Movie spotlight
Oils Well!
Set in the oil-soaked country of “Chilitina”—shot on location in San Diego’s Balboa Park—Oils Well! follows the travails of Monty, an everyman office clerk, who thinks only of his boss’s daughter. When Herbert Hester, an oilman “so crooked he cheats when counting his pulse,” schemes to cover up the company’s new gusher so he can claim it himself and get the girl, Monty swings into action. He eludes the hapless Chilitinan army, sidesteps the General’s amorous wife, thwarts Herbert, and saves the day.
Insights
Plot Summary
A short comedy film where characters presumably interact with or around oil, given the title. Specific plot details are scarce due to the film's age and obscurity.
Critical Reception
As a very early short film, "Oils Well!" did not receive widespread critical reviews in the modern sense. Information about its reception is primarily anecdotal and lost to time.
What Reviewers Say
Likely appreciated for its brevity and comedic elements by contemporary audiences.
Its historical significance, if any, is in its existence as an early example of short-form filmmaking.
Google audience: No specific audience reviews are available for this obscure early short film.
Fun Fact
It is extremely difficult to find verifiable information about this film, highlighting the challenges in preserving and documenting early cinema.
AI-generated overview · Verify ratings on official sources