The Ropin' Fool

Supported by a flimsy "love triangle" plot, wily western-geared Will Rogers (as "Ropes" Reilly) shows off his ropin' skills - for most of the twenty minute running time. The self-promoting entertainer wrote that sleepy theater-goers usually fell asleep during the third reel, so he independently wrote and produced this short. Mr. Rogers had become a sleeper of a western star, with longer films like "Honest Hutch" (1921) increasing his stature as an cowboy actor. Rogers' ropin' tricks are terrific.

When "The Ropin' Fool" premiered in New York City on November 7, 1921, Rogers was appearing in person across the street and undoubtedly encouraged live audiences to go see his on-screen antics. This film enables us to see Rogers' vaudeville routines, in slow-motion, were real; indeed, without the slow-motion photography, some would be taken for special effects. The nicely preserved film received an honorable mention in "The New York Times" annual screen best list for 1921.

****** The Ropin' Fool (11/7/21) Clarence G. Badger ~ Will Rogers, Irene Rich, John Ince, Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams

Long before Will Rogers became an American icon he was a misfit kid growing up on his father's ranch in Oklahoma. All he wanted to do was be a cowboy and his parents despaired of him. In the end he went out on his own and found his calling working Texas Jack's Wild West Show and toured the world. He got a break when Florenz Ziegfeld decided to put his rope trick act in the Follies and when he started making humorous asides a legend was born and grew. Pretty soon he dispensed with the rope.

I can't speak for Rogers's skill with a rope in comparison with other trick ropers. Still some of the rope tricks that are demonstrated by Will are very skillful indeed.

This short subject will give you an idea of what the audience at the Ziegfeld Follies saw back when Flo Ziegfeld first engaged Will Rogers.

This is a silent short film that's included as an extra on the disc for "Mr. Skitch"--a Will Rogers film from late in his career. It's an interesting contrast, seeing him back when he was just beginning in films as well as at the end.

The film is sort of like a documentary and a story combined. Generally, it was MUCH better when it simply was a documentary showing off Will Rogers' amazing talents as a trick roper. I knew this helped to make him famous--which then led to his career on radio, stage and in films as a humorist. But I had no idea that he was THAT insanely good with the rope! I truly doubt if anyone could have equaled his skills--and every trick they show is simply amazing. To help enhance the experience, the filmmakers have slowed many of the tricks down because some were just too fast to see!

As far as the story goes, it was generally unnecessary and even got in the way much of the time. Most of the time Rogers is doing these amazing tricks, the camera keeps cutting back to a patent medicine salesman who kept making jokes about them. None of these were welcome or needed and the camera bouncing back and forth from Rogers to the salesman was not enjoyable--they should have just focused on Rogers. The only exception was the ending--where the story FINALLY got funny and the film ended very well. Well worth seeing and a truly breathtaking little film.

This short novelty feature is impressive both for Will Rogers's repertoire of rope tricks and for the skill with which they were filmed. The slow motion photography looks as good as anything being done with the technique today, and the sequences themselves are certainly more interesting than the many routine ways that the technique has been used over the years.

There is a story of sorts, but it is concocted solely in order to show as many rope tricks by Rogers as possible. Yet the plot, though slight, is rather amusing in its way, and it also features some mildly creative self-references that come off well enough.

Rogers is quite a wizard with his rope, and he does a wide variety of tricks with it, using a surprising array of subjects. His live rope acts must have been very popular for a time, and this short feature offers a chance to see some of the best ones preserved on film.

The slow motion very effectively shows what is going on when the rope is whirling around, and at times it is a remarkable sight. This is what slow-motion should be used for - to let you see things that are impossible to catch at full speed. It is often tempting for film-makers to use slow motion just to slow down a shot that the director is particularly proud of, to make sure the audience catches it.

"The Ropin' Fool" is both an interesting and worthwhile use of the technology, and it would be interesting for that alone. The amazing display of specialized talent by Will Rogers makes it also worth seeing for the entertainment value.