Film & Shorts Discussions > Random Comedy Reviews

Sappy Birthday (1942) - Andy Clyde

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Paul Pain:


Watch SAPPY BIRTHDAY here: https://archive.org/details/SappyBirthday

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167389/

Once again, we get an Andy Clyde short that showcases some gags not really seen elsewhere in the Columbia shorts.  This week we're back to a domestic comedy that involves in of my least favorite actors in all of Columbia pictures: Matt McHugh. 

The first scene mostly showcases Clyde's versatility for slapstick.  He gets caught in a blind and then has a long extraction, then he gets mutilated in the closet, and finally he gets tangled in his own coat.  The entire sequence is quite pleasant and sets a good stage.

Enter Matt McHugh.

Matt McHugh perhaps was just perfect for this role, though, as he always seems to play characters you wish would die.  The next two thirds of the short revolve around Matt, as Andy's brother-in-law, tormenting.  First, he screws Andy out of money, then he causes trouble when they're trying to load the car to leave for a picnic.  All this happens while the cop next door, played by Vernon Dent, is trying to sleep after working the graveyard shift.  It's non-stop chaos throughout though as Andy's torments get bigger and badder.  The ending was a shocker for sure, and even Vernon Dent seems horrified by what has transpired.  It was nicely satisfying though.

The quality on this one is especially poor, and it makes it difficult to accurately assess at least 50% of this film.  Consider yourselves warned.  As a result, I cannot give this short a rating, but it would be a 7 or 8 I think.

HomokHarcos:
I loved the opening title music, I don't know if I've heard that before.

This was very good! I liked seeing how many problems Andy had just being able to dressed in the morning, lots of slapstick. Being a night worker myself who has to sleep during the day, I can definitely relate to Vernon complaining about loud noises when I'm trying to sleep (though I loved the big band music that was playing). The whole scene with the car might be one of my favorite Columbia comedy moments. I haven't seen it done anywhere else, so I don't know if it is a remake of a previously made one. I loved seeing an all out chaos comedy instead of the ones we've been seeing recently. Good short.

Paul Pain:

--- Quote from: HomokHarcos on September 28, 2021, 02:17:21 AM ---I loved the opening title music, I don't know if I've heard that before.

This was very good! I liked seeing how many problems Andy had just being able to dressed in the morning, lots of slapstick. Being a night worker myself who has to sleep during the day, I can definitely relate to Vernon complaining about loud noises when I'm trying to sleep (though I loved the big band music that was playing). The whole scene with the car might be one of my favorite Columbia comedy moments. I haven't seen it done anywhere else, so I don't know if it is a remake of a previously made one. I loved seeing an all out chaos comedy instead of the ones we've been seeing recently. Good short.

--- End quote ---

I'm glad you're enjoying these Andy Clyde shorts.  The theme for the late 1930s and 1940s Andy Clyde shorts was "Reuben and Rachel."  If you listen closely, you can tell there's a resemblance between the theme music here and in HOME ON THE RAGE, with the two shorts merely having different arrangements and tempos.

metaldams:
      While not quite on the level of THE RING AND THE BELLE, still a very good short.  I’m starting to get some perspective on this Clyde character, but I’m really seeing some development as the series goes deeper.  In the old days, meaning back with Sennett, he was a Chaney like man of a thousand faces who would dress up in all different kind of roles.  Here, he is developing nicely into this crotchety old man and I’m enjoying his delivery and reactions to slapstick situations very much.

      This shorts moves very well,  From a physical comedy perspective, the gag in the blind is unique, well executed and very funny.  Clyde can definitely excel in these slapstick situations.  The grave plot part takes a turn into dark comedy while the car gags and annoying sleeping neighbor Vernon Dent is all well done.  Vernon taking that jump in the air on the bed and Clyde spinning around before being thrown were pretty surreal and got some good laughs out of me.

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