Young boy, named Jimmy, who idealizes Casey Jones is devastated when Jones is killed in a train wreck. On the eve of World War One Jimmy has grown up to be an engineer like his hero. However once war is declared Jimmy is forced to stay home since his mother is too sick to be left at home alone, leading many to think he was a coward. The feeling is increased when a train Jones is on looses pressure to the breaks. The fireman jumps from the train, Jimmy stays behind to fix the problem, but is thrown when the train crashes leading many to believe he jumped without giving warning. Worse Jimmy's girl leaves him. Will he be able to clear his name and gain the respect of everyone once more? Mascot train based drama is a decent little film. Not the best nor the worst, the film gains a good many points from being filmed on location on the train yards and around the locomotives that are key to the story. Sure there are models, but they are only use fleetingly in the crash scenes. If there is any flaw its that the film is paced very slow. Like most Mascot films there is no music so things seem to unfold at a slower pace. The film also takes a good long time getting where its going, which is good for building characters but makes you want to move things along. Worth a look if you run across it (especially if you like trains), but not something to search out or feel bad about missing.
2 Reviews
Casey Said To The Fireman, "Boy, You'd Better Jump"
boblipton7 June 2023
Jackie Searl idolizes Casey Jones. When he grows up to become Charles Starrett, he becomes a railroad engineer too. He's about to enlist in the Army -- the Great War has come to America -- but his mother has an attack, and the doctor says if he goes overseas, she'll die. Then, one night, running his train, the fluid in the brake line fails. He orders his fireman to jump, and heads onto the engine to fix it, but gets knocked off. The train crashes, and everyone says he's a coward except for George "Not Gabby Yet" Hayes, who was Casey Jones fireman.
It's a surprisingly well put together Poverty Row movie, even though it seems a trifle slow throughout its short length of 67 minutes. Perhaps it is the inevitable course of the plot, with the audience waiting for the same sort of disaster to threaten Starret again, so he can prove his bravery. Perhaps it's the lack of a score, something even the Majors didn't have consistently at this point. There are no surprises here, but a good cast, including Robert Elliott and Theodore Lorch help a lot.
It's a surprisingly well put together Poverty Row movie, even though it seems a trifle slow throughout its short length of 67 minutes. Perhaps it is the inevitable course of the plot, with the audience waiting for the same sort of disaster to threaten Starret again, so he can prove his bravery. Perhaps it's the lack of a score, something even the Majors didn't have consistently at this point. There are no surprises here, but a good cast, including Robert Elliott and Theodore Lorch help a lot.
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