His Picture in the Papers (1916) [NR]
Featuring:
Douglas Fairbanks, Clarence Handyside, Rene Boucicault
Written by:
John Emerson
Anita Loos
Directed by:
John Emerson
Release Date:
February 13, 1916
Original Title:
His Picture in the Papers
Genres:
Comedy
Production Companies:
Fine Arts Film Company
Production Countries:
United States of America
Ratings / Certifications:
US: NR
Runtime: 62
HE WRECKED AN AUTO! WAS THROWN OFF A TRAIN! PUT OUT A CHAMPION MIDDLEWEIGHT AND FOUGHT A LOSING FIGHT WITH TWO HUSKY POLICEMEN
Produced at the Reliance studio in Yonkers, New York, HIS PICTURE IN THE PAPERS solidly established Fairbanks as the American ideal of pop, vim, and vigor. Furthermore, the film brought him together with the two collaborators who were to play a profound role in the evolution of his screen persona: writer Anita Loos and her future husband, director John Emerson. The theme was, according to Emerson and Loos, "the great American love of publicity."
Pete Prindle wins the affections of Christine Cadwalader, but the father of the girl demands that Pete shall get a half interest in his father's food product company before he is allowed to marry her. Pete accepts the ultimatum. Proteus Prindle, father of Pete, is angry when he receives the request from his son. He shows how his two girls have broken into print with an illustrated article in Vegetarian Gazette. Pete offers to get his picture on the front pages of all the New York papers. Proteus gives Pete $100 and tells him not to come back till he makes good his boast. Pete wrecks an auto, wins a prize fight, swims to shore from a steamer and is locked up after a fight with the police. But none of these adventures net him more than a line or two in the papers. Then he foils a band of yeggs and rescues a train from being wrecked. Christopher and his daughter are on board and congratulate him. It ends with his getting his picture in all the metropolitan papers.
