This short opens with a patriotic military parade and a title card informs us that "In the spring of 1917 when we had to go over and clean up the war." I found this boastful assertion to be somewhat off putting but no doubt representative of the attitude of many at the time. That aside, it is a very funny short. Reggie Hemingway is a wealthy and lazy young man "Who inherited his father's millions, power and position - and his fiancé." When Reggy's fiancé tells him what a beautiful general he will make, Reggie enlists in the army. Private Hemingway reports to boot camp donning a top hat and monocle. One of the first to greet him is a hard boiled Sergeant - who just happens to be Reggy's former secretary Oscar - a man who the arrogant Reggy had treated very nastily. One of the funniest bits is when Reggy does battle with a "runaway" fire hose and in the process drenches the camp commander, an action that gets him 30 days on Kitchen Police duty. After doing the mandatory potato peeling duty, Reggy does battle once again - this time with a huge pile of dough. A pie fight ensues between Reggy and the cook and the hapless Reggy has the misfortune to nail the camp commander with a pie and it's off to the guardhouse for Reggy. A title card then informs us "Eighteen months later. Victory! Peace! Prohibition! The world saved for Democrats!" And we are told, with the Armistice came the release of many prisoners - and out of the guardhouse walks Reggy. The diminutive Lupino Lane was an amazingly athletic comedian and while this short is not the best example of his acrobatic skills, it is still very funny and a joy to watch. As was the case in Fatty Arbuckle's post scandal career, the short credits William Goodrich as the director.
Review of His Private Life
