Fatty's Tintype Tangle (1915)
In the National Film Registry
•
27m
Henpecked hubby escapes, photo sparks jealous rage, chaos ensues to clear name.
Directed by and starring the legendary Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, Fatty's Tintype Tangle (1915) breaks away from simple slapstick with a narrative structure.
Fatty, a harried husband, escapes his overbearing wife and mother-in-law. In the park, a chance encounter with another character leads to a misunderstanding captured in a tintype photograph. This sets off a chain reaction of escalating chaos, with mistaken identities and frantic chases.
The film's humor relies heavily on physical comedy, but it also experiments with editing techniques. Fast cuts heighten the frenzy as the situation spirals out of control. The climax features a now-iconic scene where Fatty bounces across a series of telephone wires – a daring stunt for the time period.
Fatty's Tintype Tangle may not be a revolutionary film, but it showcases the innovation present within the seemingly formulaic world of silent comedies. It's a testament to the evolving art form, where filmmakers were constantly testing the limits of the medium to elicit laughter.
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