The West~Bound Limited is a 1923 American silent melodrama film directed by Emory Johnson. FBO released the film in April 1923. The film's "All-Star" cast included Ralph Lewis, Claire McDowell, Johnny Harron, and Ella Hall. Emilie Johnson, Johnson's mother, wrote both the story and screenplay. The West~Bound Limited was the third film in Johnson's eight-picture contract with FBO.
Esther Miller, the daughter of the railway President, and her mother are riding horses alongside the railroad tracks. When Ester tries to cross the tracks, her horse gets its hoof caught on the track. While attempting to help the horse, Ester also becomes entangled.
Railroad engineer Bill Buckley is steaming down the mainline towards the helpless Esther and her horse. Bill Buckley's son, Johnny, rescues her at the last minute. Esther develops an instant affection for her newfound hero. A grateful Esther gives Johnny her horse, and a content father provides the Buckley family with a new home.
Soon, the President's general counselor, J. Lawrence Wilton, reveals he has feelings for Esther and is plotting to win Esther's hand in marriage. Wilton arranges a chain of machinations involving Esther, Bill Buckley, Mrs. Buckley, and Johnny. Johnny thwarts Wilton's schemes and saves his father and hundreds of train passengers from disaster. Johnny rescues Esther from the villainous Wilton and falls in love. Wilton's intrigues finally reap their just rewards, and everybody lives happily ever after.
The film was released on April 15, 1923.
Contents
Plot
Bernard Miller is the President of a railroad, and Lawrence Wilton is his general counselor. Both are traveling in an open car, paralleling the tracks when they see Bill Buckley's engine steaming down the rails. Miller's only daughter, Esther, and her mother ride horses in the same area. When Esther attempts to go over a level crossing, her horse gets caught in the tracks and falls. The fallen horse traps Esther. Bill Buckley's son, Johnny, sees Esther's plight from his telegraph hut. With Bill Buckley's engine bearing down, Johnny rushes to save Esther and frees her at the last second. A grateful Esther gives Johnny her horse, and their close encounter has prompted romantic feelings in Esther. After watching the rescue, Miller tells Wilton he plans to reward the Buckley family with a house.
The following morning, Wilton drives the Millers to the passenger depot for an arranged trip to San Francisco. As Wilton is leaving, a man approaches him and demands money. He threatens Wilton by claiming he will "spill the beans about you and your kid." Wilton gives him cash and rides off. Wilton visits Buckley's home and shows Mrs. Buckley the deed to their new home. Mrs. Buckley tells Wilton to keep the gift a secret because she wants to surprise her husband.
When Bill Buckley comes to work, he learns he has a new crew member – Collins. The crewman is the same man who extorted Wilton for cash. Buckley mounts his engine along with Collins and starts his daily run. Buckley notices Collins take a quick drink from a bottle he had concealed. Collins offers Buckley a drink, which he refuses, and a struggle ensues with Buckley finally tossing the bottle out of the cab. Buckley's Westbound 99 arrives two hours early, and Collins is drunk. A supervisor sees a drunken Collins and fires him. Collins blames Buckley and swears revenge.
Johnny's dog appears at the Miller home. Esther sees the dog and comes up with a plan to see Johnny. She attaches a note to the dog's collar, telling Johnny to look for smoke from the chimney. It will be a signal that Wilton has left the house. The dog returns to Johnny's shack. Johnny reads the request and smiles.
At the Miller home, Wilton tells the housemaid to "Have Sylvester bring the roadster around for me — then he can take you marketing in the other car." Esther hears Wilton's request and starts stacking wood in the fireplace. Wilton has second thoughts, realizing that he will be alone with Esther if he remains. He returns to the house as Esther lights a fire in the fireplace. Wilton asks her if she would like to drive to town, but she declines. He shuts the door, walks over to Esther, and tries to kiss her. Esther resists Wilton's advances. Wilton grabs her and throws her on the couch. She screams and continues struggling while smoking logs burn in the fireplace. Johnny sees the smoke and starts galloping toward the house. Johnny arrives at the Miller house and senses Esther's in trouble.
Production
Pre production
Film Booking Offices of America (FBO) was an energetic, independent American silent era film studio. The company released around 110 features and shorts a year. The company focused on producing low-budget films emphasizing first-class westerns, action films, romantic melodramas, and comedy shorts. The company mainly distributed its pictures to small-town venues and independent theater chains, which changed their pictures three times a week. FBO would make their pictures appeal to every member of the American family.
The average cost per FBO production was $50,000 to $75,000 equivalent to $961,730 to $1,442,594 in 2021 compared to the Major film studios which could spend five times as much to produce a movie.
FBO also produced and distributed a limited number of big-budget features labeled "Gold Bond" or "Special" productions. Emory Johnson's eight films for FBO were all specials. This film would be classified as a Super-Special.
