User Reviews

"A Flirt's Mistake" is an extremely short film, all of 8 minutes, starring one of the heavyweights of the silent era (pun intended). Unfortunately, though, it's not all that entertaining. I am a bit perplexed by the handful of reviewers here calling this funny. I struggled to find much humor in it myself.

The plot is a simple one. Roscoe plays a married man who is nevertheless quite the skirt-chaser. Even if he only sees a figure from behind, not seeing a face, he still gives chase. Odd but whatever. Eventually, though, he encounters a 'rajah' who has become fed up with being pestered by amorous gents, and what follows is a prolonged chase scene that includes several pratfalls from Roscoe, the rajah shooting his pistols with wild abandon, and a collection of ineffectual Keystone Cops who run from the sound of a gun.

That's pretty much it. So if you find the sight of one guy constantly falling on his butt funny, or another guy shooting his pistols in the air about 30 times, then this is for you lol. The most interesting part of the film for me was actually checking out the fashions of the day; what the women and men wore, how the house was decorated, etc. Basically a view of what was 'typical' in 1914. So the film is more informative than it was entertaining for the most part, sort of like a time capsule.

5/10. It's fine for fans of Arbuckle, but otherwise I wouldn't go out of my way to watch it. Would I watch again (Y/N)?: I don't think so.

The material in this short comedy is only fair at best, but Roscoe Arbuckle does his best, and is able to carry it much of the time. The story is really only one basic comedy idea, stretched out as far as possible to fill up the running time. Edgar Kennedy helps out some, but he likewise is limited by the material.

Arbuckle plays the incorrigible flirt of the title, and it's a good role for him. He was always able to make characters like this entertaining and interesting, and his mannerisms and expressions work in defining the character and in reacting to events. The story really doesn't go anywhere, though, since the only point is the gag about "A Flirt's Mistake", which is not all that imaginative or effective in the first place.

It's still watchable thanks to Arbuckle, but there are many other movies of his that survive and that give him much more to work with.

Fatty arbuckle, in 1914, the early, early days of film. It's pretty grainy, badly in need of restoration, but it's fun. Slapstick humor, with arbuckle falling, tripping, in a madcap caper. I just LOVE these old black and white shorts that show locations from days gone by. Here, it was filmed in echo park, los angeles, according to imdb. In this one, he flirts with someone, but it's a case of mistaken identity. A classic from mack sennett, and keystone films, of course. Directed by george nichols. Silly but fun. Probably not at all sensitive to other cultures, but I don't think they worried about that in 1914. Fun to catch these oldies by the hollywood masters.

A Flirt's Mistake (1914)

*** (out of 4)

Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle plays a married man who is constantly flirting with women. He makes the mistake of his life when he flirts with one woman who happens to be a man who swears vengeance on any flirt. A FLIRT'S MISTAKE isn't going to be mistaken for a lost masterpiece but as far as Keystone shorts go, this one here is actually pretty good and at least has a good enough of a pace to where it never gets boring. The film is pretty much all action once Fatty flirts with the man because then we have one wild chase after another as Fatty tries to reach safety without getting shot. A lot of these scenes are quite funny and especially the look at Fatty's face when he sees that the woman is actually a man. Another very good sequence involves him trying to find safety inside his house, which just doesn't happen. The comedy star is in fine form here as he takes several falls and his comic timing is certainly right on the mark. Fans of the slapstick era will certainly enjoy this one, although those new to the genre should probably start with a different picture.