In 1914, Charlie Chaplin began his film career and was almost instantly a big star with Keystone Pictures. So, it's not at all surprising that the studio would also try out Charlie's half-brother, Syd, as he, too, had a long career on stage as a comic. Of the almost three dozen films he made, many were as the character 'Reggie Gussle'...the term 'gussle', which means an idiot. This character wasn't much like Charlie's Little Tramp, though his outfits and getup were also pretty outrageous. Gussle had a funny mustache, an ill-fitting jacket, a dopey hat and slicked back hair...and looked a lot like Harold Lloyd's later character, Lonesome Luke. But Gussle never really caught on with theater audiences and Syd later tried other film roles after making about ten of these films.
The plot, such as it is, finds Gussle out west (it was filmed in Big Bear Valley...a lovely mountainous region due east of Los Angeles). There he goes mountain climbing with some others. While there is no reason for it other than it's slapstick, there's bonking, kicking and, most importantly, people shooting guns like crazy. Most of it simply isn't funny in the least....and the film wastes a nice location with few laughs.
By the way, originally this was to be a longer film and was instead split into two films..."Gussle's Backward Way" and "Gussle Tied to Trouble".
The plot, such as it is, finds Gussle out west (it was filmed in Big Bear Valley...a lovely mountainous region due east of Los Angeles). There he goes mountain climbing with some others. While there is no reason for it other than it's slapstick, there's bonking, kicking and, most importantly, people shooting guns like crazy. Most of it simply isn't funny in the least....and the film wastes a nice location with few laughs.
By the way, originally this was to be a longer film and was instead split into two films..."Gussle's Backward Way" and "Gussle Tied to Trouble".