Saturday, February 23, 2013

The Big Show - 1923


Country: United States
Director: Robert F. McGowan
Writers: Hal Roach, H.M. Walker (titles)
Stars: Roy Brooks, Joe Cobb, Jackie Condon
Release Date: 25 February 1923 (USA)
Production Co: Hal Roach Studios
Runtime: 20 min
Sound Mix: Silent
Color: Black and White
Plot Keywords: Children | Our Gang | Actor Shares First Name With Character
Genres: Comedy | Short | Family
The gang creates its own makeshift county fair, highlighted by a "movie," which is really a clever stage performance.  
Trivia
The story involves the Rascals performing in a make-believe movie theater where they imitate Charles Chaplin, Harold Lloyd, Douglas Fairbanks, William S. Hart, Uncle Tom and the security guard character played by 'Gilbert, Dick'. The Chaplin imitation includes a gag repeated from Shoulder Arms wherein The Little Tramp disguises himself as a tree. The Fairbanks imitation (courtesy of Mickey Daniels) specifically refers to The Three Musketeers. The Lloyd imitation borrows from Grandma's Boy.
The make-believe movie theater sports a real movie poster, which advertises Chaplin's The Idle Class
As in other early Hal Roach Rascals shorts, the Farina character is a girl.

No comments:

Post a Comment