The Spirit of the USA is a 1924 American silent melodrama directed by Emory Johnson. FBO released the film in May 1924. The film's "All-Star" cast included Johnnie Walker and Mary Carr. Emilie Johnson, Johnson's mother, wrote both the story and screenplay. was the fifth film in Johnson's eight-picture contract with FBO.
The Gains family lives on a farm with their two sons, Johnnie and Silas. When the US enters World War I, Johnnie tries to enlist but is rejected and joins the Salvation Army instead. Meanwhile, Silas marries Zelda Burrows, the daughter of a wealthy neighbor who covets the Gains' farm. Silas later enlists in the Army and is killed in action.
Zelda and her father take advantage of the family's grief and falsely claim that Johnnie has also died in battle, evicting the Gains family and starting to build a dam on their property. However, Johnnie returns home, having survived the war, and fights to reclaim his family's farm. He throws Zelda off the property, blows up the dam, and marries his sweetheart Gretchen. The story ends with the family reunited and living happily ever after.
Plot The film begins by showcasing the idyllic scenery surrounding the Gaines farm. Thomas Gains, the family patriarch, and his wife Mary live on the farmstead with their two sons, Silas and Johnnie. We see Grandpa Gains mending a toy for his grandson, Johnnie. Old man Gains and Silas walk into the house just as Johnnie begs his grandpa to tell Civil War stories. Johnnie tells his grandpa he will be a soldier, too. Tom pounds the table, declaring that none of his sons will become soldiers.
Eighteen years pass and we meet Robert Washburn, a wealthy landowner who owns vast tracks of land adjacent to the Gaines farm. Washburn's Business consultant, Jim Fuller, advises him that if he were to construct a dam across Coldwater Creek, his property would double in value. Washburn says he tried to buy the Gains farm in the past, but the Gains will not sell. While they continue to talk, Zelda Washburn walks into the room. The elder Washburn agrees to contact the Gains family again. It soon becomes apparent that Fuller and Zelda share mutual feelings for each other.
Washburn and his daughter pay a visit to the Gains farm. While the two men talk, Zelda flirts with Silas. Summoning his courage, Silas invites Zelda to the barn dance, and she accepts. Once again, Thomas Gains turns down Washburn's offer, so Zelda and her father make their way home.
Silas realizes he needs to buy a new suit for the dance. Silas's father is in the barn loading sacks of wheat when Johnnie shows up and starts helping. Johnnie asks his father if he could sell two sacks of grain to buy new suits for him and his brother. The old man says emphatically no, but Johnnie continues to ask. The old man gets upset, throwing his keys on the ground in disgust, and leaves.
Silas overhears the conversation and swiftly rushes over to grab his father's keys. As he is hitching their horse to the wagon, his father reappears. The old man asks Silas where he is going, and Silas tells him he is calling on Zelda. Later, under cover of darkness, Silas returns to the barn and unlocks the door with his father's keys. He loads a sack of grain into the wagon. Johnnie sees him as he is packing a second sack on the wagon. Johnnie confronts him, but Silas says,
Meanwhile, the old man tries to open a locked drawer but cannot find his keys. Then he remembers tossing them on the ground and makes his way towards the barn. Johnnie is still trying to talk his brother out of stealing the grain. He offers Silas money, but Silas brushes him aside and leaves in the wagon. Suddenly old man Gaines walks in and sees Johnnie holding a wad of cash. He asks Johnnie where he got that money and notices two sacks of grain are missing. He asks Johnnie, The old man becomes emotional and strikes Johnnie in his left eye.
The barn dance is scheduled for Saturday, April 6, 1917. After arriving in a brand-new suit at the Washburn's house, Silas escorts Zelda to the dance. Halfway through the festivities, a man arrives on horseback and dashes to the center of the hall. With an urgent tone, he announces
The following day, Johnnie heeds the call to arms and says he will fight overseas. He grabs his grandpa's old musket and tells his father he is going to enlist. His father is visibly upset. Undeterred, he bids farewell to his mother, but his father refuses to shake his hand. Johnnie heads to the train depot with his musket and dog.
After boarding the train, Johnnie arrives at the induction center and attempts to enlist in the Army. He is given a physical but fails the eye exam. He is classified as "Class V." While sitting outside the induction center, a Salvation Army volunteer approaches Johnnie. The volunteer calls attention to a contingent of Salvation Army workers getting ready to ship overseas. Johnnie is impressed, then joins the Salvation Army and is shipped overseas.
Now that Johnnie is gone, Thomas Gains makes an important decision. He names Silas as the sole owner of the Gains farm. Then at Robert Washburn's urging, Silas quickly marries Zelda hoping to avoid the draft. The couple settles into their new home - the Gaines farmhouse. Zelda immediately becomes dissatisfied with her archaic surroundings. As each day passes, Zelda becomes more disenchanted. She especially hates the noisy birds that Johnnie gave to his mother. Zelda finally grabs the birdcage and throws it out the door. The birds escape, and his mother has nothing to remind her of Johnnie. Zelda gets more upset and tells Silas she hates him because he is a coward.
