The film closes with the family reunited, the war's uncertainty lingering, yet hope shimmering through the sisters' resilient spirit.
When their father is reported missing at the front during World War I, Jane and Katherine are stamped and sent by parcel post across the country to their Aunt Lucille Forrest in New Jersey. The two girls manage to smuggle their dog into the mail bag as well. Aunt Lucille is in love with Lt. Tom Hayes, but she is angry with him after he resigns his commission at the start of the war. She does not know that Tom is in the Secret Service, and she becomes jealous of a female spy whom Tom is trailing. Jane and Katherine's mischievous pranks finally assist in capturing the spy and the secret plans, and getting Aunt Lucille back together with Tom.
Review Excerpt
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Smiles (1921) – Critical Review
A Forgotten Gem of the Silent Era
When the reels of early twentieth‑century cinema spin, they often reveal narratives that echo the anxieties and aspirations of a generation scarred by war. Smiles, directed by Arvid E. Gillstrom and penned by Ralph Spence and Albert Glassmire, is one such artifact—an ambitious blend of domestic melodrama, espionage intrigue, and youthful rebellion. The film’s premise—two orphaned sisters smuggled across the continent with a ..."
