FUNNY FILMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 April 1922, Page 4

FUNNY FILMS.

LONDON, Feb. 10. A curious fact in regard to Charlie Chaplin and his work is that his hunioiir is essentially English, and that he has been the means of teaching all nations to laugh at our own particular brand of comedy. His jokes have close kinship with those we came to regard during the war as typical of the British soldier; hut they have little relationship to the sort of horseplay usually to be seen in American film comedies. Chaplin’s early life in the East End of London moulded his form of fun, and one may thus say that it is Cockney humour which has set both hemispheres laughing. In just the same way Bruce Bairnsfather’s humour was typically English ; and so, too, is Poy’s and Tom Webster’s. One might give many such instances, but the fact, 1 think, will ho apparent that we in this country have a droll way of looking at things which ought to be more clearly recognised as quite peculiar to ourselves. Why, then, is it that we do not turn out more farces for the screen? Ihe firm of Hepworth engaged the services of Leslie ‘'Henson, got him to play the leading part in an absolutely English farce Tailed “Alf’s Button,” and at a single throw won the out! usiastic approval of the world. Henson merely

acted according to the English idea of humour and all the world laughed. Meanwhile our American cousins turn out farce after farce lor the screen, and leave us very nearly stone cold. They work desperately hard to excite ns to laughter. They rush wildly about in comic cars, fling custard pics at one another, dash madly along - streets of their cities knocking down policemen, and so forth, and in gem nil the total result is an occasional guffaw. There are, of course, a few American farces which arc worth seeing. Those in which Harold Lloyd acts are notable, and the Christie comedies, again, are often mildly amusing. But these and a few others are exceptions. Indeed, liter? is such a scarcity of funny fib is that f see many of the old Chaplins are being reissued; and, by the way, it should be noticed in their disfavour that these old comedies have been given new titles, a fact which needs some explanation it one is to avoid the inference that this is a trick to catch the public.

Here, then, is a fine field for British enterprise. Good farces arc badly needed to lighten the usual programmes at Hie kinema theatres; and here in this country, and especially in London, we have the drollest sense of humour in the whole world, a kind of humour which no other country can imitate.

I have seen two or three Swedish farces lately. They are dreary in the extreme; and I am told that German attempts to he funny on the screen are even worse. French comedians, likewise, add little to our mirth, and Italians nothing at all. Only our own people have it in them to touch a note i f humour which is international, like that touched by Charlie Chaplin and Leslie Henson, hi this sphere wc can heat America every time if only we apply our brains to it.