The film begins with Wallace Beery playing a lion and tiger tamer in the circus. His young son (Spanky McFarland) adores him, but his wife is an angry woman. Despite Beery being a pretty decent guy, she isn't happy and much of this discontent is stirred up by her nasty sister who does nothing but fill her head with complaints about Beery. Eventually, the wife disappears with the child and years pass with Beery unable to find them. In the interim, there is a horrible accident in the circus and Beery is mauled--missing an arm but alive. While he doesn't know it, the wife is killed while performing her trapeze act and the child goes to live with his Aunt--who fills the boy's head with tales about his 'no-good father'! Years pass and now the child (now played by Jackie Cooper) has been discovered by Beery. He naturally wants the kid back and the court orders the kid to spend the summer with him. If things work out, he'll be given full custody--otherwise, he goes back to the angry and venomous Aunt. Not surprisingly, the boy hates his father things are very rough between them. But, eventually they form a bond--at which point the Aunt returns--determined to put this to an end.
I was actually surprised by Beery's performance. His emotional range was much greater than usual and it made it much easier to watch this film. His tears at the boy's rejection of him as well as his fear of returning to his old job despite his injuries is touching--far more than I thought would be possible him. Because the film managed to be emotional and yet not cloying, I recommend you give this one a try.
I was actually surprised by Beery's performance. His emotional range was much greater than usual and it made it much easier to watch this film. His tears at the boy's rejection of him as well as his fear of returning to his old job despite his injuries is touching--far more than I thought would be possible him. Because the film managed to be emotional and yet not cloying, I recommend you give this one a try.