Topic: All Night Long (1924) - Harry Langdon

[Paul Pain]

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0014667/

THE LEATHER NECKER (1935): https://moronika.com/forums/index.php/topic,6756.0.html

We have previously reviewed this short... sort of.  You see, this short was remade as a Columbia talkie short, starring Harry Langdon as well, in 1935.  That was THE LEATHER NECKER.

This short is so much better.  It's actually funny.  Harry is funny; Vernon Dent is hilarious.  The scenes are hilarious and well-done, and overall everything about this short is superior to the remake.

The opening scene does a great job of highlighting Harry and Vernon as the character's they are.  Vernon was an extremely talented man, and he clicks perfectly right here in his first significant film with Harry.

The middle part of the short is the highlight though with the brewing rivalry between Harry and Vernon, especially with Vernon's girl dropping him for Harry on sight.  The battle scene is much funnier here as now it is clear than Vernon is shining the flashlight on Harry so that the opposing troops will shoot at him.

The ending also is a much cleaner and happier resolution with Harry and Vernon even making amends after an explosive battle.

We welcome Frank Capra to the party, and we can see that Harry was Harry before this, but he and Harry will make a legendary pairing for the next 3 years.

[NoahYoung]

I just picked this one up in 8mm a few weeks ago and have watched it 3 times already. I have it on an old VHS tape from Video Yesteryear where they slowed it down to a funereal pace, running at about 30 minutes. Because of that, I don't think I had seen it in over 25 years.

<Spoiler Alert!>


My favorite parts, although they rely on inter-titles:
"Boy, this is going to be some party!"
"Where is your girl, Sgt.?"

The ending is great, and unlike a lot of comedies it seems like a lot of thought was put into it. It's not just a throw-away.

I can see the influence this had on Stan Laurel, particularly if you look ahead to THE FIXER UPPERS -- the kissing scene. Also, not as close, but PACK UP YOUR TROUBLES.

Go to 7:05, or watch the whole thing!

Although the Harry and Stan characters are child-like, it's obvious that they were mature deep inside!

Another great one with Vernon Dent is BOOBS IN THE WOOD.

[HomokHarcos]

World War I comedies used to be very common - Harry Langdon himself made more in the future. The beginning of this short mocks Parlor, Bedroom and Bath, and the first thing that comes to mind there for me is the Buster Keaton adaptation. The scenes where Vernon Dent and Harry Langdon are together are very good, they had great chemistry together.

I didn’t care too much for the romantic subplot, but the battle scenes were a lot of fun. This came out only six years after World War I ended, so it would have definitely been in the memory of people watching this short when it came out. Considering that, it’s impressive people were willing to laugh at the conflict.

[metaldams]

Great comparison to Laurel and Hardy, Noah.  You’re right, you absolutely can see the Langdon influence on Laurel and directly from ALL NIGHT LONG in that kiss…and Mae Busch is fantastic there.

[Umbrella Sam]

Yeah, I agree, this is definitely better than THE LEATHER NECKER. For once thing, the whole framing device is way better; when we’re first introduced to Dent here, it’s all dark and mysterious and makes you legitimately wonder how Dent got this way, whereas in THE LEATHER NECKER, it’s just a random car chase with bad rear projection.

HomokHarcos and I have talked a bit about SpongeBob on this forum, and I bring this up again because, while I’ve often tended to see Laurel as a big influence on that, watching this, I see even more of Harry in that; the scene where he’s desperately trying to get Vernon’s attention very much seems like the type of thing you would see SpongeBob and Squidward doing. Slowly seeing Vernon get more and more angry as he realizes the situation with Harry and his girlfriend is wonderful; Vernon was always great with those glares he did. And I agree with metaldams’s observation in the previous thread that Harry’s reaction to being kissed is much better here; it reminds me a bit of the scene where he’s crawling in THE LUCK O’ THE FOOLISH.

The war scenes with Harry are also great; whereas in THE LEATHER NECKER we have that overused slingshot gag, here we get a more intense and fun battle sequence. And, yeah, I also like the fact that in the end, Harry and Vernon actually do kind of make up; it’s a nice way to still make a funny, yet kind of sweet ending at the same time. A very well put together short overall.

[NoahYoung]

Great comparison to Laurel and Hardy, Noah.  You’re right, you absolutely can see the Langdon influence on Laurel and directly from ALL NIGHT LONG in that kiss…and Mae Busch is fantastic there.

Thanks. When was Mae Busch not fantastic? 

Also, as many of you know, Langdon was a friend of Stan and Babe and worked at the Hal Roach studios both as an actor and gag-man. I'm sure he generously gave Stan gags like this.

A bit off-topic, but I have never been able to find out why Mae Busch left Hal Roach Studios after THE BOHEMIAN GIRL. She appeared in other films pretty much until her death from colon cancer in 1946.

