Homer Comes Home

Homer Cavender leaves the quiet town of Mainsville to chase fame in the city, hoping luck will finally smile on him. After two years of clerking and little glory, he returns to take a summer break and finds the local chorus of applause already in his corner. The townspeople mistake his flashy clothes for real success, and Homer plays along to keep up appearances. He also hopes to win Rachel Prouty from her suitor Arthur Machim by spinning a tale that his supposed employer, Kort and Bailly, has sent him to recruit stockholders for a proposed new plant in town. A rival grows wary, and the pretence threatens to complicate his homecoming. Its mood stays light even as complaints rise.

Released in 1920, Homer Comes Home was directed by Jerome Storm. The comedy drama relies on a script by Agnes Christine Johnston and Alexander Hull, with Charles Ray leading opposite Priscilla Bonner and Otto Hoffman in supporting roles on screen.

Box office data for this silent feature isn't readily available, so no gross or other figures are listed here. Trade reviews from the period provide limited detail on its earnings, and many archives focus on star power rather than receipts.

As a snapshot of early 1920s cinema, the film blends light humor with small town values and a hint of romance. Its premise of appearances versus reality taps into themes common in silent era comedies, offering a window into how communities gauge success and the limits of social polish today.

Critical records from the time are sparse, but the work is generally read as a playful look at aspiration and social performance. It explores how returning home tests loyalties and priorities, and how deception can complicate friendships while exposing the gap between image and reality in everyday life right now.