When Duty Calls

• 1929
• 1 hr 5 mins

• Watchlist

When Duty Calls was based on a story by busy German scriveners Broun and Braut. After 20 years on the job, an elderly fireman sprains his leg and reluctantly goes on pension. He spends his days at home brooding bitterly over how younger, less-experienced men have "stolen" his job. Taking pity on the old guy, the new fire inspector gives him an aptitude test to see if he is qualified for a desk job. To put it bluntly, he isn't. But things turn out well for all concerned when the "washed-up" old smoke eater rescues the inspector and the inspector's sweetheart (who happens to be the protagonist's daughter) from a roaring blaze.