Mr. Jones Has a Card Party (1909) User Reviews

There Will Be No Card Playing

[boblipton · 6/10 · 18 November 2018]

The Joneses -- John Cumpson and Florence Lawrence -- have about ten friends gather for a card party. While the guests are dancing, Mr.Cumpson tears his trousers. When they disappear into the bedroom to repair the pants, the guests insist on knowing what has happened to their host and hostess.

Fat and balding John Cumpson was Griffith star comic actor. In 1910, he left the Master for Edison, where he was, presumably paid more; his place as the company's comic was soon taken by Billy Quirk, who was much given to playing to the audience and breaking up the other actors. Miss Lawrence likewise departed Biograph, going to IMP (which evolved into the modern Universal), She rose much higher, becoming the first movie star, being credited with her appearances.

The Jones comedies were popular enough that Griffith made almost a dozen of them with his performers, All but one has 'Jones' in the title.

Mr Jones has a Card Party review

[JoeytheBrit · 4/10 · 12 May 2020]

What Mr. Jones actually does is invite his mates around for a heavy drinking session when his wife and her temperance friends are away for the night. Unfortunately, the women miss their train and return early. Considering the insensible Mr. Jones is by then lying in bed in a woman's dress and make-up it's probably just as well. I seem to remember Jones losing his trousers at an earlier party. Let's hope he's now learned his lesson...

Fun Film in Griffith's "Mr Jones" Series

[Michael_Elliott · 30 July 2011]

Mr. Jones Has a Card Party (1909)

*** (out of 4)

Here's another entry in D.W. Griffith's Mr. Jones comedy series. The title cards are lost for this film so a few plot details are going to have to be left to the imagination. From what I could gather Mr. Jones (John R. Cumpson) kicks a couple ladies out of the house so that he and his buddies can get drunk and play cards. Jones ends up passing out so his friends put a dress on him, smear make-up on him and throw him into the bed. While this is going on a group of ladies enter the house and soon they meet the "person" in the bed. Again, trying to figure out who these group of women were went over my head but for the most part this is a pleasant little film that has some nice comic timing and while there aren't any major laughs it's at least a good way to spend 9-minutes. Once again I think a lot of credit has to go to Cumpson who has some nice comic timing and especially his scenes where he's drunk and about to pass out. I thought the way he tipped and staggered around was very funny and the way he comes out of the bed also had me laughing. As you'd expect, there's a nice little chase sequence towards the end of the film that allows the director to show off his editing skills. The supporting cast includes Mack Sennett, Robert Harron and Griffith's's then-wife Linda Arvidson.

The Jones Series

[Single-Black-Male · 5 February 2004]

This 16 minute film was part of the 'Jones Series'. The 34 year old D.W. Griffith uses the camera pan in order to bring the audience closer to the characters. This enables us to identify with the protagonist and follow them through right to the end of the story.