A Sea Dog's Tale

Polynesian princess Madeline Hurlock spots a picture of Billy Bevan in a newspaper, so daddy Andy Clyde sends Vernon Dent to fetch him from the Midwest, pursued by Billy's landlady/fiancée Patsy O'Byrne.

This Sennett short from the late silent era is filled out with gags that place civilized bits in a primitive setting. The natives eat spaghetti; Billy puts out a fire with a modern -- for 1926 -- fire extinguisher and escapes from the deadly fish of the briny deep by opening a tin of sardines.

The proceedings are enlivened by the apposite titles of Al Giebler. By this time the writing of lively titles -- called "art titles" had reached their peak. The men and women who could write them briefly and amusingly were as highly paid as any of the specialists in the field. Giebler, who had begun as a writer of scenarios a dozen years earlier would return to that specialty in the sound era.

Over all, a typically good Sennett film from the era.