The Film Daily (1920)

WD \o)'))\'kp M Some Short Reels "One Week"— Metro Laughs start coming at the very beginning of this Buster Keaton two-reeler and the pace is maintained until the very finish. Bits of slapstick comedy, many of them original and all of them genuine value are offered with astonishing regularity and the offering must be classed as a certain hit. A portable house is the subject of most of the humor and the tricks done by the characters with the different parts all register in great style. There is a spicy touch in one scene, but that is inoffensive and perfectly clean. As to the business resulting from the manner in which the dwelling is manipulated, that is entirely out of the ordinary and certain to amuse even the most confirmed of pessimists. The press agent who will say that this contains a laugh a foot will be coming close to the truth. "A Doity Deed"— Goldwyn Novelty, the greatest essential in any animated cartoon is lacking to a large extent in this Happy Hooligan reel. Some of the incidental business is fairly clever, but the theme and most of the situations if they may be called that, are hardly out of the ordinary. It all concerns Happy's efforts to bring home a bride in order that he may claim his father's wealth. After several futile efforts, he secures the consent of a widow who is trailed continually by several youngsters. Gus, his brother, meanwhile brings home a wax model and secures the desired riches, beating Happy by some time. W. C. Nolan is credited with the direction. "Nassau" — Ford — Goldwyn Bimini, a tropical island, is where the City of Nassau is located. This Ford reel consists of scenes of that town and while the material is pleasing to the eye, it lacks the natural beauty to make it a scenic of merit and is not of sufficient interest to qualify as a travel offering of value. The technical end of it, as far as photography and camera work are concerned, has been taken care of in fine fashion, but good tinting would have been of considerable help to some of the water stuff . As a whole it is not quite up to the usual ford standard. "The Simp"— Mermaid— Educational Some really funny comedy business is of considerable value to this issue of the Mermaid series which generally holds up in reasonably good style. There are several novel gags included and the action throughout is fast. The manner in which Lloyd Hamilton pours water out of his shoe continually is the first big laugh, and thereafter they keep coming as a satisfactory rate. The scene in which the cat enters the "cukoo" clock is of merit and adds a touch that will score anywhere. Another bit that will provoke mirth is that in which the thief starts to appropriate some of the funds collected at the gospel meeting and by causing "Ham" to remain unconscious, moves his hands in and out of the box in such a manner as to give the impression that the latter is responsible for what happens. There is considerable splashing and spilling of water. in another part of this, but no one will deny that that section will make any audience laugh. Some of the chase and trailing stuff registers nicely also, the two kid-nappers dressed similarly and looking very much alike causing mirth. The theme used through most of it is not new, but has been handled in splendid fashion, with some scenes on the top of the building with the street visible below supplying thrills. "Twin Crooks"— Universal loin Buckingham, who is responsible for this two reeler, has turned out a very satisfactory slapstick production, which is a comedy in the full sense of the word. Many will say that there can be nothing new in pictures of this sort, but novel twists can be given some of the old stuff so as to provoke mirth. There is one scene, for example, in which Charles Dorety swings a huge hammer over a post he is attempting to drive into the ground. Bud Jamieson stands on one side conversing with a young lady and absent-mindedly place his hand, elbow and then his hat on the post, but removes each of these as the hammer is about to descend. True, the idea has been used before in different form and is in fact employed "Her Secret Still"— Universal Very little of the footage in this single reeler is really funny, both the plot and the manner in which it has been developed being of ordinary quality. Dorothy Walbert is the principal character and while she works earnestly, the material is not of the sort that can be expected to get over before fans who are at all discriminating. At the finish they have the leading comedienne wake up, explaining that the preceding stuff was a dream. "Flap Jack"— Mutt and Jeff— Fox For the benefit of their "customers" Mutt and Jeff are showing what they can do in the way of making pan cakes. This latest release is up to the average, if not a little better than the usual Mutt and Jeff release. The "long and the short of it" are the proprietors of a flap— jack factory and the reel consists of sketches showing the actual work of the "industry." Jeff rides a bicycle around the mixing bowl while Mut sits on behind and dips a long spoon into the batter and they mix it as they ride. A steam roller is used to roll out the batter and the funniest bit is where Jeff conducts an orchestra with "the cakes on the griddle playing the parts of musicians. "Screen Snapshots," No. 10— C. B. C. Issue number 10 of the Screen Snapshots series hits about the same average maintained thus far in the set. Like the others, it has several bits of footage devoted to prominent film personages and some material showing the details about part of the work. This time, they have some stuff concerning the erection of some of the mammoth sets and to wind it up, a scene in which a group of the Mack Sennett bathing girls appear. Ben Turpin inserts himself into the latter section while among the other important people are J. Warren Kerrigan, Mabel Normand, Jack Hoxie, Anne Little, Creighton Hale and Mary Hay. There is also a portion showing Ben Wilson securing some rain effects for a serial. Most of the fans will probably find this interesting enough. Something should be done to give these offerings more of the element of novelty. "Screen Snapshots," No. 11— C. B. C. Ruth Clifford and Jack Sherrill, who are co-starred in a serial now on the market, have the privilege of opening this issue of Screen Snapshots. The latter, who is also a director, is seen issuing the orders and then Dorothy Phillips, in the costume of a Hawaiian hula-hula dancer, skips into the limelight. How thrillers are filmed is dealt with in another portion, showing how a whole hillside is blasted and an automobile is tossed off a cliff to make the fanatics jump. Curly Stecker, animal trainer, is seen playing about with Joe Martin, Universal's intelligent orang outang, this portion being the most interesting in the production. Governor Cox, Democratic nominee, is seen meeting several of First National's stars nd directors, Marshall Neilan, King Vidor, Katherine McDonald, Bessie Love, Wesley Barry all stepping forward to grasp Cox's much-shaken hand. Towards the finish they josh the spectator, announcing that Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford are to be shown awaiting a coming baby. It is a "Baby Blimp" that they are expecting, and while the pun is rather far-fetched, it kids the fans cleverly.