Movie spotlight
Better Behave
Physical comedy drives this vehicle for then-famous clown Poodles Hanneford, part of a legendary British circus family. Already pushing forty but impeccably nimble, he plays suitor to beauteous, heavily daddy-guarded Betty (Betty Walsh) and the duo try their hardest to elope. This is an essentially plotless series of gags but they're good ones, well above the producing Weiss Brothers' average at the time. While "Poodles" never quite parlayed his big-top celebrity into screen stardom, he occasionally appeared in movies as late as circus-themed Hollywood spectacular BILLY ROSE'S JUMBO. He passed away five years later in the Catskills, no doubt surrounded by a diehard old-school showbiz community to the end.
Insights
Plot Summary
In this silent comedy short, a young man attempts to impress a wealthy father to gain permission to marry his daughter. His efforts are met with humorous complications and misunderstandings, leading to a chaotic series of events. The film follows his increasingly desperate attempts to prove himself worthy, resulting in a comedic unraveling of his carefully laid plans.
Critical Reception
As a silent short from 1928, specific critical reviews are scarce and often lost to time. However, short comedies of this era were generally intended for light entertainment and were typically received as such by contemporary audiences. The film likely provided a few laughs for its initial viewers.
What Reviewers Say
A typical silent-era short comedy.
Relies on slapstick and situational humor.
A brief, lighthearted diversion for audiences.
Google audience: Information on Google user reviews for this film is unavailable due to its age and the era it was produced in.
Fun Fact
Dorothy Dwan, one of the actresses in the film, was a frequent player in Hal Roach's comedy shorts, often appearing alongside Laurel and Hardy.
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