Film & Shorts Discussions > Random Comedy Reviews

It’s a Gift (1923) - Snub Pollard

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Paul Pain:
People say Snub Pollard isn't distinctive, but he did have one specialty that most of the great comedians did not have except for Harold Lloyd.  He has down the entire laissez faire attitude as he is wheeling his way along to his destination.  Now, this was by no means a stand-out characteristic, but it is one of the smaller niches in the world of silent comedy.  Most rely on the face they make; some like Lloyd and Snub Pollard tell as story by the fact that they do not make faces.  This is different from Keaton's Great Stone Face.

IT'S A GIFT is a simple short and a archetypal silent comedy short of the period.  The 1920s were a period of great advancement in society, and the shorts reflect this.  All the device and cinematography are done properly so that all blends together seamlessly without the short falling into repetition or any quiet spells.  Snub is snappy; the effects are on cue.  It's not perfection, but this short does justice to its star, producers, and era.

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