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Fiddlesticks (1927) - Harry Langdon

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Umbrella Sam:
This is definitely a film that works better as a silent film than it would have as a sound film. Instead of having to endure an awful sounding bass player, we get to imagine what it sounds like instead, and those title cards really do a good job at conveying how awful it truly is.

Langdon’s character is very fascinating considering how different he was from the other major silent comedians of the time. While Keaton would often use resourcefulness to get his way, Langdon often gets his way through pure luck. The scene where the store owner thinks Langdon’s bass is his is a good example. When the customer gives Langdon 10 dollars for the violin, Langdon gives it to the store owner and also tries to explain that the other customer meant for the money to be given to him. But of course, the store owner thinks he’s buying the bass, so Langdon just happens to get the bass back. I thought that was a pretty funny situation. The piano part towards the end is another good example.

Otherwise, the rest of it is basically people throwing stuff at Langdon...and, yeah, that actually is a very funny concept, especially when the band he’s trying to play with doesn’t know that he’s the one ruining everything at first.

Overall, it’s a very funny short, and a really interesting concept.

10 out of 10

metaldams:

--- Quote from: Umbrella Sam on March 28, 2020, 11:57:33 AM ---This is definitely a film that works better as a silent film than it would have as a sound film. Instead of having to endure an awful sounding bass player, we get to imagine what it sounds like instead, and those title cards really do a good job at conveying how awful it truly is.

Langdon’s character is very fascinating considering how different he was from the other major silent comedians of the time. While Keaton would often use resourcefulness to get his way, Langdon often gets his way through pure luck. The scene where the store owner thinks Langdon’s bass is his is a good example. When the customer gives Langdon 10 dollars for the violin, Langdon gives it to the store owner and also tries to explain that the other customer meant for the money to be given to him. But of course, the store owner thinks he’s buying the bass, so Langdon just happens to get the bass back. I thought that was a pretty funny situation. The piano part towards the end is another good example.

Otherwise, the rest of it is basically people throwing stuff at Langdon...and, yeah, that actually is a very funny concept, especially when the band he’s trying to play with doesn’t know that he’s the one ruining everything at first.

Overall, it’s a very funny short, and a really interesting concept.

10 out of 10

--- End quote ---

I have to disagree about a bad bass player in sound film not working.  If less people had your attitude - I’d be a famous actor.  [pie]

Nice write up and the thing about good things happening to Langdon, or the fact he is guided by the hand of God, is what Frank Capra always said he invented.  There is even an early Langdon short called, “Luck o’ the Foolish.”  The problem with Capra’s proclamation is that this idea was established with Langdon’s character way before Capra started collaborating.

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