Jus' Passin' Through (1923)
*** (out of 4)
Three-reel comedy from Hal Roach features Will Rogers in his first major role. In the film he plays the tramp Jubilo who shows up in a small town where hobos aren't allowed. It's the day before Thanksgiving and when he hears that those in jail are getting a free meal, he gets himself arrested by the hobo hating Sheriff (Noah Young). Soon the sheriff's daughter (Marie Mosquini) takes a liking to him as his quest for food continues. This was an extremely entertaining little gem that had the perfect blend of comedy and sentimental aspects. What works best, of course, is Rogers who is in fine shape and it's easy to see why he would become a star with this picture. He perfectly fits the role of the tramp and he just has a certain charisma that makes him jump off the screen in a lovable type of way. He just seems like an overgrown teddy bear and he perfectly makes you want to see him be able to get some food after going through all the trouble that he does. Young is very good as the tough sheriff and Mosquini does a fine job with her role. The movie runs just short of 30-minutes but it never feels long and in fact I wouldn't have mind had it ran a couple more reels. One of the highlights includes a scene where Rogers is trying to sneak back into jail after being released as well as a perfectly directed sequence where he's about to eat but must keep passing the plate to the person next to him.