[metaldams]

      Frank Capra’s first on screen credit with Harry Langdon was PLAIN CLOTHES. I have the Harry Langdon: Lost and Found DVD set that came out in 2007.  Richard Roberts makes a point in his audio commentary that Langdon is fully developed at this point and Capra is nowhere to be found.  Yet online sources say Capra has worked on this one.  Either Roberts, who really is knowledgeable on this stuff, is wrong, the Internet is wrong, or new information has come to light in the past fifteen years indicating Capra worked on ALL NIGHT LONG uncredited.  If Capra did work on this and if this indeed his first Langdon film, Langdon was Langdon before Capra.  However, ALL NIGHT LONG is the first short, from a writing perspective, that is 100% Langdon.  So maybe, going by the theory Capra did enter here, Capra was the final ingredient.  However, Langdon’s films were certainly heading here without him.  But yeah, I’m curious as to where the info of Capra working on this short came from.  On screen credit, at least, is PLAIN CLOTHES.

      That out of the way, ALL NIGHT LONG is indeed a classic and much better than THE LEATHER NECKER.  When I say this is 100% Langdon, I mean no Mack Sennett Bathing Beauties, no big chases that don’t incorporate Langdon’s characters and no hints that Langdon is part of the neurotypical world.  Natalie Kingston, who plays Vernon Dent’s girlfriend and will be Langdon’s leading lady for a while going forward, comes on to Harry, in front of Vernon, right away.  The kiss reaction, done later by Stan Laurel, is indeed a signature Langdon moment.  I love the look on his face, the slow reaction, his falling out of the window and his drunken like walk back into the house.  What are they cranking there, three frames per second?  Anyone, a great Langdon moment and not the kind of thing I can’t picture any other comedian of the time doing.  What is also hysterical is how long it takes Langdon to figure out that Vernon’s girl.  There is one shot of the two sitting at the dinner table where Langdon looks oblivious and Dent has this mean scowl on his face.  A perfect shot of the dynamic between the two.

      Other favorite moments are Harry in the mirror in the beginning of the short.  He sees his reflection and greets himself like it’s another person.  I see cats looking in the mirror videos on YouTube where they are similarly confused.  I love the excited and confused jerky mannerisms Langdon displays when walking with Vernon after being invited to dinner, the long gaze after he reads his girlfriend’s letter, the climb on the pole dodging the missiles - really all of this short.  A great Langdon short and great story.  For any Stooge fan who may read this wondering why we care about this stuff, Vernon Dent.  Classic Vernon Dent.

[NoahYoung]

Actually, the cameraman would have to over-crank to get that shot to be in slow motion when projected.
 
 

You rarely see things slowed down like that in comedies. I was watching THE RETURN OF THE PINK PANTHER last week and they over-cranked for some of the scenes with Clouseau fighting Cato. When used sparingly and at the right time, it really does make it funny.

[Freddie Sanborn]

      Frank Capra’s first on screen credit with Harry Langdon was PLAIN CLOTHES. I have the Harry Langdon: Lost and Found DVD set that came out in 2007.  Richard Roberts makes a point in his audio commentary that Langdon is fully developed at this point and Capra is nowhere to be found.  Yet online sources say Capra has worked on this one.  Either Roberts, who really is knowledgeable on this stuff, is wrong, the Internet is wrong, or new information has come to light in the past fifteen years indicating Capra worked on ALL NIGHT LONG uncredited.  If Capra did work on this and if this indeed his first Langdon film, Langdon was Langdon before Capra.  However, ALL NIGHT LONG is the first short, from a writing perspective, that is 100% Langdon.  So maybe, going by the theory Capra did enter here, Capra was the final ingredient.  However, Langdon’s films were certainly heading here without him.  But yeah, I’m curious as to where the info of Capra working on this short came from.  On screen credit, at least, is PLAIN CLOTHES.

You are correct! I checked Brent Walker’s filmography in Mack Sennett’s Fun Factory and here are the production credits:

All Night Long [MS-135] (November 9, 1924) 2r. D: Harry Edwards. Sup: F. Richard Jones. ST: Vernon Smith and Hal Conklin. T: John A. Waldron. PH: William “Billy” Williams and Leland Davis. Spec PH: Ernie Crockett. ED: William Hornbeck.

Brent was able to consult the Mack Sennett studio records which are held by the Academy’s Margaret Herrick Library, so that’s authoritative enough for me.

[Paul Pain]

You are correct! I checked Brent Walker’s filmography in Mack Sennett’s Fun Factory and here are the production credits:

All Night Long [MS-135] (November 9, 1924) 2r. D: Harry Edwards. Sup: F. Richard Jones. ST: Vernon Smith and Hal Conklin. T: John A. Waldron. PH: William “Billy” Williams and Leland Davis. Spec PH: Ernie Crockett. ED: William Hornbeck.

Brent was able to consult the Mack Sennett studio records which are held by the Academy’s Margaret Herrick Library, so that’s authoritative enough for me.

