This short is from disk 4 of the four-disk set entitled "Harry Langdon: Lost and Found"--a new lovely set of Langdon shorts. Up until its release, there really were very, very few of his shorts available, so it's a set well worth seeking if you are a fan of silent comedy. Unfortunately, most of disk 4 are his lesser-quality talking films--including HOOKS AND JABS.
The film begins with Langdon being given a dollar by a Salvation Army worker so he can get lunch. Langdon wanders into a bar offering a free lunch with a beer. However, the folks in the bar are jerks and spend a lot of time pushing him around--particularly the often-seen Vernon Dent (who was in many, many Langdon films). Oddly, there is also a boxing ring in the place and through some cheating, Langdon knocks out the resident champ and Dent--now everyone has new-found respect for him.
The problem here is timing and pace. Unlike his earlier films, this one seems more rushed and contrived. More importantly, unlike these earlier films, Harry is less a sweet kid trapped in a man's body--and just another physical comedian. As a result, it's not particularly inspired and is not a good example of his work.
The film begins with Langdon being given a dollar by a Salvation Army worker so he can get lunch. Langdon wanders into a bar offering a free lunch with a beer. However, the folks in the bar are jerks and spend a lot of time pushing him around--particularly the often-seen Vernon Dent (who was in many, many Langdon films). Oddly, there is also a boxing ring in the place and through some cheating, Langdon knocks out the resident champ and Dent--now everyone has new-found respect for him.
The problem here is timing and pace. Unlike his earlier films, this one seems more rushed and contrived. More importantly, unlike these earlier films, Harry is less a sweet kid trapped in a man's body--and just another physical comedian. As a result, it's not particularly inspired and is not a good example of his work.