For it's time, 1912, this silent does a better job story telling than many films. John Bunny, a large comedian who would die in 1915 is the star of this film.
The story involves his addiction to poker & the fact he is on a major losing streak. After his latest loss his wife, Flora Finch, is extremely upset with him as he comes home broke except for a little money he borrows from another player after his loss. He swears to her he is giving up poker.
The next time he wants to play, he gets one of his friends to write a note that he is going to a meeting of a group to help him quit. He goes to his "meeting" & continues his losing streak. His wife then gets wise to what he is up to. She calls a cousin who involves a church group to go to the address where the poker game is.
In a real prelude to Mack Sennett's Keystone Cops, the mens group goes to a costume store & dress up as Cops before they go to break up the poker game. At the game, John Bunny has finally broken his losing streak & is way ahead until the phony cops come in & break up the game. The wives of all the players come in behind the cops & this is where it all ends as John's winnings wind up on the floor when the table is over turned.
This one is a more complicated story for an early comedy film & makes a bit of a social statement about the evil of poker.
The story involves his addiction to poker & the fact he is on a major losing streak. After his latest loss his wife, Flora Finch, is extremely upset with him as he comes home broke except for a little money he borrows from another player after his loss. He swears to her he is giving up poker.
The next time he wants to play, he gets one of his friends to write a note that he is going to a meeting of a group to help him quit. He goes to his "meeting" & continues his losing streak. His wife then gets wise to what he is up to. She calls a cousin who involves a church group to go to the address where the poker game is.
In a real prelude to Mack Sennett's Keystone Cops, the mens group goes to a costume store & dress up as Cops before they go to break up the poker game. At the game, John Bunny has finally broken his losing streak & is way ahead until the phony cops come in & break up the game. The wives of all the players come in behind the cops & this is where it all ends as John's winnings wind up on the floor when the table is over turned.
This one is a more complicated story for an early comedy film & makes a bit of a social statement about the evil of poker.