That's authoritative enough for me.  I wonder where IMDB got its bogus info.  Actually, I think I know.

Some Capra-snob-Langdon-hater probably watched this film, saw that Harry was very-much Harry long before Capra came along, got his panties in a knot, and decided that Capra must have been around much earlier than he ever was.

It's hard with Harry.  With Chaplin, Keaton, and Lloyd, we can tell you what the crew did for lunch each filming day and maybe even the names of the camera operator's parents, wife, and children, but Harry Langdon we oftentimes only know that a film with a certain title existed.

[metaldams]

You are correct! I checked Brent Walker’s filmography in Mack Sennett’s Fun Factory and here are the production credits:

All Night Long [MS-135] (November 9, 1924) 2r. D: Harry Edwards. Sup: F. Richard Jones. ST: Vernon Smith and Hal Conklin. T: John A. Waldron. PH: William “Billy” Williams and Leland Davis. Spec PH: Ernie Crockett. ED: William Hornbeck.

Brent was able to consult the Mack Sennett studio records which are held by the Academy’s Margaret Herrick Library, so that’s authoritative enough for me.

Thanks Freddie!  I remember that Sennett book was always expensive which is why I never bought it, but is excellent from what I hear. Agreed, if Walker used Sennett’s studio records - good enough for me.

Not only does IMDb.com have Capra working on this short, so does www.silentera.com.

[Freddie Sanborn]

In fairness, Capra may have been among the gaggle of gag men working on All Night Long. They rarely got credit. But that’s several magnitudes smaller than being the creative force who instinctively knew what Harry’s character should be and brought it to fruition.

[Umbrella Sam]

I’d like to note that HARRY LANGDON: KING OF SILENT COMEDY says that Capra may have been in the picture as early as THE LUCK O’ THE FOOLISH and even cites Capra as mentioning that film in his memoir (although knowing Capra’s unreliability when it came to this kind of information, it’s kind of hard to trust that). In the notes section, the author quotes Bill Schelly’s Langdon biography (which also apparently is based off of research from the Sennett collection) and he has ALL NIGHT LONG as being Capra’s first contribution to a Langdon short.

[Freddie Sanborn]

I’ve been meaning to post this interview excerpt from Theodore Drieser’s interview with Mack Sennett in the August 1928 issue of Photoplay. It suggests that there was a consensus forming about Langdon long before Capra started to pile on. Of course, Sennett might have been steamed about Langdon’s departure, but if so, it would have been untypical of Sennett, who usually wished his former stars the best of luck while taking credit for “discovering” them.

Sennett: “Then Harry Langdon, who I
consider the greatest of them all."
     "Greater than Chaplin?" I interpolated.
     "Yes, greater than Chaplin," he replied.  "Well, Langdon suggests a kind of baby weakness that causes everybody to feel sorry for him and want to help him out.  He's terribly funny to me.  On the other hand, Langdon knows less about stories and motion picture technique than perhaps any other screen
star.  If he isn't a big success on the screen, it will not be because he isn't funny, but because he doesn't understand the many sides to picture production.  He wants to do a monologue all the time; he wants to be the leading lady, cameraman, heavy and director all in one.  So far in my experience that attitude has never proved successful."

[metaldams]

I’ve been meaning to post this interview excerpt from Theodore Drieser’s interview with Mack Sennett in the August 1928 issue of Photoplay. It suggests that there was a consensus forming about Langdon long before Capra started to pile on. Of course, Sennett might have been steamed about Langdon’s departure, but if so, it would have been untypical of Sennett, who usually wished his former stars the best of luck while taking credit for “discovering” them.

Sennett: “Then Harry Langdon, who I
consider the greatest of them all."
     "Greater than Chaplin?" I interpolated.
     "Yes, greater than Chaplin," he replied.  "Well, Langdon suggests a kind of baby weakness that causes everybody to feel sorry for him and want to help him out.  He's terribly funny to me.  On the other hand, Langdon knows less about stories and motion picture technique than perhaps any other screen
star.  If he isn't a big success on the screen, it will not be because he isn't funny, but because he doesn't understand the many sides to picture production.  He wants to do a monologue all the time; he wants to be the leading lady, cameraman, heavy and director all in one.  So far in my experience that attitude has never proved successful."

Thanks for posting this - very fascinating.

That interview was released the month HEART TROUBLE came out, so it was definitely towards the end of Langdon’s production days and when Langdon was down.  It is very possible Langdon tried to do too much and I’m sure the real answer lies somewhere between Langdon was clueless without Capra and Langdon was an auteur in total control.  But yes, a fascinating quote.  I wonder if anyone else commented on Langdon who worked with him during his producer days?  Joan Crawford, like Capra, obviously grew much bigger than Langdon (I know she’s commented on Chaney), but I’d love to hear other points of view.

All I know is as much as I’m enjoying talking about the shorts now, things will get real interesting when we get to LONG PANTS and THREE’S A CROWD.