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| “ | I sympathize with your misfortunes, fellas, but you got to understand, I'm in the business of buyin' and sellin'. And I don't sell unless I can make a profit. | „ |
| ~ Mr. Jones's first words |
| “ | You're not happy with our service? | „ |
| ~ Mr. Jones abusing Rabbi Avram Belinski while robbing him. |
Mr. Jones is the secondary antagonist of the 1979 American Western comedy film, The Frisco Kid. Along with his partners, the Diggs brothers, they are a couple of con men who con and take advantage of people; especially, foreigners by any means necessary.
He was portrayed by the late Ramon Bieri.
Personality[]
Like his partners, the Diggs brothers, Mr. Jones tends to be violent, brutish, impatient, sadistic, ruthless, bloodthirsty, proud, cruel, aggressive, intimidating, temperamental, remorseless, and trigger-happy. His habit of conning and taking advantage of foreigners makes him more cunning, scheming, and strategic. His recent actions involving pleasurably abusing, robbing, or trying to kill foreigners including religious people like a Rabbi render him more racial and sacrilegious than ever.
The only difference is that Mr. Jones is not as dim and childish as Darryl Diggs is, which makes him almost as smart as the latter's eldest brother, Matt Diggs is.
Biography[]
In Philadelphia, Mr. Jones is introduced to Rabbi Avram Belinski by his partners, the Diggs brothers: Matthew and Darryl, having arrived from Poland in order to become the congregation of San Francisco's new Rabbi betrothed to someone's daughter, Sarah Mindl Bender. Realizing that Avram is an innocent, trusting, yet, naive, and inexperienced traveler with enough money to pay for horses, supplies, and a wagon, Mr. Jones and the Diggs brothers decide to trick him into helping pay for everything to go west to San Francisco since they're broke and the boat to San Francisco is already gone due to the recent gold rush.
On their way, when taking a "shortcut" on the road, Mr. Jones hides behind a tree while waiting for his partners to show up with Avram. Once in sight, Mr. Jones sneaks in from behind and begins to brutally beat Avram up while robbing him of his remaining $200 and Mezuzah necklace before throwing and leaving him and most of his belongings: suitcase, clothes, and the Torah scattered along the deserted road in Pennsylvania; much to the sadistic amusement of the Diggs brothers; especially, Darryl.
A few months later, Mr. Jones and the Diggs brothers enjoy some gambling at a casino in a small town not too far from San Francisco, only to find themselves confronted by Avram once again, having made it alive and well with the help of a bank/train robber with a soft heart named Tommy Lillard he befriended on the way. After Avram takes back his Mezuzah necklace they had stolen from him, Mr. Jones restrains Matt momentarily to avoid any confrontation. Then, when Avram demands his stolen money back, Mr. Jones and the Diggs brothers refuse to pay and get into a fight with him. After Avram has taken another brutal beating, Mr. Jones and Darryl help Matt place Avram on the bar where the latter intends to smash his face with a beer barrel once and for all. Luckily, Avram is rescued by Tommy, who holds both Mr. Jones and the Diggs brothers at gunpoint after shooting and emptying the beer barrel clean. Mr. Jones tries to shoot back, but Tommy shoots him close to his groin and threatens to shoot him much closer next time. So now, Mr. Jones and the Diggs brothers are forced to give back what they had stolen from Avram and more besides before Tommy runs them out of town.
A few days later, Mr. Jones and the Diggs brothers ambush Avram and Tommy on the beach after a good bath. During the ensuing gun fight, Mr. Jones is shot dead on the forehead and Matt is grazed on the head before fleeing the scene by Tommy whereas Darryl wounds Tommy before running out of bullets and is eventually shot dead in the chest by Avram in self-defense when trying to reach for Mr. Jones's gun despite early hesitation at first and against his principles even after saving his Torah from being deliberately burned by Darryl earlier in order to get his attention and come out of the clear open.
Matt Diggs is eventually defeated by Avram, Tommy, and the townspeople of San Francisco after failing to avenge their deaths; especially, his brother's. With Mr. Jones and Darryl Diggs dead and Matt Diggs exiled under threat of death should he ever return to cause trouble again by Avram, Tommy, and the entire community, Avram is free to resume life in San Francisco as the new Rabbi and marry his original betrothed's younger sister, Rosalie Bender instead with Tommy serving as his best man at his wedding.
Trivia[]
- Mr. Jones's first name is never revealed within the movie.