Charles Murray is having trouble with his in-the-park flirting, so he goes to see a 'Trouble Mender'. The answer to his problem is obvious: the trouble mender -- a man who spends his time moving through sliding panels, materializing hillbilly henchmen and himself -- will kill him. No more life, no more problems! But then Phyllis Allen throws over the other fellow....
Although Keystone arguably had the best editing in the business at this point -- the rescue in BARNEY OLDFIELD'S RACE FOR A LIFE is still a gasper more than ninety years later -- there had been nothing like these comic materializations before: straight out of Melies pictures, meant to astonish, these effects, including in-camera multiple exposure, were as good as anyone in the business, and probably the first time they were ever done for straight comedy. They make this a fine comedy in 2006.
Although Keystone arguably had the best editing in the business at this point -- the rescue in BARNEY OLDFIELD'S RACE FOR A LIFE is still a gasper more than ninety years later -- there had been nothing like these comic materializations before: straight out of Melies pictures, meant to astonish, these effects, including in-camera multiple exposure, were as good as anyone in the business, and probably the first time they were ever done for straight comedy. They make this a fine comedy in 2006.
