Either I saw a different film than the other reviewers or more likely, I have a lower brow sense of humor, for I thought this comedy short was funny, enjoyable and entertaining. The Smith family (father, mother, little daughter, grandma, uncle) are starting their Sunday noon meal and while title cards aren't really needed, they add some humor ("Uncle believed in regular exercise - he pushed himself away from the table three times a day"). The kids and the dog really have all the best scenes. The cook's kid substitutes wax candles for asparagus stalks and the look on the Smith kid's (Mary Ann Jackson) face after she has taken a big bite is priceless. Even the dog gets in the act when he eats a wax "asparagus" and slow motion stumbles to the bathroom. Once that frivolity is over, we hear a radio show where they're promoting a rodeo that's in town and cowboy Bill Cootie announces " Tomorrow's your last chance, folks, to see those stockyard sheiks vamp them cows." Ah, they just don't write dialog like that anymore. Off to the rodeo where "Everyone was having a good time except the cows." But there are obstacles along the way and not every Smith makes it to the rodeo. Mary Ann Jackson was the highlight of this short - such an expressive face - and amusing. Not only worth seeing but worth seeing more than once.
3 Reviews
A comedy where they seem to have forgotten to include any laughs.
planktonrules30 July 2009
The film begins with a family at home having a meal. The biggest laugh(?) involved some candles being substituted for asparagus and the hilarity(?) that resulted when the people and dog at them. Later, the decide to go to the rodeo but 1001 problems occur on the way there in the car.
This is a Mack Sennett comedy from the end of the silent era. While Sennett had been a very successful producer of comedies in the 1910s, by the late 20s, he had lost his studio and was a relatively minor player in the comedy world. After seeing films like THE RODEO, I could easily see why. The biggest problem with the film is that there were no laughs. In Sennett's earlier films, the comedies had only the broadest of outlines and actors just improvised. I am not sure if this was still the case in 1929, but it sure looked like it--with too many slow moments and situations that lacked punchlines. Additionally, all the old and established talent had left Sennett years earlier, so the film is left with very minor comics (such as Andy Clyde) and future minor stars (such as Mary Ann Jackson who gained some notoriety when when left to be in Hal Roach's "Our Gang").
This is a Mack Sennett comedy from the end of the silent era. While Sennett had been a very successful producer of comedies in the 1910s, by the late 20s, he had lost his studio and was a relatively minor player in the comedy world. After seeing films like THE RODEO, I could easily see why. The biggest problem with the film is that there were no laughs. In Sennett's earlier films, the comedies had only the broadest of outlines and actors just improvised. I am not sure if this was still the case in 1929, but it sure looked like it--with too many slow moments and situations that lacked punchlines. Additionally, all the old and established talent had left Sennett years earlier, so the film is left with very minor comics (such as Andy Clyde) and future minor stars (such as Mary Ann Jackson who gained some notoriety when when left to be in Hal Roach's "Our Gang").
Two Things Going for It and Neither One Are Laughs
silentmoviefan13 March 2014
Warning: Spoilers
This was a short at the end of the DVD which included the really good The Duchess of Buffalo (1926). It really shouldn't have been included at all.
On the DVD cover, it said that the short starred The Smith Family. When I saw this, I thought "Neat! I've never heard of them. This ought to be interesting".
I changed my mind when I saw that "The Smith Family" was the name of most of the characters and it was a late Sennett offering.
Part of me wanted to stop, but I kept watching for two reasons.
The presence of Mary Ann Jackson. The future Our Gang star was in it and I found that interesting. I hadn't known she was in any silents until I saw her in this.
The second reason is the presence of a radio. Radio had been around for a while, but they still weren't all that common then.
That's how they hear about the rodeo. A guy dressed in cowboy gear, shoots off two guns and yells at the top of his lungs. The family, most of whom apparently didn't know there was a radio in the house, ducked underneath the table when they heard the gunshots.
Just so you'll know, they never make it to the rodeo. If you're still interesting in seeing this after reading what I had to say, watch and see why that is the case.
I'm giving it a "2" since it had two things going for it.
On the DVD cover, it said that the short starred The Smith Family. When I saw this, I thought "Neat! I've never heard of them. This ought to be interesting".
I changed my mind when I saw that "The Smith Family" was the name of most of the characters and it was a late Sennett offering.
Part of me wanted to stop, but I kept watching for two reasons.
The presence of Mary Ann Jackson. The future Our Gang star was in it and I found that interesting. I hadn't known she was in any silents until I saw her in this.
The second reason is the presence of a radio. Radio had been around for a while, but they still weren't all that common then.
That's how they hear about the rodeo. A guy dressed in cowboy gear, shoots off two guns and yells at the top of his lungs. The family, most of whom apparently didn't know there was a radio in the house, ducked underneath the table when they heard the gunshots.
Just so you'll know, they never make it to the rodeo. If you're still interesting in seeing this after reading what I had to say, watch and see why that is the case.
I'm giving it a "2" since it had two things going for it.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
