100 Essential Silent Film Comedies

by James Roots

Overview

From the moment films were first produced, comedy has been a key feature of cinema. From just before the turn of the twentieth century until the early 1930s, audiences celebrated the brilliant humor of cinematic clowns who left their marks forever. We still remember—and laugh at—the hilarious antics of Laurel and Hardy, Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, and many others.

In 100 Essential Silent Film Comedies James Roots identifies the major comedic motion pictures produced in the first few decades of the twentieth century. With a lucid and lively style, Roots takes a look at more than 400 silent comedies and narrows the list to 100 that viewers should consider. Each entry includes cast and crew information, a synopsis, critical evaluation, and additional commentary—all to demonstrate why that particular film is essential viewing. The films range from 70 seconds to full-length features and even include some of the earliest produced films, starting in 1894. In addition to citing Hollywood’s finest, the book profiles comedies from around the world, including selections from the United Kingdom, France, Japan and Russia.

More thanseventy silent comedians from Charlie Chaplin to Max Linder are represented in these selections, and the book celebrates such established classics as The General and Safety Last—as well as relatively obscure one-reelers. Including information about DVD availability, 100 Essential Silent Film Comedies is an invaluable resource that provides both scholars and general film fans a list of entertaining films to explore.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781442278240
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	05/11/2017
Pages:	298
Product dimensions:	7.10(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

James Roots is Executive Director of the Canadian Association of the Deaf. A book reviewer for more than twenty years, he has written frequently on silent film, especially comedy. He is the author of The 100 Greatest Silent Film Comedians (Rowman & Littlefield, 2014).

