Film & Shorts Discussions > Random Comedy Reviews
Tramp, Tramp, Tramp (1926) - Harry Langdon
metaldams:
TRAMP, TRAMP, TRAMP (1926) is the first released Harry Langdon feature and the first film produced by Langdon himself after leaving Mack Sennett. By this time, Langdon had his minimal reaction and distant from the world act down perfectly. Most silent comedians of the era either do a ton of creative things and react in a real broad way but Langdon got his laughs by doing little. The story of TRAMP, TRAMP, TRAMP is quite simple. Langdon’s Dad runs a little shoe store that’s about to be run out of business by a large national competitor called Burton Shoes. Langdon’s Dad has three months to pay the rent or lose his home. The father depends on his son Harry to earn the money in the three months. Langdon stumbles into a cross country walking race, (from Massachusetts to California), and the grand prize is $25,000. The majority of the comedy stems from this simple premise of a cross country walking race. Simple premise, lots of land covered to breed several comic situations. There is also, as with most silent comedies, the girl. She is the daughter of the Burton Shoes owner and appears on the billboard ads, so Harry becomes smitten with her. She is none other than a young and pre fame Joan Crawford!
As far as Langdon being separate from the world, a lot of funny comedy stems from this. As his father mentions his needing three months to pay back rent or they’ll be thrown out, all Langdon can think about is how he won’t get his new bicycle before staring at the billboard across the street with the picture of his girl. He has these vacant looks on his face and does random nose wipes and looks into space. It’s not for everybody but for me, fascinating to watch. More examples of a distant Langdon include the walk itself. Notice how there’s a large group of men walking together in this race. He is never with the group of men. He finds random ways to take the wrong path and get into trouble by himself. After getting into trouble for stealing chickens and arrested, same situation when he breaks away from the chain gang. He’s never breaking free with the crowd, always a few steps behind them, always in his own little world. As far as the cyclone in the end? The rest of the town runs away and hides. Harry arrives in the town later than everyone else and finds out about the cyclone moments later. Langdon, on the other hand, stays in the middle of the buildings that are collapsing and barely notices what’s going on, waiting for a shave and a haircut. Langdon is a fascinating character and this distant from the rest of the world persona I find to be quite funny.
Some great performance pieces from Langdon as well. After the hysterical scene where he’s plastering pictures of a beautiful Joan all over his bedroom, his competitor roommate gives him alcohol and a ton of sleeping pills to finally put a hyper Langdon to sleep. The camera just fixates on Langdon for a minute or two in a close up. He’s rambling to no one, eyes slowly getting heavier and again, just fascinating watching him milk a simple premise liking getting tired and falling asleep. Really amazing to watch. Also hysterical when he’s looking at the billboard of Joan only for the real Joan Crawford to be right behind him. When he notices this, all he can do is run around is dazed circles, completely confused. Really funny when Joan beckons him to sit on the bench next to her and he is on the opposite end, only for her to tell him to come closer. He’s like a dazed little kid, totally funny.
In the physical comedy realm, we do get a thrill comedy act where Langdon is being held on the middle of a fence with a belt buckle being strapped to a nail. The fence is at the edge of a cliff. There’s a similar, though less dangerous gag in THREE’S A CROWD and the theme is similar - there is no way Langdon is going to get out of this safely without some fall. Lloyd, as dangerous as his stunts were, had a safe way out, not Langdon. All Langdon does is take a hammer and remove another nail in the fence, causing the fence to slide down a long cliff. As Langdon is sliding down, a few rocks need to be dodged similar to Buster Keaton in SEVEN CHANCES. When he lands on the ground, the fence just happens to land upright at the very moment the other walkers in the competition are in that spot, blocking them. Langdon, on the other side of the fence, remains separate from everyone else. Brilliant gag.
TRAMP, TRAMP, TRAMP is a great Langdon feature that I highly suggest to everyone. Also fascinating seeing such a young and pretty pre stardom Joan Crawford. Also check her out a year after this in Lon Chaney’s THE UNKNOWN. Stooge fans, directed by Harry Edwards. Yes, that Harry Edwards. Edwards was a regular collaborator with Langdon and I would venture to guess got his Columbia gig because of him.
