Film & Shorts Discussions > Random Comedy Reviews

Smile Please (1924) - Harry Langdon

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Paul Pain:


IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0015342/

SMILE PLEASE is Harry's second Sennett short, and this one feels more like a Harry Langdon short than last week's.  We're still not there yet.  Stooge fans will recognize Louise Carver, who appears in the second reel.  The minister who marries Harry to Alberta is none other than Andy Clyde!

This one is a vignette in three parts with a villain in each reel.  The first reel sees non-stop slam-bang Sennett style action dramedy with most of the development driven by the antagonist.  The second reel feels much more like Harry Langdon, but it still isn't there.

The problem in this one is that everything is disjointed with too many things left unexplained or unresolved, and much of the antagonism, especially in the second reel, is purely cringeworthy and unfunny except for the interactions between Harry, Louise Carver, and Billy Armstrong (the father-in-law).  Overall, not a bright spot, but it will get better.

6/10 [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke]

metaldams:
I’ll rewatch this tonight and post my review, but one quick note about the father in law, Billy Armstrong.  I’ve been watching a lot of early twenties Sennett stuff lately and he appears in a lot of it.  He died the day before this short was released.  You’d never believe it by looking at him here, but he was only 33 years old.  It was turberculosis.

Umbrella Sam:
Yeah, I agree. Still not entirely there as far as the Langdon style goes, but we’re getting closer. It pretty much is this sketch comedy that feels really hastily thrown together (being both the photographer and the sheriff seems like an odd combination). Still, there is some stuff that works, like the part where Harry realizes he still has his coat hanger on at his wedding or when he accidentally rescues the villain from the fire only to send him back. The gags with the kid in the second reel was kind of annoying, but I did like the father-in-law’s expressions and also really liked Harry’s reaction to the skunk and how he keeps just looking at the camera while putting it out the window. In the end, still more of a Sennett comedy than a Langdon one, but it has its moments and is certainly more tolerable than PICKING PEACHES.

metaldams:
      The second Harry Langdon short to feel more like a Sennett short and you know what?  Probably the last.  The next few shorts after this feel 70% - 80% Langdon and then it’s full on Langdon, so this proto Langdon thing doesn’t last too long.  But with SMILE PLEASE it still feels like twenties Sennett and not a new world.  I mean, it’s one of the few worlds where husband Billy Armstrong can punch out wife Louise Carver and knock her to the ground.  That was just brutal but Sennett’s world was anything goes.  Langdon himself again gets a few slow moments, mainly observing the chase at the beginning and taking the bottle over the head later on and giving a slow reaction.

      The fire at the beginning of the short looked absolutely real and impressive and the electricity gags towards the end were a hoot.  Some pretty good chases throughout and the shot of Langdon getting the horse hoof on the head has always stuck in my brain over the years.  Another Sennett tradition is pretty girls and Alberta Vaughn was definitely cute.  As the Langdon shorts went on, pretty girls of course remained, yet felt part of the unique interaction with Langdon instead of being there for exploitative purposes.  For example, a prime Langdon film wouldn’t have Jack Cooper checking out Alberta’s legs through the dress.  They’d be flirting with Langdon while Langdon gives a blank stare.

      So yeah, we get the chases, we get the mayhem, we get the pretty girl, we get a Sennett short.  Your mileage will vary depending on how much you like Sennett but starting next short, Harry really emerges.

metaldams:
Back to the pretty girls, another thought.  The scene of Langdon trying to get Alberta Vaughn into the developing room for (use your imagination) and coming out with a black eye is also out of character with what Langdon would be doing.  Funny scene, but the kind of thing Langdon would abandon quickly.  Compare to him being seduced by Gertrude Astor in THE STRONG MAN, for example.  Langdon is more innocent and not that aggressive.

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