Tag: The Prodigal

The Synopsis

Jeff Farraday is a hobo, riding trains with his friends Doc and Snipe. He often tells them that his family owns a great mansion in the South, but they do not believe him. 

Some time later, Jeff returns home and is given a lift on a wagon by Hokey. As Jeff walks the final stretch, his mother Cynthia is inside the house, with her son Rodman, her daughter Christine, Christine’s husband George, and Carter Jerome, a friend of Rodman’s. Antonia, Rodman’s wife, is keeping them all waiting while she dresses. 

Carter sneaks upstairs to Antonia, and jokes that he is safe from discovery because Rodman never enters Antonia’s bedroom. Carter asks her to go away with him because she is unhappy with Rodman. She refuses, even when Carter tells her he loves her. 

Christine sends Rodman upstairs to hurry Antonia. He does not see Carter, who is on the balcony. Rodman criticizes Antonia’s dress and presumes she has bought it for some other man. Antonia insists she has had no lovers since she married him. She asks him to divorce her so she can go away, but Rodman refuses. When she tells him how unhappy she is, he slaps her face. Rodman leaves, and Antonia tells Carter she will go away with him tomorrow night. 

Cynthia does not go out with the younger people, and is reunited with Jeff after five years. She forces him to take a bath and burns his dirty clothes, giving him some of Rodman’s. Jeff tells Cynthia he plans to leave before the family returns, but she tempts him with fried chicken. They talk in vague terms about why Jeff had to flee the town; it had something to do with Rodman. Finally, Jeff falls asleep. 

At breakfast the next morning, the family discusses Jeff’s return. Christine says he is irresponsible, but Cynthia insists he can stay for as long as he wishes. 

Jeff plays with Christine’s children and they break his bed. While the family goes to church, Jeff is reunited with the servants and meets Hokey again. Antonia has been riding all morning and meets Jeff when she returns. They have a late breakfast and get along well. But when Jeff asks how she came to marry a stuffed short like Rodman, Antonia leaves to join the family at church. 

Jeff finds Doc and Snipe hiding from the dog, and invites them into the house. After an enormous breakfast, while Jeff goes to fetch drinks, Doc relieves Snipe of the silverware he has pocketed. 

Antonia returns and finds them singing round the piano [Without a Song]. Rodman, Christine and George return. 

Jeff arranges to jump a train with Doc and Snipe that evening. Jeff and Rodman are soon quarrelling. Jeff assures his brother that he will be leaving soon. Cynthia interrupts their argument and expresses her pleasure at having all her children together [Home Sweet Home]. 

That evening, Jeff is about to board a freight train with his friends when he sees Antonia getting onto a passenger train with Carter. Antonia confesses to Carter that she does not love him, but she has to get away. Jeff, having realised what is happening, lures Carter away, then takes Antonia off the train. He takes her back to the house and explains why he had to stop her from ruining her life. 

Back at the house, Antonia tells Rodman she has been with Jeff and he forbids her from having anything to do with his brother. Later, while Antonia rides with the local hunt, Jeff, Doc, Snipe and Hokey are fishing on the river. They see the fox and hide it from the hunt. Antonia sees what they have done and joins them. 

Carter finds Jeff and Antonia together and warns Jeff to keep out of other people’s business. Carter accuses Jeff of being Antonia’s lover and Jeff knocks him down. Rodman rides up and Jeff takes the blame for the altercation, apologizing to Carter. Before they leave, Carter goads Jeff again with the fact that he loves his brother’s wife. Jeff tells Doc and Snipe that they are leaving soon. 

At the Hunt Ball that evening, Cynthia asks Jeff why he is so restless. Jeff tells her he promised to look in at a party being held by Naomie, one of the servants. Rodman accuses Antonia of snubbing Carter because she hates his friends. When Antonia denies that Jeff was responsible for the afternoon’s fight, Rodman leaves to fetch Carter. 

At Naomi’s party, the food is being prepared [Chitlins]. Jeff and his friends arrive and Hokey gets involved in a fight. A woman goes into labour and Doc is required to help with the delivery. [By the Riverside (?)]. The baby is born [A Child is Born]. 

Antonia arrives. Jeff walks her back to the house and tells her he is leaving. They kiss and Antonia tells Jeff that he loves her and asks him to take her with him. But Jeff explains that, whatever his feelings about Rodman, he cannot take his brother’s wife. Back at the house, Rodman confronts them and accuses Jeff of running true to form. Jeff admits that he loves Antonia and would be happy to work to support her, but that he has to leave. Cynthia interrupts and tells them that Jeff going away will not fix anything. She tells Rodman, against his protests, that he must divorce Antonia because she does not love him. She tells Jeff to get wandering out of his system and to come back after the divorce. Jeff leaves with Doc and Snipe [Without a Song].