Say It With Babies

Series: Glenn Tryon

Director: Fred L. Guiol

Producer: Hal Roach

Titles: H.M. Walker

Photography: Len Powers

Editor: Richard Currier

Stars: Glenn Tryon, Eva Novak, Martha Sleeper, Oliver Hardy, Jackie Hanes, Jerry Mandy

Company: Pathé Exchange

Released: 16 May 1926

Length: 2 reels

Production No.: H-6

Filming dates: January 21 - February 16, 1926;
retakes February 21 & March 22, 1926

Rating: 6/10

Say It With Babies

Available on DVD:

Glenn Tryon, Eva Novak and Jackie Hanes in Say It With Babies (1926)

In The Daily Star newspaper an advert offers a chance for mothers to come into a store and meet 'The Baby Man' (Glenn Tryon) to discuss their babies' needs. When he enters the room he is met with utter chaos with young kids everywhere causing trouble. Harlington, the floor walker (Oliver Hardy) is confronted by an angry customer who returns a corset to him which she forces him to wear just as the boss (Fred Kelsey) walks in. The boss has a brief scene with a couple of female customers before our Baby Man returns to his babies' play room only to be immediately dunked into a pool of water by one of them. His wife (Eva Novak) visits the store and introduces him to their new neighbor - newlywed Martha Sleeper but he insults Martha when he asks if she has any kids of her own? Just as Baby Man is about to leave for the day he discovers an abandoned baby with a note from the mother who asks for him to take care of the kid.
When nobody is looking he quickly dumps the kid into the back of a random car and leaves. That car, it turns out, belongs to Arlington and his new wife who drive home, oblivious that the baby is with them. That is until he starts chucking ice lollies over them. The couple pull over and discover the child, read the note that came with it and decide to adopt it. The Baby Man's wife takes the baby in to show her husband and tell him the wonderful news! Later on the adopted 'Arlie' refuses to take his bath so 'daddy' has to get in with him (cue Oliver Hardy wearing a ridiculous outfit!) but the boy still refuses. Arlington demonstrates the art of getting into the bath before slipping and going full in. As the boy toddles off Arlington tries to grab him but pulls off a piece of the kid's shorts - exposing the youngster's arse. And there is no way you cannot unsee it!

Martha Sleeper and Oliver Hardy in Say It With Babies (1926)

Favourite bit
The ride home with Martha Sleeper and Oliver Hardy.

Trivia
• Copyrighted May 17, 1926.
• The opening credits lists James Parrott as "in collaboration with director Fred L. Guiol (as director).
• An incomplete (approximately 12 minutes) version of the film was released on DVD in 2020 by Lobster Films.
• It's pretty obvious that the 'baby' with the toy hammer is actually a midget actor and not a child. He is Gustav Schaffrath. Notice how he always has his back to the camera?
• During the film, Glenn Tryon's character asks if Martha Sleeper has any children of her own. In real life Martha would have been 15 years old at the time of filming! So that's a "no" then.
• When Martha Sleeper reads the note regarding the baby she says they can raise "him" as their own child. How did she know the baby was a boy? You know, without checking his 'equipment'?
• That last scene! No. No, no, no, no, NO! My eyes cannot unsee that now!

My opinion
• It's okay. With only half the film available for viewing it is difficult to give it a fair assessment because it doesn't make much sense and a lot of loose ends need to be tied up. But for what there is to see it's pretty decent enough. But that final scene? I cannot unsee that now!

	Glenn Tryon The Baby Man
	Eva Novak The Baby Man's wife
	Martha Sleeper Mrs. Kimmel
	Oliver Hardy Arlington Kimmel, the floorwalker
	Jackie Hanes Arlie
	Jerry Mandy [?]
	Fred Kelsey The boss
	Clara Guiol Giggling customer
	Gustav Schaffrath Baby with toy hammer
	Vivien Oakland [?]
	Helen Gilmore [?]
	Sammy Brooks [?]
	Nona Arlynn Child