Sonny (1922)

This apparently lost silent film features Richard Barthlemess in dual roles as Sonny Crosby and Joe Marden, serving in World War I. Sonny Crosby, the son of a wealthy family, and Joe Marden, who runs a pool hall, bear an uncanny resemblance to one another. Sonny spends his last night of civilian life at a wild party and almost gets married to Madge Craig (Lucy Fox). Joe spends his last night of civilian life with his faithful dog. They meet while serving in France and, noting their close resemblance, become close friends. Sonny is hit by a German shell on the battlefield and before he dies, asks Joe to impersonate him back home. Joe agrees, and they switch ID tags. Back in the U.S., Joe pretends to be a badly shell-shocked Sonny, with the coaching of a longtime friend, Alicia (Patterson Dial). The story becomes increasingly complex as Joe is attracted to Sonny's younger sister, but fails to acknowledge Madge, with whom Sonny had a fling. Madge's father (Herbert Grimwood) a social climber who had hoped to gain a wealthy son-in-law in Sonny, learns of the impersonation and blackmails Joe, threatening to expose him, but Joe refuses and says he will tell his purported mother (Margaret Seddon) himself. See "The Fox Plan of Photoplay Writing" for more details.