In order to fully appreciate the work of Max Linder, or really the work of any film-maker of the same era, it could be argued that one should try to imagine what going to the movies was like at that time. This is not so say that early films cannot stand the test of time if not contextualized, for the contrary is often true; but it might help one to understand why Max Linder did not always aim for "the big laughs." Going to see Max Linder in 1913, years before TV and even radio, was not like going to the most recent Leo DeCaprio or Natalie Portman-film once a year or so. The demand for short comedies was huge, and Linder made these things fast enough for him to become almost a weekly ritual for thousands or even millions of movie-goers. In order not to look too much alike from one week to another, he had to vary his approach every now and then, though he first and foremost remained a "comedian."
In MAX FAIT DE LA PHOTO, we are not treated with that many opportunities to laugh out loud, perhaps. With this film, Linder has created more of a little drama. Having failed to snap a satisfying photograph of the ocean, Max is prepared to spend the afternoon reading today's paper instead. Then a girlfriend arrives, however, and asks if Max will join her to swim. At first he is a bit annoyed, but suddenly realizes that the girlfriend swimming out in the sea will make a good photograph. However, just as he's about to snap his shot, a skipper walks by in front of him and disturbs his view. Due to a subsequent argument between himself and the skipper, Max fails to notice that the girl has gone back to land again. Believing that a catastrophe has occurred when he finds that she's disappeared, Max nearly tears his hair loose in frustration and despair while everybody around do a search for the girl. Of course, the actual circumstances are eventually revealed, and everybody's happy; but up till that point, we witness a quite dramatic scene, far from what should classify as good-natured comedy. Even so, audiences of 1913 who since a few years back had come to love and adore their favorite comedian Max Linder, must have been very excited, as Linder executed a rather different kind of film.
MAX FAIT DE LA PHOTO may not be all that funny, and with so much being available at all times in this age of the Internet, one may struggle a bit to quite identify with how long-ago audiences eagerly anticipated every single thing Linder managed to produce. However, to me personally, and a whole lot of other silent comedy fans, anything Linder made is of interest; it's always a pleasure to see him in action. (This review has later been revised and updated, Dec. 2012)
In MAX FAIT DE LA PHOTO, we are not treated with that many opportunities to laugh out loud, perhaps. With this film, Linder has created more of a little drama. Having failed to snap a satisfying photograph of the ocean, Max is prepared to spend the afternoon reading today's paper instead. Then a girlfriend arrives, however, and asks if Max will join her to swim. At first he is a bit annoyed, but suddenly realizes that the girlfriend swimming out in the sea will make a good photograph. However, just as he's about to snap his shot, a skipper walks by in front of him and disturbs his view. Due to a subsequent argument between himself and the skipper, Max fails to notice that the girl has gone back to land again. Believing that a catastrophe has occurred when he finds that she's disappeared, Max nearly tears his hair loose in frustration and despair while everybody around do a search for the girl. Of course, the actual circumstances are eventually revealed, and everybody's happy; but up till that point, we witness a quite dramatic scene, far from what should classify as good-natured comedy. Even so, audiences of 1913 who since a few years back had come to love and adore their favorite comedian Max Linder, must have been very excited, as Linder executed a rather different kind of film.
MAX FAIT DE LA PHOTO may not be all that funny, and with so much being available at all times in this age of the Internet, one may struggle a bit to quite identify with how long-ago audiences eagerly anticipated every single thing Linder managed to produce. However, to me personally, and a whole lot of other silent comedy fans, anything Linder made is of interest; it's always a pleasure to see him in action. (This review has later been revised and updated, Dec. 2012)