The Home Towners

The Home Towners is a 1928 American comedy film directed by Bryan Foy and starring Richard Bennett, Doris Kenyon, and Robert McWade.^[1] This film was the third all talking picture produced by Warner Brothers to be released.

The Home Towners
Theatrical poster
Directed by	Bryan Foy
Written by	Addison Burkhard Murray Roth
Based on	The Home Towners (play) by George M. Cohan
Starring	Richard Bennett Doris Kenyon Robert McWade
Cinematography	Barney McGill Willard Van Enger
Production company	Warner Bros. Pictures
Distributed by	Warner Bros. Pictures
Release date	November 3, 1928 (1928-11-03)
Running time	11 reels (sound version)
Country	United States
Language	English

Cast

• Richard Bennett as Vic Arnold
• Doris Kenyon as Beth Calhoun
• Robert McWade as P. H. Bancroft
• Robert Edeson as Mr. Calhoun
• Gladys Brockwell as Lottie Bancroft
• John Miljan as Joe Roberts
• Vera Lewis as Mrs. Calhoun
• Stanley Taylor as Wally Calhoun
• James T. Mack as Casey
• Patricia Caron as Maid

Plot

Vic Arnold (Richard Bennett), a wealthy bachelor living in New York City, is engaged to marry the beautiful Beth Calhoun (Doris Kenyon). To celebrate the upcoming wedding, he invites his old boyhood friend from South Bend, P. H. Bancroft (Robert McWade), to be his best man. Bancroft arrives with his strong-willed wife, Lottie (Gladys Brockwell), and immediately begins to scrutinize Vic’s choice of fiancée and her family.

When Bancroft learns that Beth’s father, Mr. Calhoun (Robert Edeson), was once a bartender but is now an inventor supported by Vic’s $200,000 investment in a bottle washer, and that her brother Wally Calhoun (Stanley Taylor) earns $15,000 a year at Vic’s brokerage firm, he grows suspicious. Convinced the Calhouns are exploiting Vic, Bancroft launches a one-man campaign to save his friend from what he perceives as a social and financial disaster.

Later, Wally and his friend Joe Roberts (John Miljan) drop by. Bancroft finds Wally brash and cocky. After they leave, Ban tries to convince Vic that he’s marrying into a family of “bandits and highwaymen.” Their disagreement escalates until Vic slaps Ban in the face. Though Vic later tries to apologize, Ban storms off to his hotel.

Vic eventually visits Ban at the hotel, where Lottie agrees to speak with him alone. Vic brings Beth to meet her, and Lottie politely claims that her husband is too ill to meet the bride-to-be. Then, the Calhouns arrive—including Beth’s father Mr. Calhoun, her mother Mrs. Calhoun (Vera Lewis), and Wally. When Mr. Calhoun hears of Ban’s illness, he tries to help by offering a bit of osteopathic treatment. The proud Bancroft explodes in outrage, accusing the entire Calhoun family of being thieves and swindlers, and storms out yet again.

Vic follows him, and the two men resume their argument. Vic calls Ban the most stubborn man alive. This time, Ban slaps Vic—reversing the insult of the previous night. Vic laughs and declares that now they’re even, and the two shake hands, friends once more.

However, things remain tense. Beth, furious that Bancroft insulted her family, tells Vic that she won’t marry him if Ban is his best man. Later, Vic apologizes for his friend's behavior, but Beth is still upset and breaks off the engagement, returning his ring.

A few days later, Wally arrives at Vic’s apartment to deliver a package from Beth. He runs into Vic, Ban, and Lottie returning from the theatre. On his way out, Wally delivers a sharp parting shot to Ban, telling him he owns “the two most dangerous weapons in the world—a Main Street mind and a poisonous tongue.” Ban remains silent, now fully aware of the damage he has caused.

New information softens his judgment: Beth could have married Joe Roberts, who is worth over twenty million dollars. Wally has been offered a higher-paying job elsewhere. And several companies are bidding millions for Mr. Calhoun’s bottle-washer invention. Ban is crushed by the realization that he has grievously misjudged the Calhouns.

In a moment of weakness, Ban steals a bracelet from the gift box Wally delivered—Vic’s intended wedding present for Beth. Lottie discovers the box is empty, and Vic quickly calls the Calhouns to come over to resolve the situation.

Tensions explode when the Calhouns arrive, and accusations fly. Finally, Bancroft confesses to the theft, explaining he felt responsible for driving Beth away and saw this as his misguided attempt to bring her back. His heartfelt confession prompts forgiveness all around.

Beth and Vic are joyfully reunited and insist that Ban be their best man after all. With the families reconciled, everyone prepares for what promises to be the happiest wedding in New York.

Preservation status

Newspaper advertisement promoting the film.

The Home Towners is now lost.^[2][3]

See also

• List of early sound feature films (1926–1929)