Wife and Auto Trouble

The free-wheeling Mack Sennett/Keystone style works well in this lively, detailed comedy. The story elements are familiar ones, but they are used in amusing ways that get good mileage out of the material. The cast and characters avoid trying to be too fancy, letting the comedy ideas do the work.

The setup is one of the silent comedy standbys, with a husband put-upon at home by his wife, mother-in-law, and brother-in-law, and seeking romantic comfort with his secretary (who is played by Mae Busch, in one of her earlier roles). The various entanglements and disputes that arise are filmed in a spirited style, with several of Keystone's familiar comic policemen getting in on the fun during the manic closing sequence.

In a movie like this, the less controlled approach leads to good results. The director and cast seem to have a good feel for how things should go, giving it an upbeat tone and a good pace. It's also worth watching for some of the details, since there are a number of clever ones thrown in. Although there's little here that you couldn't see in numerous other comedies of the era, it's put together in a good style that makes for an amusing short feature.