This is my all-time favorite Robert Youngson compilation!
The snippets of Laurel and Hardy (seen before, then after their screen pairing), Charley Chase, and Buster Keaton are hilarious. Charley Chase's "Limousine Love", is featured. In it, Charley, on his way to his wedding, tries to hide a naked girl who waits in the backseat of his limo for her clothes to dry (Her car overturned in the gutter as she was driving wildly). Complications follow as Charley, then later, his fellow groomsmen, try to block the (naked) girl from Charley's bride-to-be when they drive by the church. I won't say further about this scene. Viewers need to see this for themselves!
Following "Limousine Love" is my favorite: An abridged version of Buster Keaton's "Seven Chances" (1925). Youngson truly saved the best (Buster) for last! The musical accompaniment for Buster's segment during the chase is unforgettable!
I first saw this on December 26, 1982 as a teenager. I had just become a Buster Keaton fan in Spring 1981. The time was 1:00 AM on Channel 9 in New York City. In the darkness, I was transfixed to the t.v. screen -- particularly the "Chase" sequence in "Seven Chances". When it ended, and I turned in for bed at 3:00 AM, I could barely sleep! The images and music were in my head, and behind my closed eyes. I never forgot it.
At that time, I did not have a VCR. The following year, I had cried when one of my relatives who had a VCR lied promising to tape it when it showed, again -- and never did. That painful incident prompted my family to purchase a VCR. And, finally! - after a two-year hiatus, I recorded it when it re-aired in 1986. Sadly, after 1988 it never aired on television, again. Thankfully, I had taped the "Seven Chances" segment only that last time it showed.
Robert Youngson's "The Golden Age of Comedy" and "When Comedy Was King" are due to be released this Fall. "4 Clowns" also needs to be released on DVD -- real soon! When "4 Clowns" becomes available on DVD, I'll certainly pre-order my copy! For Buster Keaton and silent-comedy buffs, this is a MUST-HAVE for your collection! You won't regret it.
