When Comedy Was King (1960) User Reviews

REALLY tough to rate,...plus, it's missing something

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 26 April 2006]

First, I must point out that it is VERY VERY hard to give a rating score to a movie that is really just a compilation film. The only original content is the mostly good narration, sound effects and music. So a good score is 100% impossible--so take my 8 with a "grain of salt".

Second, while I loved watching this film, it makes a serious omission. It talks about the "3 great comics" but never even mentions Harold Lloyd--who, for a while, was the highest paid and most popular comic alive. The problem was that when the movie was made, Lloyd retained ownership of his films and Robert Youngson (who created this film) couldn't show Lloyd clips. While I do understand this, it was a great disservice to Lloyd and probably contributed to his being forgotten for many years. A discussion of slapstick without mentioning Lloyd is akin to doing the same and not mentioning Keton or Chaplin--it just isn't right.

However, despite this, the clips chosen were very funny and well worth seeing. In particular, I loved the Snub Pollard clip with his amazing car!! I use this film for my history classes, as it's a great introduction to slapstick American comedy.

Excellent primer to the silent comedians

[dbborroughs · 8/10 · 6 July 2009]

This is one of Robert Youngson's compilation features from the early 1960's. Youngson took clips from the silent slapstick films and spliced them together in a nostalgic look back at comedy of yester year. Youngson turned out a good number of these films and they all work to varying degrees. Broad spectrum look at the comedy of silent days is an excellent look at the early days of comedy with looks at Chaplin, Keaton, Laurel and Hardy, Snub Pollard (in the influential Its a Gift) and others. While not necessarily the best work of all of the performers, Chaplin has mostly his early Sennett stuff, which shows off why he was a star but isn't the funniest stuff he ever did, Keatons's Cops is cut up and while it is a really funny film, it may not be his best work either. Then again they are actually the things I would probably show someone to begin to foster a love of silent comedy. I like this film a great deal and consider it probably Youngston's second best film after Days of Thrills and Laughter. Definitely worth a a look

Another good one from Youngson

[girvsjoint · 8/10 · 10 March 2019]

The second of the great silent comedy compilations put together by Robert Youngson, this one unlike the first 'The Golden Age of Comedy' has Chaplin & Keaton in it, something a lot of people criticised the first one for, however, I still find the first one the best of the two. Laurel & Hardy finish this film on a high note with clips from their great 'Big Business' short. Again, I find the hilarious sound effects and commentary add greatly to the enjoyment! Some say they'd rather see the complete shorts, but to me they cut out all the dull bits and get right to the parts that made them great! Either way, a great night of entertainment that blows anything on television away!

hilarious feature doco

[ptb-8 · 9/10 · 3 April 2004]

Really astonishing feature length footage of the greatest silent comedy stars and the stunt films that thrilled millions, all lovingly set in a nickelodeon and chapters for each personality and type of film. The voice over is the 'radio with pictures' type that suits and I guess seems like the Joe MacDoakes shorts or some inventor- cartoon narrator. The scenes are hilarious and exciting and reveal a rich heritage of silent movie history and the recognizable stars that made them justly famous. Each sequence is different and equally terrific. The Harry Langdon maid in the kitchen clip is fall down funny; My personal favorite is the awesome train stunt with Gloria Swanson tied to the tracks which had me screaming.

The clowns of silent era

[Petey-10 · 24 November 2000]

Robert Youngson's movie When Comedy Was King from 1960 shows us some great clips from the silent era.It is narrated by Dwight Weist.You can laugh with Charles Chaplin, Charley Chase, Harry Langdon, Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, Ben Turpin, Billy Bevan, Snub Pollard, Buster Keaton and lots of others.Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy cause trouble to Jimmy Finlayson in Big Business (1929).In Hal Roach comedy A Pair of Tights (1929) Marion Byron is sent to get some ice cream while Edgar Kennedy and the gang waits in the car. Getting ice cream hasn't ever been as hard as it is to Marion Byron in this funny clip. When Comedy Was King offers you lots of laughter with these clowns of silent comedy.These clowns have been long gone and there will never be comedians like them again.