The next day, Silas receives a draft letter from the Local Draft board. He must register for the draft on May 17 at 10 am. " Silas feels inspired and says,
The scene switches to the fields in France. We see Johnnie cooking donuts for the troops, and then we see Silas on the front lines. While Silas is firing from a trench, he receives a fatal shot to the heart. As Silas lies on the ground, mortally wounded, Johnnie chances upon him just as he rolls over and dies. Johnnie puts on his brother's uniform, grabs his rifle, goes , and becomes a hero. Back at the Gaines farm, Thomas and Mary receive a letter from Johnnie. The letter reads
While enjoying the company of her lover, Jim Fuller, Zelda's attention is drawn to the letter. Then Fuller confidently states that Johnnie had met the same fate as Silas. Zelda declares, She promptly throws Thomas and Mary out on the street.
As Armistice Day arrives, a train steams into the depot hauling Johnnie and his dog. Both parents warmly greet him. Johnnie goes to the old house, where Zelda and Fuller are mapping out their next scheme. He thrashes Fuller and tosses them both on the street. Johnnie's father tells him the Washburns have built a dam to reroute his water supply. Johnnie races out of the house and demolishes the dam. After the explosion, water floods down the canyon, sweeping away Fuller and Zelda. Johnnie returns home and sees Gretchen, who has patiently awaited Johnnie's return. They embrace, the whole family hugs, and they all live happily ever after.
Cast ActorRoleJohnnie Walker Johnnie GainsMary Carr Mary GainsCarl Stockdale Thomas GainsMark Fenton John J. BurrowsWilliam S. Hooser Otto SchultzGloria Grey Gretchen SchultzRosemary Cooper Zelda BurrowsDavid Kirby Jim FullerCuyler Supplee Silas GainsDick Brandon Little Johnnie GainsNewton House Little Silas GainsRichard Morris Grandpa Gains Production
Film Booking Offices of America (FBO) operated as an independent studio during the silent era of American cinema. FBO, which churned out nearly 110 features and shorts a year, sought to make low-budget films across multiple genres, including westerns, action-packed thrillers, romantic melodramas, and comedy shorts. The company primarily distributed its productions to modest-sized towns and independent theater chains that frequently refreshed their film selections three times per week. FBO would appeal to every member of the American family with its pictures.Film Booking Offices of America
In 1924, the average cost per production ranged from $50,000 to $75,000, which is equivalent to $ to $ in 2022 currency. Major film studios, in stark contrast, had far bigger budgets, costing up to five times as much to make a single film. Alongside their regular productions, FBO also undertook a few high-budget projects known as "Gold Bond" or "Special" productions. During his tenure at FBO, Emory Johnson worked exclusively on eight films in this category.
In 1923, Emilie and Emory Johnson entered into a contract extension with FBO, which spanned two and one-half years. The terms of the agreement stated that Emory was obligated to create eight attractions for FBO. The agreement acknowledged that his previous four films would be included in this tally. To support the production of the remaining four films, FBO committed to investing two and a half million dollars, which, in today's currency, is .
Additionally, an integral part of the new contract stated that Emory Johnson's mother, Mrs. Emilie Johnson, would be responsible for developing all the stories and writing the scripts for the Johnson attractions. Furthermore, she would assist her son during the filming process.
Pre production Casting
Mary Carr (née Mary Kennivan) (1874–1973) was born on March 14, 1874, in Germantown, Pennsylvania. She was when she played Gold Star Mother Mary Gains, Tom's wife, and Johnnie's mother. This was her first role in a Johnson production. Her next performance in a Johnson vehicle would be the 1927 Universal production of The Fourth Commandment, where she played another mother figure. Carr and Walker shared the spotlight in this film, with FBO promoting their roles as a reunion of sorts. The reference alluded to the film Over the Hill to the Poorhouse, an 11-reel motion picture distributed by Fox on September 17, 1920. In this movie, Carr portrayed a destitute mother, while Walker played her son.The AFI Catalog of Feature Films: Over the Hill to the Poorhouse One FBO magazine ad for this movie contained the word segment — Initially, Carr worked as a schoolteacher but abandoned the profession to become an actor in traveling theater companies. She married fellow actor William Carr and accompanied him on tours with his theater troupe. In the early 1900s, William ventured into film production. He enlisted Mary and their six children to join him in the burgeoning film industry. In 1915, Mary began her career in film, eventually becoming a character actor celebrated for her roles as maternal figures. She appeared in over 140 films between 1915 – 1956. She was also a close friend of Emilie Johnson.
Johnnie Walker (1894–1949) was born on January 7, 1894, in New York City, New York. He was an established actor when the year-old actor played Johnnie Gains, the son of Thomas Gains. This was Walker his fourth appearance in a Johnson production. He previously had featured roles in Johnson's vehicles – In the Name of the Law, The Third Alarm, and The Mailman. This movie would also provide the much-anticipated reunion of Walker with Mary Carr. They had experienced previous success in filming the 1920 9-reel production of Over the Hill to the Poorhouse. Walker would appear in a total of five Johnson FBO productions. He played the son of the film's leading father figure in each film. In each of Walker's supporting roles, the character was named Johnnie or a derivative.Walker is five feet eleven inches tall, with black hair and blue eyes. AFI credits the actor with 48 Titles in his Filmography. Walker would be featured in Johnson's sixth film for FBO – Life's Greatest Game, released in October 1924. was Walker's fifth and final role in an Emory Johnson production.