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction 1

Some Notes about the Entries 5

All Night (1918) 7

All Night Long (1924) 9

The Battle of the Century (1927) 13

The Better 'Ole (1926) 14

A Busy Night (1916) 17

Call of the Cuckoo (1927) 19

Chasing Choo-Choos (1927) 20

Chicago (1928) 22

Chicken Feathers (1927) 25

The Circus (1928) 27

A Clever Dummy (1917) 30

Conductor 1492 (1924) 32

The Cook (1918) 35

Cops (1922) 37

The Cowboy Sheik (1924) 39

The Cruise of the Jasper B (1926) 42

A Dog's Life (1918) 45

Don Juan (1926) 48

Explosion of a Motor Car (1900) 51

The Extra Girl (1923) 53

The Fall Guy (1921) 57

Fatty and Mabel Adrift (1916) 60

Fireman, Save My Gall (1919) 61

Flaming Fathers (1927) 63

Fox-Trot Finesse (1915) 64

The General (1927) 67

The Great K&A Train Robbery (1926) 70

Happiness (1934) 75

Hearts and Diamonds (1914) 77

Hearts and Flowers (1919) 79

His Picture in the Papers (1916) 81

Honeymooniacs (1929) 83

The Immigrant (1917) 87

Innocent Husbands (1925) 89

Irene (1926) 91

It (1927) 94

The Italian Straw Hat (1927) 97

It's a Gift (1923) 100

It's the Old Army Game (1926) 102

I Was Born, But … (1932) 106

Jerry's Mother-in-law (1913) 109

Kid Boots (1926) 113

The Kid Brother (1927) 116

Liberty (1929) 119

Lizzies of the Field (1924) 121

Long Hose (1928) 123

Love, Speed and Thrills (1915) 125

Madame Behave! (1925) 129

The Mad Whirl (1925) 132

The Mark of Zorro (1920) 135

The Marriage Circle (1924) 137

Max Gets Stuck Up (1906) 140

The Mermaid (1904) 142

Mighty Like a Moose (1926) 144

The Mishaps of Musty Suffer (1915-1917) 146

Miss Bluebeard (1925) 150

The Monkey Stony (1924) 153

Move Along (1926) 156

A Movie Star (1916) 158

Mum's the Word (1926) 160

My Best Girl (1927) 161

The Mystery of the Leaping Fish (1916) 164

The Navigator (1924) 167

The Nervous Wreck (1926) 169

A Night in the Show (1915) 171

The Noise of Bombs (1914) 172

Now You Tell One (1926) 175

Oh! Doctor! (1925) 177

One Wet Night (1924) 179

On Location (1921) 181

A Pair of Silk Stockings (1918) 183

A Pair of Tights (1929) 186

Paths to Paradise (1925) 189

The Pawn Shop (1918) 192

The Pride of Pikeville (1927) 194

Reno or Bust (1924) 199

Robinet Boxeur (1913) 200

Rowdy Ann (1919) 202

Safety Last! (1923) 205

Saturday Afternoon (1926) 207

The Sawmill (1922) 210

Seven Years Bad Luck (1921) 214

Shoot Straight (1923) 217

Shoulder Arms (1918) 219

Show People (1928) 220

Skinner's Dress Suit (1926) 223

A Small Town Idol (1921) 226

Sold at Auction (1923) 228

A Spanish Dilemma (1912) 231

Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928) 232

Strike (1925) 235

The Sundown Limited (1924) 237

Three of a Kind (1926) 241

Time Flies (1926) 243

Tramp Tramp Tramp (1926) 247

Two Tars (1928) 251

Uncovered Wagons (1923) 253

Why Change Your Wife? (1920) 255

A Woman of the World (1925) 257

You're Next (1919) 263

Bibliography 265

Index 269

About the Author 287

Editorial Reviews

Roots follows his 100 Greatest Silent Film Comedians with this sequel treating the comedies themselves. The author remarks that some films made him laugh out loud (not just smile—a film must pass what he calls the ‘laugh test’), and most such productions are discussed. Films covered are of various styles and lengths, and entries list the director(s), writer(s), cast, running time, and availability (distribution company and format—VHS or DVD), and each includes a synopsis, a commentary, and bonus trivia information. Little-known and major silent-film actors are discussed, e.g., Brit Stan Laurel and American Oliver Hardy, heavy Roscoe Arbuckle and his petite partner Mabel Normand, Buster Keaton, John Barrymore, Edna Purviance, and many others. One name familiar to many is Charlie Chapman, who is discussed for his contributions as actor, writer, and director. Background information is invariably insightful and interesting. For instance, Laurel and Hardy's famous lengthy pie scene in Battle of the Century (1927) required the destruction of 3,000 pies; Rudolph Valentino's casting as a decidedly against-type all-American boy in All Night is treated with humor and insight. Roots's love for the silent-film genre is definitely evident in this well-researched, appealing book.

Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels.

Choice Reviews

Compiling 'best of' lists is often a tricky business (there are bound to be objections to inclusions as well as omissions), but less so when the compiler explains the criteria used. In this case, Roots very clearly states his: 'It’s a book of films that made me laugh and that ought to make you laugh, too.' For each of the films listed, he provides a concise summary including synopsis, cast, critical evaluation, commentary, and availability. The coverage is broad and extends not only to Hollywood productions but also to films from Russia, Japan, France, and the United Kingdom. Featured titles represent the work of more than 70 silent film comedians, from Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd to Snub Pollard and Jack Duffy and dozens more. A worthwhile addition to film and performing-arts collections.

Booklist

Roots follows his 100 Greatest Silent Film Comedians with this sequel treating the comedies themselves. The author remarks that some films made him laugh out loud (not just smile—a film must pass what he calls the ‘laugh test’), and most such productions are discussed. Films covered are of various styles and lengths, and entries list the director(s), writer(s), cast, running time, and availability (distribution company and format—VHS or DVD), and each includes a synopsis, a commentary, and bonus trivia information. Little-known and major silent-film actors are discussed, e.g., Brit Stan Laurel and American Oliver Hardy, heavy Roscoe Arbuckle and his petite partner Mabel Normand, Buster Keaton, John Barrymore, Edna Purviance, and many others. One name familiar to many is Charlie Chapman, who is discussed for his contributions as actor, writer, and director. Background information is invariably insightful and interesting. For instance, Laurel and Hardy's famous lengthy pie scene in Battle of the Century (1927) required the destruction of 3,000 pies; Rudolph Valentino's casting as a decidedly against-type all-American boy in All Night is treated with humor and insight. Roots's love for the silent-film genre is definitely evident in this well-researched, appealing book. Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels.

Choice

Roots follows his 100 Greatest Silent Film Comedians with this sequel treating the comedies themselves. The author remarks that some films made him laugh out loud (not just smile—a film must pass what he calls the ‘laugh test’), and most such productions are discussed. Films covered are of various styles and lengths, and entries list the director(s), writer(s), cast, running time, and availability (distribution company and format—VHS or DVD), and each includes a synopsis, a commentary, and bonus trivia information. Little-known and major silent-film actors are discussed, e.g., Brit Stan Laurel and American Oliver Hardy, heavy Roscoe Arbuckle and his petite partner Mabel Normand, Buster Keaton, John Barrymore, Edna Purviance, and many others. One name familiar to many is Charlie Chapman, who is discussed for his contributions as actor, writer, and director. Background information is invariably insightful and interesting. For instance, Laurel and Hardy's famous lengthy pie scene in Battle of the Century (1927) required the destruction of 3,000 pies; Rudolph Valentino's casting as a decidedly against-type all-American boy in All Night is treated with humor and insight. Roots's love for the silent-film genre is definitely evident in this well-researched, appealing book.

Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels.

CHOICE

Compiling 'best of' lists is often a tricky business (there are bound to be objections to inclusions as well as omissions), but less so when the compiler explains the criteria used. In this case, Roots very clearly states his: 'It’s a book of films that made me laugh and that ought to make you laugh, too.' For each of the films listed, he provides a concise summary including synopsis, cast, critical evaluation, commentary, and availability. The coverage is broad and extends not only to Hollywood productions but also to films from Russia, Japan, France, and the United Kingdom. Featured titles represent the work of more than 70 silent film comedians, from Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd to Snub Pollard and Jack Duffy and dozens more. A worthwhile addition to film and performing-arts collections.

Booklist

05/15/2017
Silent films featured comedy masters like Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Harold Lloyd, but too many comic actors have been forgotten. This book resurrects the achievements and reputations of such figures as Charley Chase, Ben Turpin, Phyllis Haver, Colleen Moore, and many others, providing descriptions, analysis, and appreciations in an alphabetical listing of 100 comedy classics, some quite short, and featuring works from countries such as Russia and Japan. Roots's (The 100 Greatest Silent Film Comedians) main requirement is that each has "got to make me laugh, dammit!" Comedy in its early days didn't hesitate to ridicule disabilities (e.g., the cross-eyed Ben Turpin and a trio of obese comedians billed as the "Hollywood ton of fun.") The book provides critical insights and portraits of director Mack Sennett, actress Clara Bow, and others, including Max Linder, Mabel Normand, and Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle. Some artists reached their pinnacle in the silents while others, such as W.C. Fields, Mary Astor, and the "Our Gang" kids, easily transitioned to sound. VERDICT Although some readers will question the author's deliberate omission of such classics as Chaplin's The Gold Rush, film buffs will be entertained and enlightened by this compendium.—Stephen Rees, formerly with Levittown Lib., PA

Library Journal