The Manicure Lady

It's fairly typical flirting in this comedy, as pretty Vivian Prescott is torn between Eddie Dillon (who would take over the Biograph comedy unit after Sennett departed for Keystone) and unhappy barber Mack Sennett, who can't compete on those terms with a rich dude, at least until he rescues her from the clutches of the dastardly fellow and his chauffeured car. Sennett tosses Dillon and his driver out and slips a ring on the lady's finger.

Sennett's Biographs are much more naturalistic and restrained than his work at Keystone. Part may have been that his wild slapstick may have been tough to get by the bosses -- even though Griffith directed THE CURTAIN POLE from Sennett's script in 1908 -- but I suspect had more to do with the wardrobe department. A clown, ran the understandings of the time, had to look bizarre, and given that they were costuming the cast from the same department as Griffith, they wore normal clothes in which people looked good. Decent for 1911 but not a patch on what Sennett would produce on his own.

Mack Sennett, known later for his Keystone Cops, began as an actor before turning director, starting at Biograph Studios in 1908. Sennett, who had been acting in numerous D.W. Griffith- directed movies, had some experience managing burlesque shows before delving into film. Griffith recognized Sennett's potential behind the camera by the numerous questions Mack asked to him and his cameraman. Since Griffith hated directing comedies and saw Sennett's knack for comedic acting, he asked Mack to direct some light-hearted films the studio had assigned him.

One of Sennett's earliest directed films for Biograph was May 1911's "The Manicure Lady." The viewer today can instantly recognize Sennett's innate ability to frame the shots with comedic elements in mind. Here, the barber (Sennett) is madly in love with his new manicurist. Both are situated opposite sides of the frame while working in the barbershop. This creates a tension between the flirtatious manicurist who warms up to her male customers and the jealous barber who gives scant attention to his clients.

Also, Sennett was familiar with Griffith's cross-cutting techniques, establishing the contrast between the two while eating lunch at separate locations. One can appreciate the potentiality of Sennett's comedic genius here as he begins to understand the intricacies of film direction.

Viewers of early Biograph Studio silent movies may have noticed the "AB" with a circle logo stamped on the studio's walls. AB stood for American Mutoscope and Biograph Company. Biograph made sure to place the logo throughout the movie in prominent places. It did this for a reason. Despite copyright laws, unscrupulous domestic, and especially international film companies would copy the movies, slap titles of their own companies' name in front of the movies and claim the films were theirs. Biograph knew these companies couldn't remove the scenes its logo appeared in. In today's digital world the logo placement serves in the same capacity as today's watermarks seen on the corner of videos and newscasts.

One of the first of nearly 300 shorts Mack Sennett would direct in his long career is a gentle comedy completely at odds with the slapsticks for which he is known. He also stars as a barber in love with the manicurist (Vivian Prescott) in his salon who only has eyes for men of money. Sennett was a better producer and director than he was an actor, and it's the barber's customers who get the biggest laughs here.

This comedy is a bit unusual because in his earliest directorial assignments for Biograph Studios, Mack Sennett not only was behind the camera but starred in the short films. Now at first sight you might not think this is Sennett, as he bore a rather strong similarity in look to the very famous French comic, Max Linder. I don't know if Sennett cultivated this look on purpose or if it was just chance.

Sennett works as a barber and he's obviously in love with the manicurist. The problem is that lots of men coming to the salon really like her and one rich guy in particular pursues her. Eventually, Sennett has had enough of watching the two of them and springs into action--leading to a pretty amazing moving shot for 1911. Not a brilliant comedy but unlike many of the day, it tells a complete story and is MUCH more plot-driven than usual and has none of the usual bonking and slapping. Worth your time.

The manicure lady (Vivian Prescott) spurns the barber (Mack Sennett) and dates a rich cad instead.

Of the early Mack Sennett films, at least those that have survived, this one is not all that interesting. I suppose it is somewhat interesting how he made a point of having leading ladies... once upon a time it was not all men in cinema. Is Vivian Prescott a big name? No. But it is still interesting.

But this is not as funny as "The Curtain Pole" or as important historically as "Dash Through the Clouds", so unless you need to see every Sennett film, you can skip it.