Yeah, I think Sam hits an important point. The end may be Sennett like, but Harry is incorporated into it. Yes, there is a car chase bit with stunt work, but it’s nowhere near as long and fast paced as normal Sennett. Check out the way when Harry is on top of those cars, he is real slow going across them and there’s the held close ups that show up. Not the kind of thing one sees in a Del Lord chase, for example. Of course, Harry is high on opium in this scene which brings up another point - whether it be opium or alcohol, like earlier in the short, a high Harry is only a very slightly exaggerated version of his normal self.
This is another fine Langdon short and yes, Langdon is fully Langdon at this point. His reactions are a scream to watch. The already mentioned part with the invisible friend bit is a highlight for sure. The cell mate is crazy doing the bulk of the work while the joy of Harry is simply watching him react to it all and occasionally following along. He’s simply trying to fit in, no matter what. By the way, the cell mate is Andy Clyde, who also played Marceline Day’s father in this. Double duty.
I also love watching Harry when Charlotte Mineau is berating him for marrying another woman the night before . Look at his reaction, he looks like a little kid trying to get away because he has to use the bathroom.
Another bit of genius is the slapstick confrontation between him and Madeline Hurlock. Harry gets behind Madeline with a glass bottle, takes his time and then levels her. He is then holding her and trying to put her to bed gently, not the normal comic reaction after hitting someone with an object. Madeline then hits Harry with an object and Harry has the most unusual reaction again. Instead of taking a huge pratfall and screaming, he slowly puts himself to bed.
Watching these Langdon shorts truly are like watching another planet in the universe of silent comedy. With I think one exception, I like all these shorts going forward.
