Poor Mrs. Jones (1926) is a 46-minute, black-and-white comedy, drama and family silent film produced by the United States Department of Agriculture in 1925 and released in 1926.[1] It was directed by Raymond Evans, a former newspaperman.[2] Shot on location in Washington, DC and at a farm in Maryland, the film features Gone with the Wind actress Leona Roberts as Jane Jones, a 1920s rural housewife tired of a grueling and unglamorous day-to-day life. She takes a vacation to the city where she stays with her sister Hattie, played by Maud Howell Smith. The USDA produced this film as 1920s propaganda promoting agriculture and farm life as more virtuous and wholesome than life in the city.
"[F]rom a purely artistic point of view, the discovery of this round is "Poor Mrs. Jones!", a government propaganda film [that] makes use of the stubbornly unsentimental realism pioneered by the Scandinavian filmmakers of the 1910s to teach a simple lesson: Farm life may be grim and oppressive, but city life is infinitely worse. Even within the government bureaucracy, it seems, there were artists struggling to express themselves, and in this case with skill and vision."[3]
"Poor Mrs. Jones!" has been curated as part of "Treasures III: Social Issues in American Film 1900–1934", a well-researched, annotated collection of rare films from national film archives. It catalogs issues most concerning to America in the first three decades of the 20th century.[4]
Social Issues in American Film 1900–1934 Film curator Glenn Erickson considers "Poor Mrs Jones! "practically [a] work of art..."beautifully made on all counts."[5]
Plot
Mrs. Lane Jones is seen working around her Maryland farm she owns with her husband, John Jones. As she works, things seem to go poorly for her. As she irons the clothes, the electricity goes out. As she walks to the shed where the generator is located, she chases the chicken from the garden. Discovering that there is no gasoline for the generator, Lane drains the car, chases the chicken, puts the gasoline in the generator, starts it, chases the chicken again, discovers that the bread she was baking has burnt, so it's ham and eggs for dinner again!
Frustrated, Mrs. Jones gives up and demands that her John sells the farm and move into town. Her sister Hattie's husband has a job in the city that pays $2000 a year, five times what the Jones' earns on the farm. As a compromise, John suggests that Lane spend a few weeks in town with her sister Hattie to take a break from grueling farm work.
Lane arrives at her sister Hattie's home. Although Hattie and her husband makes more money, they live in a very small apartment. Lane realizes that the grass in town isn't nearly as greener as life on the farm. Lane finally returns home and accepts how great life is on the family farm versus city life.
^Kehr, Dave (October 9, 2007). "New DVDs". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
^Poor Mrs. Jones (1926) - Company credits - IMDb, retrieved January 31, 2023
^Kehr, Dave (October 9, 2007). "New DVDs". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
^Kehr, Dave (October 9, 2007). "New DVDs". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
^Treasures III: Social Issues in American Film 1900–1934. Image Entertainment B&W & Color & Tinted / 1:33 flat full frame / 735 min. min. / Street Date October 16, 2007. Designer Jennifer Grey; Curators Scott Simmon, Martin Marks
February 27, 2023
poor, jones, poor, jones, 1926, minute, black, white, comedy, drama, family, silent, film, produced, united, states, department, agriculture, 1925, released, 1926, directed, raymond, evans, former, newspaperman, shot, location, washington, farm, maryland, film. Poor Mrs Jones 1926 is a 46 minute black and white comedy drama and family silent film produced by the United States Department of Agriculture in 1925 and released in 1926 1 It was directed by Raymond Evans a former newspaperman 2 Shot on location in Washington DC and at a farm in Maryland the film features Gone with the Wind actress Leona Roberts as Jane Jones a 1920s rural housewife tired of a grueling and unglamorous day to day life She takes a vacation to the city where she stays with her sister Hattie played by Maud Howell Smith The USDA produced this film as 1920s propaganda promoting agriculture and farm life as more virtuous and wholesome than life in the city New York Times film critic Dave Kehr notes F rom a purely artistic point of view the discovery of this round is Poor Mrs Jones a government propaganda film that makes use of the stubbornly unsentimental realism pioneered by the Scandinavian filmmakers of the 1910s to teach a simple lesson Farm life may be grim and oppressive but city life is infinitely worse Even within the government bureaucracy it seems there were artists struggling to express themselves and in this case with skill and vision 3 Poor Mrs Jones has been curated as part of Treasures III Social Issues in American Film 1900 1934 a well researched annotated collection of rare films from national film archives It catalogs issues most concerning to America in the first three decades of the 20th century 4 Social Issues in American Film 1900 1934 Film curator Glenn Erickson considers Poor Mrs Jones practically a work of art beautifully made on all counts 5 Plot EditMrs Lane Jones is seen working around her Maryland farm she owns with her husband John Jones As she works things seem to go poorly for her As she irons the clothes the electricity goes out As she walks to the shed where the generator is located she chases the chicken from the garden Discovering that there is no gasoline for the generator Lane drains the car chases the chicken puts the gasoline in the generator starts it chases the chicken again discovers that the bread she was baking has burnt so it s ham and eggs for dinner again Frustrated Mrs Jones gives up and demands that her John sells the farm and move into town Her sister Hattie s husband has a job in the city that pays 2000 a year five times what the Jones earns on the farm As a compromise John suggests that Lane spend a few weeks in town with her sister Hattie to take a break from grueling farm work Lane arrives at her sister Hattie s home Although Hattie and her husband makes more money they live in a very small apartment Lane realizes that the grass in town isn t nearly as greener as life on the farm Lane finally returns home and accepts how great life is on the family farm versus city life Cast and Crew EditRaymond Evans Director Grace Frysinger Writer Martin Marks Music Eugene Tucker Cinematography Leona Roberts Lane Jones Walter Beck John Jones Maud Howell Smith Hattie Jane s sister Arthur J Rhodes Hattie s husbandReferences Edit Kehr Dave October 9 2007 New DVDs The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved January 31 2023 Poor Mrs Jones 1926 Company credits IMDb retrieved January 31 2023 Kehr Dave October 9 2007 New DVDs The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved January 31 2023 Kehr Dave October 9 2007 New DVDs The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved January 31 2023 Treasures III Social Issues in American Film 1900 1934 Image Entertainment B amp W amp Color amp Tinted 1 33 flat full frame 735 min min Street Date October 16 2007 Designer Jennifer Grey Curators Scott Simmon Martin Marks Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Poor Mrs Jones amp oldid 1136643549, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
