Silent Film of the Month: His First Flame (1927)

Run Time: 48 minutes. Studio:  Mack Sennett Studios. Director: Harry Edwards. Writers: Frank Capra, Arthur Ripley. Titles: Al Giebler. Producers: Mack Sennett, John A. Waldron.  Main Cast: Harry Langdon, Natalie Kingston, Ruth Hiatt, Vernon Dent. Cinematographers: Ernie Crockett, William Williams. Editor: William Hornbeck.

Many film historians, critics and fans have stated that when it comes to silent film comedy there are four comedians who stand as the best of the best. They have become affectionately known as the big four. These are Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd and Harry Langdon. Perhaps no silent feature film from any of these four is as little remembered or commented on as His First Flame.

This movie has a very loose story. Harry (Harry Langdon) has just graduated from college and has fallen deeply for his girlfriend Ethel (Natalie Kingston). Ethel in reality is actually a gold digger who just wants Harry’s money. However her sister Mary (Ruth Hiatt) is actually in love with Harry. This story honestly serves as little more than a framework for great comic skits. However these comic skits are hilarious making this film utterly delightful.

For those not familiar with Harry Langdon’s character, he is a simple, not too bright, innocent and childlike man, who simply can’t comprehend the cruelty of the world around him. This can cause an uncomfortableness to his comedy that is not often seen in Chaplin, Keaton or Lloyd. This is because unlike any of them he is incapable of defending himself. Frank Capra (who worked as a writer on this film) stated that “God was his only ally.”

Harry’s innocence can perfectly be seen in the scene in which Harry is in a couple’s (his friend (Bud Jamison) and his friend’s wife (Dot Fraley)) apartment as they are physically fighting and the couple across the street (whom can be seen through the window) are doing the same and Harry is unable to comprehend. He is also fascinated by the couple across the way as he watches them carefully. He tries to alert the husband of the apartment that something is going on, but the man has been knocked out. Harry thinks he is drunk, picks him up and hides a flask that is in the house.

One of my favorite scenes in this movie is Harry getting candy and flowers for his girlfriend. His uncle (Vernon Dent) is very against Harry seeing this woman and Harry sneaks with the candy and flowers like a little kid sneaking out of the house, hoping his uncle won’t see him. After seeing that his uncle isn’t around he walks very carefully to the cab. When he enters the cab the door shuts on his flowers and takes the tops off of them. He rides in the car for a while until he decides to smell the flowers. He takes a big whiff and sighs because the smell he pictures in his mind is so good. After he is done sighing he looks down. He notices something is wrong with the flowers but doesn’t know what that is yet. He picks them up to smell them again. He notices the scent isn’t there. He takes a few seconds to put this together. He then finally realizes what has happened and looks for the tops. When he can’t find them he decides to throw the stems out the window. He leans back to throw them and almost does but then sees the window is closed. He puts both the stems and the candy down to open the window. After he opens it not looking at what he is picking up he throws the candy out the window. He then picks up the stems. He sits looking straight forward for a little bit until he looks down and sees that he is holding the stems. He gets out of the cab to get the candy and excitedly at first runs the wrong way. He then realizes this and turns around. By the time he gets to the candy it has been run over. He then stares at it for a little bit. He debates whether or not to pick it up, leaning over and reaching towards it, but then coming back up. He then stares at it some more before walking away. This is not only laugh out loud funny, but it is also a perfect example of how Harry’s mind works. He takes moments to realize anything happening around him and his mind only comprehends one thing at a time. This may be one of my favorite moments in the history of silent comedy. 



Film critic Mordaunt Hall for the New York Times wrote "Mr. Sennett and Mr. Langdon do their parts in this nice mile of fun. Mr. Sennett, who failed as a blacksmith and amassed millions as a maker of film humor, deserves no little credit for the hilarious situations in this picture. And Mr. Langdon is to be congratulated on a generous supply of sad smiles and wide-eyed effects...Mr. Langdon is at his best in this humorous piece of work. The heroine is impersonated by Natalie Kingston, who, while she does not appreciate Harry's wisdom, is attractive."
  

The following is a short article from the Exhibitors Herald (dated May 9, 1925).



"Coincident with reports that Harry Langdon is going over to only feature length productions, the Pathe comedian has his entire staff working with him on his most ambitious picture carrying the working title 'His First Flame.' The same technical force is in harness and Ruth Hiatt shares honors with Natalie Kingston as the only change in cast. Harry Edwards is directing and Arthur Ripley has charge of scenario duties.



"Langdon has called on his own fund of experiences as a trouper in suggesting most of the story itself. As a professional for many years he covered almost ever branch of showdom in playing virtually every city of any size in the nation. Hence he is abundantly supplied with material for original stories for the company, with the comedy angle predominating.


"Harry Langdon's style has been described as 'very scarce yet very necessary' with pathos and humor mingling in an unusual technique, making his name a byword in the comedy field. Furthermore his rise to a place among the elect has been accomplished in only one and one-half years of appearing in motion pictures."

This is not quite true. This was certainly the first feature Harry Langdon made, but it was not the first released. After completion in 1925, producer Mack Sennett put the film on the shelf and Harry returned to only making short films. After Harry moved away from Mack Sennett studios to First National, he would make three feature films (Tramp, Tramp, Tramp (1926), The Strong Man (1926) and Long Pants (1927)). After these feature films Sennett finally released this movie.     

Also my fellow Three Stooges fans might notice that two of the Stooges’ most common supporting players appear here, Bud Jamison and Vernon Dent. Dent appeared in many of Harry Langdon’s films and would continue to do so into the sound era.

This film is on YouTube and you can watch it below.

















-Michael J. Ruhland