Punch The Clock

Series: Snub Pollard

Director: William Beaudine

Producer: Hal Roach

Titles: H.M. Walker

Photography:

Editor:

Stars: Snub Pollard, Marie Mosquini, Eddie Baker, Mark Jones, George Rowe

Company: Pathé Exchange

Released: 04 June 1922

Length: 1 reel

Production No.: H-107

Filming dates: February 4-13, 1922

Rating: 5/10

Punch The Clock

Available on DVD:

Eddie Baker, Snub Pollard and Marie Mosquini in Punch The Clock (1922)

Snub is sleeping in the doorway of his employment when he is moved on by a policeman. Snub produces a letter informing him that he has been late to work too often and that he is required to "punch the clock" on time in future of face dismissal. Meanwhile a newly married young lady (Marie Mosquini) receives an anonymous love letter from a secret admirer and seeks him out. Her suspicious husband (Eddie Baker), who is hiding under the table, finds and reads the letter of the mysterious man wearing a flower in his coat and waiting for her on East Street. He grabs a gun and goes after her. Snub, unable to leave his post on the street where he waits outside his work asks a passerby (George Rowe) to go across to the cafe and get him a coffee. The secret admirer (Mark Jones) sees the angry husband walking towards him and quickly gives his flower to the passerby, who then hands it to Snub. Naturally, the angry husband thinks Snub is the guy he is after and hits him - and the passerby, by accident just for good measure.
Snub ends up shooting along the sidewalk on a crate with the wife after it is propelled by a clumsy worker and lands at the feet of the husband. The husband is about to assault Snub again until the cop sees and starts to give chase. Snub takes refuge in a house through an open window but soon realises it is the husband's home. Snub hides himself in a laundry basket outside but is brought into the house. The husband discovers Snub and chases him through the house and then out into the street. The husband hits Snub off a bridge where he lands on a passing coal truck, which just happens to be heading for the husband's home. The truck empties the coal down into the cellar and Snub pops out... and then the passerby! Snub makes his escape and ends up on the front of a streetcar. He is then picked up by a motorcycle with a sidecar, who then dumps him back at his place of work. Snub is happy to note that he is still on time for work but then realises the store is closed for the day on account of Jesse James' birthday. So it's all been for nothin'.

Snub Pollard and Marie Mosquini in Punch The Clock (1922)

Favourite bit
Snub Pollard and Marie Mosquini take a ride along the sidewalk on a crate.

Trivia
• Copyrighted April 11, 1922.
• Snub works at the Acme Engraving Company.
• The letter that Snub produces is addressed to "H. Pollard". This was Snub's real name - Harry. There is a nice little pun at the end of the letter, where it is signed from the foreman and FIREman!
• The house that Snub takes refuge in is just asking to be burgled isn't it? An open window, at waist height, nobody at home....
• With Snub evidently hiding in the laundry basket, we are to believe that the laundry man picks the basket up off the floor and puts it on the table - without realising there is a person inside it? I mean, how much does Snub Pollard weigh?
• According to the sign in the window of Snub's work place, the events of the day take place on a Tuesday and on the birthday of Jesse James. Jesse James was born on September 5, 1847. The film was shot in February 1922. So that is simply some license that has been taken there.

My opinion
• Well it's a long way around to nothing. And Mark Jones' character is the cause of all the chaos in the film and gets away completely injury-free! No fair!

	Snub Pollard Snub
	Marie Mosquini Bride
	Eddie Baker Suspicious husband
	William Gillespie Policeman
	Mark Jones The Unknown Admirer
	George Rowe Passerby
	Wallace Howe [?]