After the scandal that drove him off the screen, Roscoe Arbuckle continued to work behind the camera as a director and gag constructor under the pseudonym William Goodrich. By coincidence, he directed two unrelated movies -- a short and a feature -- that were both called 'Special Delivery'. The second is a starring vehicle for the great Broadway performer Eddie Cantor. Perhaps also coincidentally, the script of the latter film is largely by one John F Goodrich, apparently not related to Arbuckle.
Despite Cantor's deft performance, a fine script and excellent direction, 'Special Delivery' made only a modest profit at the time of its original release (Cantor claimed it was a flop), and the film has lain in neglect ever since. I'm pleased to report that Cantor's grandson Brian Gari has carefully preserved a print of the film and is now (as I write this) about to release it on DVD. See it as soon as you can! (Full disclosure: I've worked with Mr Gari; I was on the staff of his press agent Henry Luhrman during the Broadway run of Brian Gari's musical 'Late Nite Comic'.)
Cantor had previously starred in a film version of his Broadway hit 'Kid Boots', but that film (while enjoyable) featured an unlikely climactic sequence that radically differed from the stage version. According to Cantor's ghost-written autobiography 'My Life Is in Your Hands', he attempted to insert some pathos and gentle humour into the script of 'Special Delivery', but was overruled by studio executives who wanted slapstick comedy. Somewhat more plausible is Cantor's other claim about this film: that its plot line originally involved a mail robbery, but the federal government insisted that this be removed so as not to encourage real robberies. In mid-production, much of the film had to be scrapped and re-shot to accommodate this major plot change.
Cantor's character here is named Eddie, as usual. Less predictably, his character's full name is Eddie Beagle: an odd decision by the scriptwriter, since Cantor's comical face doesn't remotely resemble a beagle's. Eddie's father John Beagle (a fine performance by Louis Stern) has had a long successful career as a postal inspector and Secret Service agent, but Eddie shows little chance of success. His father gets him a job as a lowly mail carrier. Eddie takes a personal interest in everyone on his postal route, especially pretty Madge, whose waitress job -- at a diner called the Dutch Lunch -- requires her to dress up in a Dutch-girl cozzie. (Actress Jobyna Ralston looks very fetching indeed in this outfit.) But Madge has two other admirers who are regular customers at her lunch counter: policeman Flanagan and fireman Hannigan.
Madge ends up getting involved with Harold Jones, a suave and successful stockbroker (the excellent William Powell). We soon learn something that she doesn't know: Harold Jones is actually Blackie Morgan, convicted stock swindler. There's a $20,000 reward for his capture. When Eddie learns the truth, we see an exciting fight scene between Cantor's stunt double and Powell's stunt double: the only flaw here is that the doubling is so very obvious.
Since this is a silent film, depriving Cantor of his distinctive voice and vocal tricks, it's interesting that he so successfully portrays the same gormless naff character he played so well in Goldwyn's musicals of the early 1930s. Fans of Cantor's talkies will have no difficulty 'hearing' his voice in this silent comedy. When Powell asks him 'What are you doing here?', Cantor blithely replies 'I might be mountain climbing, but I'm not.' There are good gags throughout the film. Watch for a brief performance by midget actress Baby Doll (sister of midget actor Harry Earle) as a baby on Eddie's postal route.
The climax of the film -- in which Flanagan and Hannigan join forces with Eddie (and lend their official vehicles) to rescue Madge from Morgan's clutches -- is exciting, funny, and well-staged by director Arbuckle with some impressive deep-field photography.
I have a few theories as to why 'Special Delivery' flopped in its original release, but that's ultimately irrelevant. What matters is that this film is an utter delight, and it will soon be widely available. See it! My rating for 'Special Delivery' is 10 out of 10.
Despite Cantor's deft performance, a fine script and excellent direction, 'Special Delivery' made only a modest profit at the time of its original release (Cantor claimed it was a flop), and the film has lain in neglect ever since. I'm pleased to report that Cantor's grandson Brian Gari has carefully preserved a print of the film and is now (as I write this) about to release it on DVD. See it as soon as you can! (Full disclosure: I've worked with Mr Gari; I was on the staff of his press agent Henry Luhrman during the Broadway run of Brian Gari's musical 'Late Nite Comic'.)
Cantor had previously starred in a film version of his Broadway hit 'Kid Boots', but that film (while enjoyable) featured an unlikely climactic sequence that radically differed from the stage version. According to Cantor's ghost-written autobiography 'My Life Is in Your Hands', he attempted to insert some pathos and gentle humour into the script of 'Special Delivery', but was overruled by studio executives who wanted slapstick comedy. Somewhat more plausible is Cantor's other claim about this film: that its plot line originally involved a mail robbery, but the federal government insisted that this be removed so as not to encourage real robberies. In mid-production, much of the film had to be scrapped and re-shot to accommodate this major plot change.
Cantor's character here is named Eddie, as usual. Less predictably, his character's full name is Eddie Beagle: an odd decision by the scriptwriter, since Cantor's comical face doesn't remotely resemble a beagle's. Eddie's father John Beagle (a fine performance by Louis Stern) has had a long successful career as a postal inspector and Secret Service agent, but Eddie shows little chance of success. His father gets him a job as a lowly mail carrier. Eddie takes a personal interest in everyone on his postal route, especially pretty Madge, whose waitress job -- at a diner called the Dutch Lunch -- requires her to dress up in a Dutch-girl cozzie. (Actress Jobyna Ralston looks very fetching indeed in this outfit.) But Madge has two other admirers who are regular customers at her lunch counter: policeman Flanagan and fireman Hannigan.
Madge ends up getting involved with Harold Jones, a suave and successful stockbroker (the excellent William Powell). We soon learn something that she doesn't know: Harold Jones is actually Blackie Morgan, convicted stock swindler. There's a $20,000 reward for his capture. When Eddie learns the truth, we see an exciting fight scene between Cantor's stunt double and Powell's stunt double: the only flaw here is that the doubling is so very obvious.
Since this is a silent film, depriving Cantor of his distinctive voice and vocal tricks, it's interesting that he so successfully portrays the same gormless naff character he played so well in Goldwyn's musicals of the early 1930s. Fans of Cantor's talkies will have no difficulty 'hearing' his voice in this silent comedy. When Powell asks him 'What are you doing here?', Cantor blithely replies 'I might be mountain climbing, but I'm not.' There are good gags throughout the film. Watch for a brief performance by midget actress Baby Doll (sister of midget actor Harry Earle) as a baby on Eddie's postal route.
The climax of the film -- in which Flanagan and Hannigan join forces with Eddie (and lend their official vehicles) to rescue Madge from Morgan's clutches -- is exciting, funny, and well-staged by director Arbuckle with some impressive deep-field photography.
I have a few theories as to why 'Special Delivery' flopped in its original release, but that's ultimately irrelevant. What matters is that this film is an utter delight, and it will soon be widely available. See it! My rating for 'Special Delivery' is 10 out of 10.