Served Hot

This Cameo Comedy from 1929 -- the Cameos were produced by Jack White, one of the leading comedy shorts producers of the 1920, and were single-reelers, as opposed to the ones that used his name -- was produced in the last year that producers turns out silent comedies and there is a certain poverty to it. Because of the shortness of this one, there is little in the way of structure or elaboration. This is typical of the length. But it's not particularly interesting, because you can see the payoff even as the set-up for the gag begins. There is nothing to distract the experienced silent-comedy fan.

This comedy stars Cliff Bowes, a man who parlayed his abilities as a trick diver into a comedy lead career int he late 1920s. He does a particular fall twice in this movie, falling over a satchel that comes up to his shins that I do not recall. How Mr. Bowes' career might have prospered or failed in the sound era is something that no one can say, for he died five months after this movie was released.