Topic: It's the Cats (1934) - Andy Clyde

[Paul Pain]

Find the short here: https://archive.org/details/videoplayback-1_20230819

Goodness, what a long time it has been!  I am finally finding time to get back into the groove, and I have concluded that it's my mother's stupid internet filters that are blocking me from logging into this and other websites.  Good news is that I passed my Ph.D. exams and am almost done with my Ph.D.!

So, IT'S THE CATS, featuring Andy Clyde, was next in line when I got interrupted, and there'd be a lot to be said about this short if the quality was better.  Unfortunately, the quality of this is atrocious, and mostly it's the audio that's the bad part.  The short itself is basically a sequence of inter-connected vignettes.

Each vignette is a nice little gem that shows off Andy Clyde's skills at being a likable curmudgeon (is that an oxymoron?).  The first vignette is more typical Columbia fare with him trying to get out the door to go to work.   It is apparent in this that Columbia was experimenting with his character to find what worked best for him.  Yes, Andy is usually  portraying someone much older than he really is, and this is no exception as seen by the jokes about the Spanish-American War.

Andy Clyde plays a better drunk than the Three Stooges.  There, I said it.  Now I must die, but I said it!

It's good to be back.

7/10

[metaldams]

Directed by Albert Ray.  Man, the names one sees in these early Columbias.  Between watching this and the first few Stooge shorts recently - I enjoyed it all.  But I’m also starting to think it really didn’t feel like the style gelled to what we know until Del Lord joined.

A perfectly serviceable short if not an all time classic.  Then again, this is Andy’s first effort with the studio.  I did do a double take seeing Dorothy Granger as a blonde and got a kick of the final gag with Andy out the window ledge.  It felt so extremely forced to the point where I couldn’t help but smile.  You know, I felt the mini thrill gag was needed.

Hopefully these shorts do get some restoration treatment someday.  No way Sony will touch these, but once public domain kicks in, I’m hoping at least a few will be saved by a Kickstarter.

[HomokHarcos]

I’m glad you’re doing well in school! To be honest I think the break benefited me also, I sort of lost interest in vintage films for a bit of time.

It’s an early Columbia short, which means some nice outside scenery. That’s really the highlight of the film, the plot was hard to follow along (as there wasn’t much of one).

I thought the Spanish-American War joke in the newspaper could have been done better if he reacted frightenly and thought the US was at war again with Spain, instead it seems to be more of a joke about him realizing how old his newspaper is.

Not a laugh riot, I’ve seen better from Andy Clyde’s early Columbia output.

[NoahYoung]

I need to watch this when I get a chance. I have 2 Clyde Columbia shorts on Super 8, IT ALWAYS HAPPENS and GETS SPRING CHICKEN. Those are the only ones I've seen other than a few of his silents he made for Sennett with Billy Bevan, which are generally great.  IT ALWAYS HAPPENS is considered to be one of his best. Part of that short is reminiscent of LIMOUSINE LOVE, with Charley Chase.

Clyde made 146 talkie shorts, the last being in 1956!