Edgar Kennedy's short subjects made by RKO are generally hit or miss. Some are pretty good, but some are also pretty bad. Some of them are so removed from reality and lack any sort of logic or common sense on anybody's part. This one is a clear-cut example of something that is going to make viewers scratch their heads and repeatedly ask, "why?" Why is any of this happening? Why are human beings on planet earth behaving this way? I know this short is from 1933 and audience expectations weren't very high, but I don't think that's an excuse to insult their intelligence. Now when I saw this short recently, I couldn't believe how stupid, annoying and just plain baffling it was.
So, let's set the scene: Edgar has turned artist, as evidenced by the picture he drew that he's hanging on the door. Okay, I'm no Picasso myself, but it looks like something a 5-year-old would draw, and I guess he's hanging it on the front door because there's no room on the fridge? No, it's to set up a scene of Florence, Brother and Mother in-law opening the door in face and him getting the still-wet ink plastered on his forehead. Didn't see that one coming. So Florence, the tittering dingbat has a letter for Edgar, which she already opened and read. It seems Edgar won an art contest. He designed the "Before" model for a weight reduction firm. Yes, you can go from a fat cartoon to a slim live-action human, in 12 easy steps. Edgar also got a decent sized check: three whole dollars! Regardless of the small monetary prize, Edgar is pleased that his art has finally been appreciated, and wants to spend some time in the country. Maybe the exposure to nature, wildlife and lovely fragrances will inspire him to make his next masterpiece. But, of course, his family insists on going to Greenwich Village instead. Edgar argues for the country, the family argues for Greenwich Village... don't fight it, Edgar, we all know where you're going.
They rent a crummy loft in Greenwich Village, and while Edgar is trying to get some inspiration, a prissy artist barges in and exchanges smocks and hats with him. Hi, Franklin Pangborn. You may remember him as the landlord in Next-Door Neighbor, the short that kind of launched this Average Man series. He plays a less aggressive character here, but still annoying nonetheless. While that's going on, Florence calls the grocery store to send over some food, but for some reason the guy on the phone can't spell milk. Is that funny? No. Then Edgar gets his thumb stuck in his paint palette and decides to move to a quieter section of the loft. Before any inspiration can hit, he's called out for lunch, which he vehemently refuses. Then Brother barges in and steals his canvas to lure him out. Edgar shouts about not wanting lunch, when suddenly, the loft becomes overrun by freeloaders! Man, I've heard of starving artists, but this...? Frank Pangborn starts an impromptu party, and suggests Edgar being locked in a room by himself until he can finish the painting. So, they decide to try that. Florence gives him an apple and a bottle of milk, then locks him in the attic. Okay, good, no more distractions. Though, for some reason, the dog got locked in there too. Who's dog is that? I'm guessing it's Pangborn's, but he never says anything about it. Anyway, Edgar sets about painting the apple, as basically and simply as he possibly can. Wow, all that trouble just to draw an apple? But just as he finishes, some jerk opens the window and steals the apple? What?! What was that all about? How did he even know it was in there? Instead of shouting at him, Edgar then tries to paint the milk bottle, only a second jerk comes along and swipes that too. What the hell is that about?! Who are those two creeps and why are they so cocky with stealing Edgar's props? And why doesn't spineless Edgar do something about it?! Unfortunately, the party downstairs starts getting much louder and noisier, literally shaking the floorboards! Oh, but that's nothing compared to what happens next. I'm NOT making this up: one of the jerks who pilfered Edgar's food lights a stick of dynamite and tosses it into the attic. What is this, a Warner Bros cartoon now? That guy just wants to straight up murder Edgar??! This is so STUPID! And so are Edgar's futile attempts to get rid of the dynamite, which conveniently gets itself stuck on Edgar's wrist. It explodes, but miraculously doesn't kill him. As for the painting he created, despite all the interference, Pangborn considers it a work of art and gets it hung in a museum. To cap off our little escapade, Edgar finally gets the palette off his thumb... only to immediately get it stuck on again. The End.
I'm not going to mince words when I say I hated this film. I straight up hated it! I hated every cruel, loud, insulting and unfunny moment of this tripe. Nothing here makes any sense! WHY doesn't Edgar stand up to that horrible family of his? Why does he let everyone walk all over him? The whole idea of this film was stupid: Edgar was hardly an artist to begin with, but because one crappy piece of artwork won a contest, he wants to do another one, and he louses that up too. This was painful to watch, and I like Edgar Kennedy. I believe he was a very funny man, but alot of these RKO short subjects, like I said some are funny, but some are downright awful. Again, I know this made in 1933 and everybody associated with this film is dead, but still, 87 years later there are still people who will point out how illogical and stupid everything was. When I first saw this, I was in disbelief about how unfunny, cruel, and removed from reality it was. I do not recommend this film at all. It's terrible. If Vincent Van Gogh had to endure what Edgar went through, he probably would've cut off BOTH ears.
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