HomokHarcos:
Earlier this year I had watched through the works of Chaplin, Keaton, Lloyd and Laurel and Hardy. I wasn't quite sure if I wanted to watch any more silents, but then I decided to give Harry Langdon a try. I started with Tramp, Tramp, Tramp and ended up enjoying all of this First National films. Seeing Joan Crawford was quite a surprise, especially at that age. Even by the early 1930s she would look different than that. Harry Langdon was almost 50 when this was made. Some of the most memorable moments of the film for me:
The part where Harry Langdon posts pictures of Crawford all over the wall. One criticism I hear of Langdon is that he's creepy, and I guess it all depends on how you view him. I often look at him with childlike innocence, so his behavior doesn't bother me too much (though doing this in real life would NOT be OK). Then there's the chain gang section with the part when he is moving his foot but it is too heavy. The most spectacular part of the film is when he is off the ledge hanging by his clothing. It is very suspenseful, especially since Harry doesn't know the situation he is in. He tries to get himself uncaught, even though that is what is keeping him alive potentially! He falls down safely fortunately.
The main criticism is the way the race ends is anti-climatic, with him running across the finish line. I think a more spectacular finish would be if he was caught the in the wind and flew over the finish line. But maybe that would be too cliche and they actually did make the right choice.
I liked all of his First National movies. Tramp, Tramp, Tramp might actually be my least favorite of the bunch and I still liked it, which just shows how much I like his features. I'm hoping Heart Trouble shows up one day. That is the number 2 on my list of lost films I'd like to see discovered, after Hats Off. I'm also really considering watching the Sennett Langdon movies at some point in the future.
Dr. Mabuse:
Excellent review.
A truly great Langdon film — comparable to "The Strong Man."
metaldams:
--- Quote from: Dr. Mabuse on October 31, 2020, 08:21:32 PM ---Excellent review.
A truly great Langdon film — comparable to "The Strong Man."
--- End quote ---
Thank you.
metaldams:
--- Quote from: HomokHarcos on October 31, 2020, 08:16:07 PM ---Earlier this year I had watched through the works of Chaplin, Keaton, Lloyd and Laurel and Hardy. I wasn't quite sure if I wanted to watch any more silents, but then I decided to give Harry Langdon a try. I started with Tramp, Tramp, Tramp and ended up enjoying all of this First National films. Seeing Joan Crawford was quite a surprise, especially at that age. Even by the early 1930s she would look different than that. Harry Langdon was almost 50 when this was made. Some of the most memorable moments of the film for me:
The part where Harry Langdon posts pictures of Crawford all over the wall. One criticism I hear of Langdon is that he's creepy, and I guess it all depends on how you view him. I often look at him with childlike innocence, so his behavior doesn't bother me too much. Then there's the chain gang section with the part when he is moving his foot but it is too heavy. The most spectacular part of the film is when he is off the ledge hanging by his clothing. It is very suspenseful, especially since Harry doesn't know the situation he is in. He tries to get himself uncaught, even though that is what is keeping him alive potentially! He falls down safely fortunately.
The main criticism is the the way the race ends is anti-climatic, with him running across the finish line. I think a more spectacular finish would be if he was caught the in the wind and flew over the finish line. But maybe that would be too cliche and they actually did make the right choice.
I liked all of his First National movies. Tramp, Tramp, Tramp might actually be my least favorite of the bunch and I still liked it, which just shows how much I like his features. I'm hoping Heart Trouble shows up one day. That is the number 2 on my list of lost films I'd like to see discovered, after Hats Off. I'm also really considering watching the Sennett Langdon movies at some point in the future.
--- End quote ---
Definitely check out the Sennett Langdons. If you like the five First National features, I have no doubt you’ll like the shorts.
Here is the other Langdon review I did for FIDDLESTICKS.
https://moronika.com/forums/index.php/topic,6627.0.html
As far as Joan Crawford, yes, it is amazing the way her look changed. She was never a homely woman and I’m not one of these guys who thinks all women look better when they were younger, but in the case of Joan, it’s almost shocking to see her in her silent work. A very beautiful young women.
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