A great introduction to some lesser-known silent classics

[Scrooge-3 · 9/10 · 11 February 1999]

This film documents a wide range of silent classics with clips from Keystone comedies made by Charlie Chaplin in 1914 through Charley Chase's Movie Night (1929), which provides the framing sequence. Highlighted performers include Fatty Arbuckle in Fatty and Mabel Adrift (1916), Harry Langdon in The First 100 Years (1924), and Laurel & Hardy in Big Business (1929). Other featured performers include Gloria Swanson, Snub Pollard, Anita Garvin & Marion Byron, Buster Keaton, Ben Turpin, and Billy Bevan. The narration is a bit incessant, but educational.

A Nostalgic Look Back At Slapstick Comedy From Yesteryear

[StrictlyConfidential · 7/10 · 2 June 2020]

If you enjoy watching silent-era, slapstick comedy films, then, you're in for some real good laughs while viewing "When Comedy Was King".

Produced by Robert Youngson - This 80-minute anthology documentary is a nostalgic tribute to the long-gone era of the sight gag where actions always spoke louder than words.

Featuring such well-known performers as the Keystone Cops, Ben Turpin, Buster Keaton, and Laurel & Hardy - The contents of this entertaining disc also includes 3 bonus shorts for your added viewing pleasure.

Comedy Was Indeed King

[kirbylee70-599-526179 · 9/10 · 8 April 2017]

In the world we know today comedy means something far different than it did years ago. Today's comedies reply in innuendo, foul language and the crudest of humor possible. It plays to the masses and those at the lowest levels to boot. That's not to say it can't be funny but it relies far too much on the lowest common denominator. But there was a time when subtlety ruled, when sight gags were the funniest thing around and when comedy was indeed king. So what better movie title to showcase this than WHEN COMEDY WAS KING? I was familiar with the name Kit Parker from my college days, a time when his company was just starting out. At that time his company handled a number of 16mm films for rental, most of them classics from the golden days of Hollywood. By classics I'm not talking huge budgeted studio features, the studios had the rights to those. But Parker made a name for himself and his company by offering great old films at decent rental prices. When video and then DVD rolled around he transferred those films and continues to market them.

That's how we get to this film. It's a compilation film of sorts showcases some of the biggest names in comedy from the silent film era. With a centerpiece to hold it all together we start off with comedian Charley Chase taking his family to the theater with comedic results. On the screen we are periodically introduced to the other performers featured here. Names like Fatty Arbuckle, Charlie Chaplin, Ben Turpin, Buster Keaton and Laurel and Hardy are those predominately featured.

Here again the offerings are limited due to studio control issues but we get a great glimpse of what they offered in this film. I for one had never seen anything starring Arbuckle and knew more about him from the scandal he was involved in. It was great to have the opportunity to see him perform.

The pickings for Chaplin are scant since much of his major performances came later and are still copyrighted. But those unfamiliar with his work will have the chance to see him developing the tramp character that served him well for many years to come. To think of the volume of shorts he made in the silent days leading up to that time is amazing to consider, especially since movies today take months to shoot and years to develop. Here he puts his impromptu talents to the test.

As much a fan of Chaplin as I've become the truth is I've always enjoyed Buster Keaton more. I was delighted to see that what I consider one of his best is included here. The short film COPS features Keaton in top form, acrobatically amazing viewers and playing the innocent tossed into dire circumstances once again. Once you see this film you may end up loving him as well and seeking out more by him.

Lastly in the film is the duo of Laurel and Hardy. The perennial fat man/skinny man team up began back in the silent days but truly gained popularity in the talkies years later. They were one of the few performers from the silent days to make it big when talkies began. But that talent for humor had to start somewhere and we get a glimpse of that in this short they star in.

