SilentComedyMafia.com

Here's a look at Bert Williams second Biograph Comedy, released November 20, 1916, ignore the awful score:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_YtUJoHWz0

The notes say this is a rare film in any form, I actually own two different prints of it, one is the rough-cut version, assembled in shot order, but only showing numbered slates where intertitles should be, the second is a fully-intertitled print (one of the im(dum)b reviewers says the intertitles do not exist in any form, also wrong).


RICHARD M ROBERTS

Is your copy more complete? The Youtube version leaves out the key scene: i.e., what happens to the fish after Bert shows it to the white guy for the second time and his own family catches up to him at the same moment.

Williams sure liked to take his time in his routines. Harry Langdon must have crossed paths with him on the vaudeville circuit -- wonder if Bert's slowness impressed Harry with some ideas for his own routines?

Jim

Jim Roots wrote:Is your copy more complete? The Youtube version leaves out the key scene: i.e., what happens to the fish after Bert shows it to the white guy for the second time and his own family catches up to him at the same moment.

Jim

As this Youtube version only runs eight minutes at somewhat slo-moed speed, and both my prints are full reels, I'd have to say yes, something is definitely missing.


RICHARD M ROBERTS