Series: Clyde Cook Director: Richard Wallace Producer: Hal Roach Writers: Stan Laurel, Frank Terry, Hal Yates Titles: Malcolm Stuart Boylan Photography: Glen Russell Carrier Editor: Richard C. Currier Stars: Clyde Cook, James Finlayson, Katherine Grant, Laura De Cardi, Martha Sleeper Company: Pathé Exchange Released: 17 January 1926 Length: 2 reels Production No.: C-6 Filming dates: October 19 - November 2, 1925 Rating: 4/10

What's The World Coming To

Available on DVD:

Set 100 years in the future when men are more like women, and women... well you get the idea. James Finlayson is the 'proud' father of a son (Clyde Cook) who is about to be married to his bride (Katherine Grant) in his house. The guests are gathered and the Wedding March begins as the bride and groom are about to be hitched when Lieutenant Penelope (Laura De Cardi) shows up and causes a distraction. The father is overcome with emotion and begins crying in such an animated manner than he destroys his son's handkerchief before being escorted away by some guests. The bride's best "man" is Lyle Tayo and after she hands the ring to the bride the ring falls down the groom's sleeve. As the groom fumbles around to find the ring Penelope comes and stands next to him to warn him that he belongs to her and that she intends to claim him back. She kicks him in the ass and his collar flies off which he then tries to hide with a boucquet of flowers. The couple are declared as married and quickly rush out of the room but slip on a rug and are photographed, with the incident being reported in the newspaper. The groom's father is flying in some futuristic aircraft before being dumped off at his home in a rather unceremonious manner. He also takes a random blackberry pie to the face! Indoors, the groom takes a shot at playing a harp but ends up having a fight with a wooden bird in a cage that spits water at him. The bird, its cage and the post it was happily perched upon are all tossed out of the window! After an absence away, the bride returns home to an anxious groom where they argue about her being away.

She pulls out a gun and warns the father-in-law that she will run her house her way. A mouse crawls out of a hole in the wall and climbs up the groom's trousers and out of his shirt. But it's a good job that his father is on hand to grab the gun and blow its head off. Never mind the fact he takes out most of his son's clothing with it! What follows is a series of exaggerated face-pulling by the father when he realises the mouse has crawled under his wig. The son takes aim with a piece of furniture and smashes his father over the head with it, knocking him out cold. The next morning the groom wakes up to find his wife's bed empty so he starts to exercise in his pajamas. A rather bemused neighbor who is washing her windows (Helen Gilmore) watches on but he quickly pulls the blinds down. When the blind hooks onto his clothing and lifts back up again she decides to empty the contents of her water bucket all over him. Penelope shows up again with a bunch of flowers for the groom whilst his wife is away. After he takes forever to make himself presentable Penelope seduces the groom with an expensive necklace and showing off her shapely legs. Just then the wife returns home and boy is she pissed! She takes a large spear and threatens Penelope with it as the two get into a fight in the living room. This spills out into the hallway where the bride decapitates a metal statue, sending its head flying across the room and clonking the father so hard he falls out of the window. Penelope is defeated and forcibly kicked out of the house. A stork then delivers a baby - complete with moustache to the house. The good news is that a neighbor from below (Frank Terry) offers to catch the falling father from his window. The bad news is he drops him. Moments later the neighbor's facial reactions confirm that the father hit the ground at some speed!

Favourite bit Honestly with such a lacklustre film my favourite bit was when Katherine Grant fell to the floor and hoping to see more of her legs!

Trivia • Copyrighted January 23, 1926. • The film was restored in 2015 based on a 2K digital transfer from a black and white 16mm print (603.4ft) printed circa 1944 and preserved in the William K. Everson Collection at New York University. Projection speed is 20fps. It was completed in September 2015 as a collaboration between Carleton University, New York University and the San Francisco Silent Film Festival. It is from this print I made the screenshots and review for the film. • The title card for the film is shown during an animated airplane which flies across the screen from left to right to reveal the name of the film. • Some sources, plus most film posters list the film with an added question mark (?) at the end of the title. However, judging by the original title card as seen in the credits, it does not have one. • The bride's place of residence is on Mildew Drive. • Many sources incorrectly claim that is Stan Laurel is heavily made up in the final scene as the man in the window. It is in fact Frank Terry. My opinion • It's not a very good film, bloody confusing at times... but the print of it made available to me for review was top notch and made the experience a whole lot better than watching an inferior copy of it. Clyde Cook's performance is bland and there is just no humor in him whatsoever. Finlayson overdoes his mannerisms and Katherine Grant is scarcely seen. Martha Sleeper is nothing more than a spare part! I have to give credit for the animated airships that fly past the window throughout the film. This trick was later repeated in Glenn Tryon's 45 Minutes From Hollywood later the same year. It's okay but that's probably the best I can say.

	Clyde Cook Claudia, the blushing groom/ The baby
	James Finlayson The father-in-law
	Katherine Grant Billie, the bride
	Laura De Cardi Lieutenant Penelope
	Martha Sleeper Butler
	Lyle Tayo Bride's best man
	James T. Kelley Minister
	Sue O'Neill Wedding guest
	Gus Leonard Photographer
	Robert Finlayson Photographer's assistant
	Clara Guiol Wedding guest
	Chet Brandenburg Wedding guest
	Ed Brandenburg Wedding guest
	Jack Ackroyd Pilot
	Helen Gilmore Window washer
	Frank Terry Man in window

UNIDENTIFIED CAST

CREDITS (click image to enlarge)	INTERTITLES (click image to enlarge)

POSTERS (click any image to enlarge)

INTERIOR SHOTS (click any image to enlarge)

Acknowledgements: Laurel Or Hardy by Rob Stone (book) Jesse Brisson (identification of Chet Brandenburg, Ed Brandenburg, Gus Leonard) Tommie Hicks (identification of Robert Finlayson) John Benson (help) Steve Wright (help) This page was last updated on: 26 May 2022