PLAY SAFE and MODERN TIMES similarities

[Ed Watz]

Dave Glass’ restoration of Monty Banks’ delightful PLAY SAFE on the new D&D Blu-Ray set gives viewers the chance to appreciate this excellent and long-overlooked comedian in one of his best feature length films. Monty is a fine comic with a winning personality: he's excellent at slapstick knockabout, handles situational comedy equally well, excels at subtle pantomime, and adroitly handles daring physical stunt work. His features like this one and ATTA BOY (also on the set) deserve to be seen and enjoyed as much as the features of his contemporaries Chaplin, Keaton, Lloyd, and Langdon. Monty may not be in their league but he’s every bit as engaging a personality, and these films are a sheer delight.

In PLAY SAFE, with its breathtaking runaway train climax, Monty’s performance struck me as his most sympathetic and Chaplinesque - the downtrodden little guy who beats the odds and eventually comes out on top. Watching the film a second time, I noticed a number of similarities to Chaplin’s later MODERN TIMES. There’s no plagiarism implied here - and both films certainly veer apart more often than they coincide. But consider these plot points:

At the start of both films, the star comedian is a humble worker in a large industrial factory.

At some point he befriends and protects an orphaned young woman who is not yet of legal age. He provides shelter for the girl and doesn’t take advantage of her situation. He’s a really nice fella.

Meanwhile authority figures are searching for the underage girl.

Losing his job at the factory, the comedian joins the ranks of the unemployed, failing miserably at his subsequent attempts to keep a job.

The authorities catch up with the young woman, but the comedian outmaneuvers them. The comic and the girl make their escape triumphantly. Both films end with the couple happily going off together.
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I can’t understand why Pathé initially passed on PLAY SAFE as it is an excellent film in every way. Thanks to Dave we can finally enjoy this particular title and a huge selection of Monty’s other silent work - Mr. Banks is forgotten no longer.

[Richard M Roberts]

Interesting post Ed, and indeed the similarities are there between the two films.

I've been enjoying this set as well and Dave's restoration of PLAY SAFE is definitely a highlight. We had run the LOC print at the 2005 Slapsticon and there were definitely some bits and pieces missing, but it still delighted the audience, and it's great now to see most of those missing bits and pieces.

The chase sequence still dazzles, there is that one long travelling shot that placed a camera (and cameraman) on a platform down to the lower right of the locomotive picking up Monty in the car chasing the train along the track (and avoiding telephone poles and other obstacles) that is just a breathtaking shot. I'm amazed that the film got so little attention at the time.

The other films on the set are a good showcase for Banks as well, ATTA BOY is a delightful feature too, and the chunks of HORSE SHOES whet ones appetite and hope that the whole thing will turn up one of these days (there was a complete print in the John Hampton Collection that unfortunately decomposed before UCLA had a chance to preserve it, but it was a 16mm home library print so there should be others out there).

The Bullseye faux-Billy West shorts are always fun, I spotted Director Charles Parrott in at least one of them disguised as a top-hatted old man.

Great job Dave!

RICHARD M ROBERTS