This early John Ford film earns a 7, but that is relative to other films of the day. If you were comparing it to any film--such as a drama of the 30s or 40s, a score of 5 is probably more appropriate.
The film is about a town bum played by Buck Jones. He's a decent man, but also a guy with absolutely no drive in life. He's content to avoid work and sleep as much as possible. Only when a cute kid blows into town (George Stone) does he begin to show signs that he can be a responsible and productive citizen. That's because, for the sake of the kid, he's willing to settle down a bit and mend his ways.
The film is charming and watchable since the print quality is so good (a rarity in older silents) and the direction is so amiable. But, it also bogs down a bit with the simplistic story and dumb ending--it's very, very contrived. Satisfying to audiences of the time, perhaps. But also completely tough to take today--it all just seems ridiculously too perfect when the film is complete.
By the way, the George Stone who plays the kid is NOT the George E. Stone who played a supporting actor in tons of films in the 30s and 40s (particularly for Columbia Pictures).
