Film & Shorts Discussions > Random Comedy Reviews

Piano Mooner (1942) - Harry Langdon

(1/1)

Paul Pain:




https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035187/

We get a treat as Harry Langdon himself wrote the screenplay for this.  It shows.  Harry is slower in places, very much has his mannerisms, isn't a total fool, and even is good at his job!  And it works well in the spastic, gun -firing Columbia environment around him.  Heck, he even gets the girl in Harry fashion!

When you get to the 11 minute mark, pause the film, and contemplate this question.  Now, she's not Sergeant MacGillicuddy bad, but is Fifi one of the most deplorable, unfunny, and despicable characters you have ever seen in a Columbia short?  The b**** is deliberately trying to sabotage his wedding out of sheer selfish arrogance.  No matter times does Harry tells her to go away because he is getting married that day, she comes back out of pure spite.  She's just too mean-spirited for my comfort, and like Sergeant MacGillicuddy she makes it hard to appreciate what should be funny moments.

I'm ripped.  I had a long post written, went to the restroom, and came back to find my iPad and closed and wiped my browser session.  Stupid technology sucks sometimes.

The rest of the cast is mostly solid, and Stanley Blystone is even fantastic in one of his more irascible roles.  Stanley and Harry make a good pair.  The plot has a couple minor weak spots, but it's mostly good fun.

I loved in particular Harry's faces and the effects around him as he's working on the piano.  A true throwback to his silent days.  Another highlight was the ending chase overall and Harry tackling the Mission representative.

8/10 [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke]

HomokHarcos:
This is a short I definitely could have seen being made during Harry Langdon's period. I actually didn't know this was written by Harry Langdon until I read your post. It was also directed by Harry Edwards, his frequent collaborator during the silent era. The short does work, and the story flows. The most notable moment with Fifi was she she called Harry "my little chickadee", I guess W.C. Fields wasn't the only person who used that phrase. A single man might like that attention, but the way she forces herself on Langdon right before he is getting married definitely makes her very annoying. There are some definite Jules White gags thrown in, but that comes with being in a Columbia short.

metaldams:

--- Quote from: Paul Pain on January 20, 2021, 09:23:08 PM ---I'm ripped.  I had a long post written, went to the restroom, and came back to find my iPad and closed and wiped my browser session.  Stupid technology sucks sometimes.

--- End quote ---

I always write my reviews in the notes icon on my desktop and then copy and paste them to Moronika when I’m done.  Saves me from situations like you mentioned and I can always take a break in the middle of the review as well.

This film was a bit hard for me to watch.  Not so much the short itself but the quality of the print.  Really dark with a strange tint to it.  The problem is I could barely make out the physical comedy at times.  Earlier in the short there was a gag with springs on the couch but I could barely see the springs and the business with the missing pants - I could barely see the pants.  Was there a gag where the pants fell down the maid’s skirt?  I honestly couldn’t tell.  Even the chase at the end, pretty blurred.

So yeah, my scope is going to be limited on this one.  Yes, from what I can gather, this does seem like a good pace for Langdon.  The piano tuning thing suits his character well.  The whole idea of Langdon having to marry in tails feels so - Langdon.  He does make some good faces and agreed the maid is pretty annoying.  I’d really need to see a better print of this one and hopefully someday we will. 

Umbrella Sam:

--- Quote from: metaldams on January 25, 2021, 07:14:57 PM ---I always write my reviews in the notes icon on my desktop and then copy and paste them to Moronika when I’m done.  Saves me from situations like you mentioned and I can always take a break in the middle of the review as well.

This film was a bit hard for me to watch.  Not so much the short itself but the quality of the print.  Really dark with a strange tint to it.  The problem is I could barely make out the physical comedy at times.  Earlier in the short there was a gag with springs on the couch but I could barely see the springs and the business with the missing pants - I could barely see the pants.  Was there a gag where the pants fell down the maid’s skirt?  I honestly couldn’t tell.  Even the chase at the end, pretty blurred.

So yeah, my scope is going to be limited on this one.  Yes, from what I can gather, this does seem like a good pace for Langdon.  The piano tuning thing suits his character well.  The whole idea of Langdon having to marry in tails feels so - Langdon.  He does make some good faces and agreed the maid is pretty annoying.  I’d really need to see a better print of this one and hopefully someday we will.

--- End quote ---

Yeah, some of these prints have been difficult to watch, but this one in particular did seem to be in pretty bad quality. It’s a shame that there haven’t been any DVD releases of Langdon’s Columbia shorts, as I’d love to see COLD TURKEY and I DON’T REMEMBER at least in good quality. I guess we should be thankful that any of these exist at all.

As far as PIANO MOONER, it’s fine. The story does work and there are some moments I enjoy, particularly when Harry tackles the guy from the mission and his run ins with the other guy that he thinks has stolen his suit. I can see why you guys would think the maid is annoying and I don’t entirely disagree with that, but at least the ending is a happy one and she never actually ruins his reputation; it’s the daughter who does that. I still don’t think it’s a great short, but it had some funny moments and overall did feel like a true Harry Langdon short for most of it.

7 out of 10

Dr. Mabuse:
Hopefully, the folks at Sony will give Langdon the Charley Chase treatment and release all his Columbia two-reelers on DVD. It's long overdue.

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