In 1923, Emilie and Emory Johnson signed a contract extension with FBO. The contract was for 2 1⁄2 years. The agreement stipulated Emory was to make eight attractions for FBO. The agreement specified that his previous four films would count toward the total. FBO also agreed to invest two and a half million dollars (In today's money – equivalent to $40,472,167 in 2021) on the remaining four films. Another part of the new contract stipulated – "The contract also provides that Emory Johnson's mother, Mrs. Emilie Johnson, shall prepare all of the stories and write all the scripts for the Johnson attractions in addition to assisting her son in filming the productions."
Ralph Lewis (1872–1931) was born on October 8, 1872, in Englewood, Illinois. The 50 year-old actor would reprise his role as a rugged middle-aged working-class hero. In this go-around, he would assume the role of Western Division engineer Bill Buckley. He previously had starring roles in Emory Johnson's past two FBO vehicles – In the Name of the Law and The Third Alarm. Lewis would go on to star in Emory Johnson's next production – The Mailman released in December 1923. He also landed a role in Johnson's seventh film – The Last Edition, released in November 1925. The Last Edition was Lewis's fifth and final film in an Emory Johnson production. Lewis will always be remembered for his role as abolitionist U.S. Representative Austin Stoneman in D. W. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation (1915) and the governor in Intolerance (1916). "Ralph Lewis is especially good in parts built upon the strength of character."
Filming
Emory Johnson had Johnny Harron risks his life when filming one of the scenes in the movie. In the film, Johnny galloped away on his horse to warn the two trains about to collide. They reach the edge of a steep embankment. They must get to the bottom to flag the two trains. "What do you want me to do now?" Harron asked Mr. Johnson. " Why I simply want you to get on that horse and drop over that mountain – that is all," the Director replied. Then Harron asked: "Do I really have to do that?" With the cameras grinding, Harron mounted his horse and started his descent. The horse hesitated, and then over the bank they went.
Los Angeles, California provided the ideal environment for shooting the exteriors. Permission was received from one of the big terminals in the Los Angeles area to film the railroad scenes. A steam locomotive was chartered for several days by Johnson.
Bernard Miller is the President of the transcontinental railroad. Twelve minutes into the movie, Mr. and Mrs. Miller leave on a pre-planned trip. They departed from a train depot, which the movie frame allows us to identify the depot as the old Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway passenger station in La Grande California. Identification of the train station is possible by examining the background of the movie frame, viewing the Moorish architecture dome, and comparing the structure against the La Grande images on Wikipedia. The Santa Fe opened La Grande Station on July 29, 1893. The movie was completed in 1923, making the station 30 years old at the time of the filming.
Interiors were shot at the Robertson-Cole Studios at Melrose Avenue and Gower Street in Hollywood, CA.
"The American Cinematographer" credits Ross Fisher as the film's cameraman. The art director for this film is W. L. Heywood.
The film schedule according to Camera! "Pulse of the Studios" and other authoritative sources. This schedule traces a film's evolution from Cradle-to-grave. This film started shooting in January 1923 and was In The Can April 1923. The Camera! timetable gives the studio and location as — R. C. Picture Corp located at Melrose and Gower.
The section also displayed the column headers and entries for this film:
Post production
F.B.O. rewarded Ralph Lewis for his work in In the Name of the Law, The Third Alarm and The West~Bound Limited by signing him to a long-term contract in April 1923.
The various media of the time list the length of this film as 5,100 feet or 6,500 feet. These reel lengths equate to running times of 57 minutes or 67 minutes. This film's length in the copyright filing is seven reels or a running time of 77 minutes.
The Motion Picture News Check-up lists the length as 6,529 feet, rounded to 7 reels, or a running time of 72 minutes.
The actual preserved length of the movie is 5580 feet with a running time of 62 minutes.
As mentioned previously, Johnson signed an 8-picture contract with FBO. This film was the third film honoring the terms of that contract. In March 1926, Johnson released The Non-Stop Flight. This was the eighth and final film of his contractual obligation to FBO. It would be Emory and Emilie Johnson's last film for FBO. In April 1926, FBO decided to let Emory and Emilie Johnson's contracts expire. There were no published reasons for the separation.
Emory Johnson's directorial career consisted of 13 films – 11 were silent, and two were Talkies.
Release and reception
Melodrama films have plots appealing to the raised passions of the audience. They concentrate on family issues, direct their attention to a victim's character, and develop the themes of duty and love. The format shows the characters working through their struggles with persistence, sacrificial deeds, and courage. Movie critics and theater owners often use the following expressions to describe the movies they are reviewing or showing.Terms used in reviewing silent movie melodrama
New York showing
On Thursday, April 26, 1923, Film Booking Offices of America invited critics from the New York Daily News, fan magazines, assorted trade papers, and leaders of the top movie houses to a presentation at the New York Astor Hotel. They were treated to the first screening at Emory Johnson's latest film, "Westbound Limited." Most attendees were impressed and predicted future success.
