Sneak Easily

Thelma Todd and Zasu Pitts exhibit little of their usual chemistry in this outing of their 'Girl Friends' series for Hal Roach. I attribute some of the weakness to Gus Meins' directing, but mostly to an unsuitable script in which Thelma Todd plays a defense attorney and Zasu her housemate who has somehow snuck onto the jury and takes delight in lines like 'I knew her when.' Most of the pleasure in this short is due to James Morton's slow burns as the judge and to Billy Gilbert's over-the-top performance as the prosecuting attorney. Art Lloyd's photography is, as usual, spot on for a slapstick comedy and Billy Bletcher can be heard briefly as a police dispatcher.