This is a great silent film series, as regulars will recall. Saturday’s (11/10/12) two films were both from 1925 and both were circus themed, in part because the Big Apple Circus is currently in residence at the Lincoln Center plaza. The film series takes place at the Lincoln Center Library for the Performing Arts. Alas, this is their last installment until March 2013.
So on to the films. The short was Remember When? followed by The Live Wire. Both were very funny, and (as usual) Ben Model did one heck of a job with the live piano accompaniment. Remember When? begins with young Harry (Harry Langdon—well, as the grown-up Harry) bidding a fond farewell to Rosemary (Natalie Kingston—well, the grown-up Rosemary), since Rosemary’s mom is moving them away. But Rosemary’s mom gives Harry a locket with Rosemary’s photo in it. Harry is an orphan, who decides that there’s no reason to stick around the orphanage. He packs up his little bundle of stuff, ties it to a stick and heads off into the great big world. When we next see Harry, he’s had many miles under his feet. Yep, he’s a hobo.
He hooks up with other hobos who really want nothing to do with him. He becomes a chicken thief (Harry getting the chickens to jump into his coat is some pretty funny stuff), and (after being caught) manages to lose his hobo bundle and mistakenly acquire a beehive on his hobo stick. Mayhem ensues, including Harry doing wild gymnastics as a result of bee stings and being hired by a traveling circus. In trying to fit in with the other roustabouts, Harry (aided by Anna May, the elephant) end up moving trunks (get it?) to where the bearded lady is preparing. She’s wistful, since she realizes that the circus is playing right across from Harry’s old orphanage. (Psst! She’s Rosemary!) Curious, she sends a note, via Harry, to the orphanage. He, being already smitten with her, does not deliver it, but returns with a note saying that he is Harry. The bearded lady is revealed as Rosemary, realizes that Harry is Harry, and THE END.
In The Live Wire, Johnny Hines plays a specialized performer, whose “act” is sliding down a wire upside down, on his head (with the use of a cap designed just for that purpose). While playing a certain city, he is smitten with a girl in the audience (played by Flora Finch) who gives him a souvenir balloon with the name of the city on it. Alas, he’s unable to continue the act due to a nagging neck injury, so he and his sidekick, “Sawdust,” hit the roads. Well actually the rails, hobo style. Meanwhile, the “girl” and a guy who wants to be her beau (in order to take control of her father’s electric company—boo, hiss!) come to an agreement about wiring up an amusement park with electric lights. Papa gives daughter one half of the stock certificates (to keep control in the family) which doesn’t please the beau. So the beau begins sabotaging the electric works for the grand opening of the amusement park.
At this point, our hero and “Sawdust” show up in town, our hero remembers the name because he still has the balloon, recognizes the girl, finds out about the nefarious doings of the beau and organizes his old circus friends to make sure that all of the electrics can be fully functioning. (Did everyone follow that?!?) Our hero sets up a signal that on his first whistle, the lights will go on. At the second whistle, they’ll go off. Of course, the only way to ensure that the lights even can go on is our hero strapping on his old circus hat and once more sliding down the wire to complete the circuitry. He does! He whistles! Lights go on! She finally realizes who he is! He whistles! They kiss! Afterwards, our hero is offered some of Papa’s stock certificates. In order to keep control in the family, he proposes, she accepts and all (except the nefarious beau) are set for happily ever after!
ConcertMeister
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