The print quality of this film, made in 1960, is great. When you consider the source material that the original film makers had to work with it's a good thing they were able to retain those original films. Today we're hearing about the loss of thousands of film to the test of time, disintegrating in vaults and only now finding groups attempting to salvage them. The battle to save John Wayne's THE ALAMO is a perfect example, a film not near as old as you would think and rotting as we speak.

I can remember seeing parts of this offering years ago and it always brought a smile to my face. My guess is that a lot of you who remember these greats of yesteryear will enjoy this film as well. I've also found that really young kids find the humor in these films a treat as well. They haven't had the chance to become critical of movies not in color or with soundtracks. They get the fact that it's funny simply because it's funny. Start them on the right track with this and they too will know when comedy was king.

TRIBUTE TO THE FOLKS WHO INVENTED COMEDY

[tcchelsey · 10/10 · 4 November 2023]

Oscar winner Robert Youngson actually got his start at Warner Brothers in the 1940s producing sports short subjects. He latched onto a terrific idea as this lead to award winning short movies about crazy, daredevil stunts tied to silent movies, particularly comedy.

The rest is history.

This is one of the earliest film documentaries on silent screen comedy icons, although some graduated to sound films with even greater success. However, Youngson clearly wanted to accentuate the golden era of screen comedians, via a series of historical clips which are outstanding.

More over, this film was instrumental in pushing for the preservation of silent movies. Many old films, dating back to the teens when this documentary was produced, were in need of remastering or had simply deteriorated to the point where they could not be saved. As much as this was a labor of love, this film made history itself.

Best of the best, and not surprising, are priceless clips of Charlie Chaplin, the outrageous Keystone Cops and Buster Keaton. Honorable mention to the early days of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, whose silent films were a prelude to their classic sound films.

Never to forget the great Fatty Arbuckle and his insane complications with pretty Mabel Normand. Fatty and Mable were the first screen male and female comedy team, and they shine.

The gang's all here, and you'll want to see this one again.

Remastered on dvd and blu ray for film completists and all us big kids who grew up on this stuff.

Good Start

[Michael_Elliott · 27 February 2008]

When Comedy Was King (1960)

*** (out of 4)

Robert Youngson "documentary" showing various clips from the silent era including performers such as Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, Charles Chaplin, Buster Keaton, The Keystone Cops, Laurel and Hardy, Edgar Kennedy, Gloria Swanson, Harry Langdon, Mabel Normand among various others. The film is a good way for newbies to see these legends in their prime but for me it's rather frustrating because I'd rather be watching the entire films rather than just little clips. I also always have a problem with these sorts of things because the clips are never as funny as they are in the entire movie. Either way, a decent doc that shows how great these guys were.

Enjoyable Compilation That Would Also Be a Good Introduction to Silent Comedy

[Snow Leopard · 11 February 2005]

This enjoyable compilation of footage from an assortment of well-known silent comedies is fun to watch, and it brings back the feel of an era well worth remembering. It would also work as a good introduction to silent comedy for anyone curious about the era. The narration works well enough for the most part, taking an obviously admiring tone, while trying to convey a feel for the era as well as providing some information.

The silent movie years produced a great many fine, talented screen comedians, each of whom had his or her own particular style. Although it would not be possible to do justice to all of them - or even to mention every worthwhile comic of the era - in a single feature, this collection still does a good job of introducing several of the best-known comedians in some features that illustrate their styles and abilities.

Many silent film fans will already have seen most or all of the features that this compilation highlights, but even so, it can be very enjoyable to see these clips from some of the fine classics of the era, plus footage from some comics who were a cut below the best of their time, but who are still worth remembering.

For those less familiar with silent comedy, the selections provide a look at a fair number of the favorite performers of the era. It would be easy to suggest some other stars who would have been very worthy inclusions (Harold Lloyd, for example), but what there is here certainly provides some good examples. Several of the features chosen are from very funny movies that are worth seeing in their entirety if you have enjoyed the highlights.