Run Time: 60 minutes. Studio: Paramount Picture. Director: Frank Tuttle. Writers: Tom Gibson, Luther Reed. Titles: George Marion Jr. Based on a play by William Anthony McGuire and Otto A. Harbach. Producer: B.P. Schulberg. Main Cast: Eddie Cantor, Clara Bow, Billie Dove, Lawerance Grey, Natalie Kingston, Malcom Waite. Cinematographer: Victor Milner.
When one thinks of silent film comedy, images of Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd and the Keystone Kops immediately come to mind. However silent comedy is a much vaster world than that. In fact, much of silent film comedy was not even the slapstick humor that comes to one's mind. I personally love some of the wacky romantic comedies of the era, some of which look forward to the screwball comedies of the 1930's and 40's. Kid Boots is a wonderful example of just such a comedy.
Kid Boots (Eddie Cantor) works in a men's tailor shop, when a dangerous customer (Malcolm Waite) comes in. Kid Boots finds himself on the run after he botches the job. While on the run he ends up agreeing to help a rich playboy (Lawrence Gray) get a divorcee. Unfortunately, this leads him to running into the dangerous customer and his girlfriend (Clara Bow). Things get more complicated when Boots falls for the customer's girlfriend.
This film is everything you could want from a movie like this. The whole movie moves at a fun fast pace. The sheer amount of gags that are fit into its brief hour-long runtime is incredible. Even more impressive is how many of these gags are truly funny. The climax of this film can hold its own with the films of the silent era's best comedians. Though he is often best known for his musical comedy work, Eddie Cantor proves himself to be incredibly adapt at the world of silent comedy. He is simply fantastic in this movie and brings a real charm to the role. The story itself may be light and often times an excuse for the comedy, but it is quite charming and does its job very well. Most importantly though, there is not a second of this film that is not very entertaining to watch.
This movie marked the feature film debut of Eddie Cantor, one of the most popular comedians of his era. His success covered such various mediums as stage, radio, movies and later television. He was the rare comedian to have equal success in all these mediums. To start his movie career, Kid Boots was a film adaption of one of his most successful stage plays at the time. Though the play was a musical, its basic storyline and comedic situations made it a great fit for a silent comedy.
His leading lady was one of the most popular movie stars of her time, Clara Bow. At this time, she was at the height of her popularity. Her stardom came not only from her acting ability but also her screen presence. This screen presence is what made her soon to be defined the "It" girl (she would even star in a movie called It (1927)). Popular romance novelist of the time, Elinor Glyn referred to it as something that makes a woman incredibly attractive which goes beyond physical attractiveness or sex appeal. Still all the years later Clara Bow has this special something and it is what fully endeared her to audiences then and now. It has even been said that partly because of Clara Bow's popularity, when this film made its premiere, a large number of officers from New York Police Department were assigned for crowd control.
This movie also benefits from a very strong supporting cast. Though not as well remembered as she should be Billie Dove was a major star during the silent era appearing in such films as All the Brothers Were Valiant (1923), Wanderer of the Wasteland (1924), The Air Mail (1925), The Black Pirate (1926), The Marriage Clause (1926), Sensation Seekers (1927) and The American Beauty (1927). Malcom Waite will be a familar face to any Charlie Chaplin fan, as he played Jack in The Gold Rush (1925). He also appeared with Laurel and Hardy in Why Girls Love Sailors (1927) and Harry Langdon in Feet of Mud (1924). Natalie Kingston is another face that will be familiar to silent comedy fans, especially due to her work with Harry Langdon in various of his films for producer Mack Sennett. She also appeared in such films as Street Angel (1928), Tarzan the Mighty (1928), Tarzan the Tiger (1929) and His Private Secertary (1933). The later features an early leading man role for John Wayne.
Frank Tuttle may not be the best remembered directors, he had a long career that lasted from the 1920's through the 1950's. His films include The Cradle Buster (1922), The American Venus (1926), Her Wedding Night (1930, starring Clara Bow), The Big Broadcast (1932), Roman Scandals (1933, starring Eddie Cantor), Waikiki Wedding (1937, starring Bing Crosby), Charlie McCarthy, Detective (1939), This Gun for Hire (1942), Suspense (1946), A Cry in the Night (1956) and Island of Lost Women (1959). He directs Kid Boots with a fun fast-paced energy that helps make the movie a blast to watch.
However Edward Sutherland may have been considered to direct this film as well. This following advertisement refers to Sutherland as the director.
Motion Picture News, 1926
The following from an issue of the Moving Picture World (dated January 30, 1926) also states that Sutherland would be directing.
"While Edward Sutherland is in Chicago to confer with W.C. Feilds, comedian in Ziegfield Follies whom he will direct in 'It's the Old Army Game,' he will consult with another Ziegfield star, Eddie Cantor, now appearing in 'Kid Boots.'
"The long-run musical comedy will be transferred to the screen as a Paramount Picture, to be started at the Long Island studio early in the summer, with Sutherland at the megaphone and Cantor duplicating his stage role in films. Townsend Martin, who is to supervise 'Kid Boots' is also in Chicago with the director and star."
If any of you have any information on why Edward Sutherland didn't direct the film, I would love to hear it.
Motion Picture News, 1926
The following is from a 1926 issue of Motion Picture News.
"Manager Chas. F. Shire capitalized on his intermissions during the week pervious to the showing of 'Kid Boots' by doing some stage advertising when 'Kid Boots' played at the Lincoln Theatre, Lincoln, Neb.
"The stage was set with a back drop and set pieces and showing golf course. A Studebaker automobile was also used on stage to add a little more atmosphere. A cut-out sign hung from the border lights read 'Eddie Cantor in Kid Boots at the Lincoln next week.' The back piece set was cut from a 24-sheet.
"This stage advertisement was displayed on intermissions three times a day and proved a very effective way of getting the message across.
"On Thursday, prior to the opening, 2,000 valentines were distributed through the office buildings and to the students at the local university. The valentines carried a cut of Eddie Cantor, appropriate copy, title of picture, theatre and play dates.
"Fifty-six valentines were enclosed in envelopes and mailed to fraternities and sororities.
"Three thousand one hundred postal cards carrying appropriate copy about Eddie Cantor and the picture, were mailed to every farmer in the county owning automobiles."
Moving Picture World, 1927
The movie was a huge success both finically and critically. Today, it is still easy to see why. It is just as fun today as it must have been in 1926.
For anyone interested this film can easily be found on YouTube.
Recourses Used
A-Z of Silent Comedy by Glenn Mitchell
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0017028/?ref_=tt_urv
https://lantern.mediahist.org/
No comments:
Post a Comment