Topic: Allez Oop (1934) - Buster Keaton

[metaldams]

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4ynjgn

Watch Allez Oop in the link above.



      As far as viewing this short, it's not available on YouTube.  I was able to find a link at Video Dailymotion, so since I believe none of you guys have this on DVD, this should cover you.

(Spoilers ahead)

      I enjoy the first half of the film better than the second half.  The first half involves a romantic plot between Buster and Dorothy Sebastian that involves a lot of clever comedy.  In real life, Buster was romantically involved for years spanning two marriages with Sebastian, so they had a natural chemistry together, shall we say.  They met on the set of Buster's last silent comedy, SPITE MARRIAGE, as she was the leading lady in that film.  The cat and mouse game with the way they chase is other is screwball comedy type stuff that works well for these two.  Some good visual comedy for Buster, such as the way he follows Sebastian as she leaves by turning the corner through each window, only to eventually bump into a table.  I also like the way he takes his time getting the watch out of the box and eventually finds the watch on the ground, only to drop it in the water.  Also enjoy the various clever ways they miss each other either going back to Buster's store, her apartment, or physically seeing each other before literally bumping into each other a couple of times at her place.  Lots of clever, well timed bits by two actors who have great chemistry together, good stuff.

      Once they get to the circus, I'm not as into it.  She falls for the trapeze guy right away...kind of like the girl does in THE CIRCUS from Charlie Chaplin.  Speaking of Chaplin, the guy in the stands who has all the comic mishaps happen to him is Harry Meyers, who three years earlier had a major role in CITY LIGHTS playing Chaplin's tragic on again-off again drunk friend.  Talk about taking a lesser role a few short years later.

      The trapeze guy is an abusive jerk to the point where it distracts from the comedy, and the high wire rescue at the end is obviously not Keaton and also lacks a satisfying comic ending.  The mostly good part in the second half is Keaton practicing the trapeze stuff on trees in a back yard because it gives us a good opportunity to see him take some good falls.  Unfortunately, the undercranked camera at times does take away from an otherwise good scene.

   

[Big Chief Apumtagribonitz]

Once again, I'm pleasantly surprised at how well-made these films are.  From everything I'd read over the years, I was expecting phoned-in garbage.  Nothing like it.  Even a synched-up music track!  The cop at the end is a stooge regular, I think, Al something, maybe, and didn't the kid with the lollypop later become Butch's friend Woim in Our Gang?

[metaldams]

Yes, Al Thompson is in this one.  He appeared in more Stooge shorts than anyone, I believe, one of those actors who appeared in small roles in tons of old films....very much like Bess Flowers.

Doing further research, here's a shocker.  The acrobat rival of Keaton is played by George Lewis.  15 years later, the very same actor played Gina Rumma in MALICE IN THE PALACE!

[Big Chief Apumtagribonitz]

Good catch with George Lewis.  Now that you bring it up, it's easy to see.  Green Canaries would be proud of you.  He was great as Ginna Rumma, and not bad at all here.  I mean George Lewis, of course, not Green Canaries, ya nitwit.

[metaldams]

....and yeah, looking at credits, the kid in this short was in some Our Gangs later on.  Even though I have the complete Roach set, I have never been close to an expert on that series.  Perhaps I'm due to dig in for another viewing this weekend.

My review should be more readable now.  Had to fix a few sentences....auto correct does the strangest things.

[Freddie Sanborn]

I didn’t get the joke about the metal cockroach in the alarm clock: “No wonder it didn’t work. The engineer is dead.” Huh?

[Big Chief Apumtagribonitz]

I don't think it was metal - I think it was just dead.  The guy thinking an alarm clock needs a driver was just a dumb guy.

[Freddie Sanborn]

Jules White had a well-earned reputation for crudity, but even he would hesitate at showing an extreme close-up of a dead cockroach.

[Big Chief Apumtagribonitz]

Jules White didn't work at Educational.  To misquote Sigmund Freud, sometimes a dead cockroach is just a dead cockroach.

[Umbrella Sam]

This one has a few too many similarities to the weaker MGM features for my liking, though this short isn’t too bad. In particular, the romance feels pretty similar to the one in FREE AND EASY, though at least Keaton has a happy ending. Dorothy Sebastian isn’t portrayed as being nearly as unlikeable as she was in SPITE MARRIAGE, though her characterization feels rushed, considering that almost immediately after accepting a date from Elmer, she starts ignoring him. Also, the trapeze artist gets no punishment at the end for what he did.

The first half is a good set-up, though. I don’t think it’s super hilarious, though the idea of them going back-and-forth and missing each other is kind of funny. Keaton trying the trapeze act in the second half is funny and I do like one brief gag involving Keaton using his hat during the circus act, but otherwise the bad characterizations and low amount of comedy make this a step down from the first short. Not awful, but the few good Keaton moments are not able to make up for the awful MGM elements.

5 out of 10

[Paul Pain]

Just to be an arse, Big Chief, I will note that it looks like a stag beetle.  It's definitely not a cockroach.  You should know better as my fellow Floridian!

This was a bit tiresome to say the least.  The opening was a bit interesting with build-up to the romantic plot and the execution.  The second half was meh, but we got to see Buster take several good face plants.  Not one I will watch again without first sharpening my switch blade...

5/10

[Dr. Mabuse]

Though not without a few missteps (such as the aforementioned undercranking), the chemistry between Buster and Dorothy Sebastian makes "Allez Oop" worthwhile.  Another plus is the existence of a very good 35mm print on DVD. One of the better Educational shorts and more enjoyable than the majority of Keaton's MGM talkies.

7/10