The Jolt (1921)

Several big wars in the 20th century have inspired films about the fate of the soldiers who returned and had to readjust to civilian life. WWII had The Best Years of Our Lives, the Vietnam War had Coming Home, and WWI had this picture. Although it received good notices at the time, it wasn't exactly a classic, however. Air Force private Johnnie Stanton (Johnnie Walker) weds a French girl, Georgette (Edna Murphy), while still in Europe, and her parents (Wilson Hummell and Lule Warrenton) urge the couple to stay in France. But Stanton really wants to go home to the States, and he and his bride settle in New York. His neighbors welcome him back, but he is less than thrilled to see his former associate, Jerry Limur (Albert Prisco). Stanton has a secret -- before the war he was a thief. Now he wants desperately to go straight, but he has a hard time finding work. Bill collectors start coming around and upsetting Georgette. Limur finally shows up, claiming to have a job for Stanton. While the two men are off discussing the job -- the theft of certain papers from a colonel -- Terence Nolan, another friend (Raymond McKee), tells Georgette that he has work for Stanton. It turns out that the house Stanton breaks into belongs to Nolan's superior officer and he breaks down and confesses. One of the lookouts comes in and gets in a fight. Nolan is wounded and Stanton goes after the other crooks. Instead of being arrested, he is hailed as a hero. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi