Pigskin Troubles (1929) User Reviews

Never heard of Born & Lawrence? I can understand why!

[planktonrules · 2/10 · 5 January 2021]

"Pigskin Troubles" is a sound short from the Vitaphone division of Warner Brothers. It stars Jack Born and Elmer Lawrence, two Vaudevillians who made three shorts for the company. I saw one of the three films, "The Country Gentlemen"....and it was terrible. Is "Pigskin Troubles" any better? Well, you've never heard of Born & Lawrence, have you...so what do you think?

While Born & Lawrence are dressed up as college football players, this really has nothing to do with the story...such a it is. Born is mute throughout and Lawrence plays a Bud Abbott-sort of guy who cheats Born out of money he found. Then, Lawrence sings "Me and My Shadow".

The humor in this one isn't funny and the song is very unprofessionally sung. All in all, I see no talent from Born (as he essentially does NOTHING and says NOTHING throughout) and Lawrence's problem is that he DOESN'T keep quiet. All in all, about as much fun as an appendectomy.

Deflating

[boblipton · 2/10 · 10 May 2011]

This awful short subject has Born and Lawrence -- I'm not sure which is which, nor do I care, so long as I never see either of them ever again -- in a poorly timed comedy act, in which they are bad football players. One is the quarterback and mute. The other comes up with poor comic excuses for his bad play, and then oppresses his partner -- it's the earliest record I've seen of the "One for you, one for me, two for you, one two for me" routine that is familiar to anyone who has ever seen the Marx Brothers or Abbott & Costello -- but while those players had great timing and reaction, this pair is blank and fumbling in their execution.

Because of the gag, it's of some minor historical interest to me, but don't waste your time.