In addition, special screenings were scheduled for local railroad executives and railway organizations in other cities with the same impetus of getting these industry leaders on board and having them give the movie free advertising and promotion.
The attitude of the railway officials is that this picture is the first photoplay that has ever put the roads up to the public in the right light.
Official release
On April 15, 1923, THE WEST-BOUND LIMITED was copyrighted to R-C (Robertson-Cole) Pictures Corp with a registration number of LP18949. The copyrights for FBO Films were registered with their original British owners. FBO was the official name of the film-distributing operation for Robertson-Cole Pictures Corp. Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. would rectify this confusion at a later date.
The film was officially released on April 15, 1923, by Film Booking Offices of America.
Advertising
In the 1920s, there were over 1.7 million rail employees nationwide. FBO saw a vast potential market in railroad employees.
Westbound limited hoped to gather support from this segment of the working force to promote their film.
Film Booking Offices implemented the same advertising strategy they used in promoting In the Name of the Law and The Third Alarm especially creating local tie-ins with the particular working-class or public servants portrayed in the movie.
As shown in the graphic, F.B.O. was allowed to drape a 60-foot Westbound Limited banner over a vintage New York Central railroad engine entered in New York's 1923 Silver Jubilee parade on Fifth Avenue.
National tie-ups would be used utilized locally in exploiting Westbound Limited have been made by the publicity department of Film Booking Offices with some of the big railroad companies. The exploitation is to be handled by the railroads. Several big railroad companies created national tie-ups that would be used locally. This exploitation was handled by the railroads e.g. Pennsylvania Railroad and Baltimore and Ohio Railroad distributed special time-tables which had "Westbound Limited" advertising printed on its reverse side. The Pennsylvania Railroad also printed over a million postcards featuring the words, See Westbound Limited which were distributed by their agents all along with their trans-continental trains. Many western railroads had allowed free advertising posters in their stations.
Taking a page from the advertising playbook of his first two movies, "the Canton, Ohio Women's Auxiliary of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, has taken a big block of tickets for Westbound Limited and will sell them, keeping a small percentage of the profits for their own organization. Similar arrangements have been made for selling tickets in Youngstown, Ohio and other towns where The Westbound Limited will play."
If the theater owners had questions about exploiting this movie, FBO would provide a 22-page newspaper-size campaign book.
Reviews
Movie reviews were critical opinions for theater owners and fans. Critiques of movies printed in different trade journals were vital in determining whether to book or watch the movie. Movie critics' evaluations of this film were mixed. When critics have divergent reviews, deciding whether to see or book the film can be challenging, especially since mixed reviews do not mean it is a bad movie. In the end, it boils down to personal choices and how much value you place in the movie review and the reviewer. Movie critics and theater owners often use the following expressions to describe the movies they are reviewing or showing.Terms used in reviewing silent movie melodrama
Small towns were FBO mainstays versus big cities. The movie received positive reviews. Most small-town and large-city venues enjoyed the movie.
Chester J. Smith reviewed the movie in the May 5, 1923 issue of Motion Picture News, stating:
It tells an interesting story. However, by no means a new one, it provides many thrills that are keener in their anticipation than in their realization. There is no getting away from the fact that it stirs you up at times, but there is something in the climaxes that do not register as heavily as you are prepared for.
The film was reviewed in the July 6, 1923 issue of the Glendale Daily Press:
Catapultic, as the crack train itself, around which the plot is woven, "Westbound Limited" crashed through the screen at the T.D. & L. theater yesterday and left capacity audiences are gasping. A photographic effect never before witnessed on the screen, and which for sheer realism discounted everything yet devised by the ingenuity of director and cameraman, was the picturing of an express train running full tilt directly at the audience, neither swerving to left nor right and then – just think – continuing right over the heads of the audience, seemingly, as they looked on the screen agape.
FBO focused on producing and distributing films for small-town venues. They served this market melodramas, non-Western action pictures, and comedic shorts. These moviehouse reviews were critical for a distributor like FBO. Unlike many major Hollywood studios, FBO did not own its theaters. Like most independents, FBO was dependent on the moviehouse owners to rent their films for the company to show a profit.
Box office
The West~Bound Limited earned $225,697 (equivalent to $3,653,779 in 2021)
Preservation status
Although the majority of silent films did not survive, this film was preserved through chance. According to the Library of Congress website, this film has a status of: "Digital files produced from 16mm print on loan from a private collector."
The film is available on YouTube and from various DVD vendors.