This was Harry Langdon's third film, his second released, his first for Mack Sennett, and his earliest to survive. It's evident here that the Sennett filmmakers did not have a sense yet of what would become the style that suited Langdon's talents the best. In fact, while charming, the film is virtually plot less, with what plot there is essentially arbitrary and senseless.
The first half is a few scenes revolving around the strange premise of Harry as a "Sheriff and Photographer" who catches a man and a woman, then for some reason photographs them, and competes for the woman against the man who tries to thwart him (through tactics such as trying to burn down a house he is in), eventually ends up getting married to her. It's fast-paced as befits a Sennett film, but the series of clever gags it contains is actually quite creative and doesn't rely too much on pure slapstick.
Langdon is cast as the kind of brash, active, and slightly vindictive role that Stan Laurel often played early in his career, but he manages through his performance to turn the role into something better fitting his style without undermining the style of the film (such as it is). Look at his facial reactions and pantomimes when he has the hanger still in his tuxedo jacket. Look at his little takes at the girl in his arms when he realizes he has been caught by her husband in a potentially incriminating situation. Look at other little reactions to gag situations throughout the film. Catch that great final gag, which I won't spoil for you.
The second half of the film might as well have been made separately or first -- Harry is in a new or resurrected studio photographing the a family supposedly related to his new wife and being tormented by a mischievous child.
There are some dangerous-looking scenes shot in what looks like an actual burning building and with an actual hive of disturbed bees.
The film is basically a patchwork of fun, almost unrelated gags and situations that almost not cohesive enough to have been made up on the spot, with Harry Langdon injecting little hints of himself into the proceedings. It won't win any awards for coherence (or anything, really), but it's saved by being a fun watch nonetheless. It's random and silly, but it's not supposed to be anything else, and while Harry is not used to best advantage, it's much better with him shading the material with a suggestion of his comic style than it would have been with anyone else.
The first half is a few scenes revolving around the strange premise of Harry as a "Sheriff and Photographer" who catches a man and a woman, then for some reason photographs them, and competes for the woman against the man who tries to thwart him (through tactics such as trying to burn down a house he is in), eventually ends up getting married to her. It's fast-paced as befits a Sennett film, but the series of clever gags it contains is actually quite creative and doesn't rely too much on pure slapstick.
Langdon is cast as the kind of brash, active, and slightly vindictive role that Stan Laurel often played early in his career, but he manages through his performance to turn the role into something better fitting his style without undermining the style of the film (such as it is). Look at his facial reactions and pantomimes when he has the hanger still in his tuxedo jacket. Look at his little takes at the girl in his arms when he realizes he has been caught by her husband in a potentially incriminating situation. Look at other little reactions to gag situations throughout the film. Catch that great final gag, which I won't spoil for you.
The second half of the film might as well have been made separately or first -- Harry is in a new or resurrected studio photographing the a family supposedly related to his new wife and being tormented by a mischievous child.
There are some dangerous-looking scenes shot in what looks like an actual burning building and with an actual hive of disturbed bees.
The film is basically a patchwork of fun, almost unrelated gags and situations that almost not cohesive enough to have been made up on the spot, with Harry Langdon injecting little hints of himself into the proceedings. It won't win any awards for coherence (or anything, really), but it's saved by being a fun watch nonetheless. It's random and silly, but it's not supposed to be anything else, and while Harry is not used to best advantage, it's much better with him shading the material with a suggestion of his comic style than it would have been with anyone else.
