This Marcel Perez comedy has a big gag at its heart: Perez plays every role: the husband out hunting, the hunter's wife, the lover she meets with while her husband is hunting, the cop who pursues the lover... Perez plays them all. This sort of sight gag was not new. Georges Melies did movies in which he appeared at several points on the screen; Buster Keaton would play everyone in the orchestra, on the stage and around the audience in THE PLAYHOUSE and Lupino Lane would cap his silent career with ONLY ME. So the techniques were available.
However, in this one, Perez interacts with himself several times. Film historian and accompanist Ben Model tells me that he does this by cutting as he turns around, and I am forced to agree, However he does it, I can't see the switch that I know is going on. That is some marvelous film making in an era when all optical effects had to be achieved in the camera.
I have to award this a good rating because of the bravura work. Otherwise it's a mixed effort that depends solely on Perez playing all the gags. However, if you have a chance, give this one a look to see if you can spot the cuts. I don't think you will.
However, in this one, Perez interacts with himself several times. Film historian and accompanist Ben Model tells me that he does this by cutting as he turns around, and I am forced to agree, However he does it, I can't see the switch that I know is going on. That is some marvelous film making in an era when all optical effects had to be achieved in the camera.
I have to award this a good rating because of the bravura work. Otherwise it's a mixed effort that depends solely on Perez playing all the gags. However, if you have a chance, give this one a look to see if you can spot the cuts. I don't think you will.