"The Extra Girl" ** (out of ****) Lets be honest, early silent comedy and early talking comedies seem to be an all-boys club, right? Think about it. What are some of the names which stand out today? In no particular order you'd probably mention Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Laurel & Hardy, Harold Lloyd, W.C. Fields and the Marx Brothers. If you are "hip" (hip in that uncool, film geek sort of way) you might throw out Harry Langdon, "Fatty" Arbuckle and the comedy team of Wheeler & Woolsey. But no women. Well, have I got a treat for you. Perhaps the most popular comedienne of the silent era was Ms. Mabel Normand.
Mabel Normand isn't very well remembered today. Don't believe me? Go ahead, ask your friends when was the last time they saw a movie with Mabel Normand. I'll wait. Chances are they will respond with "who"? But trust me, Normand was a popular star.
She got her start not as an actress but as a model. She eventually started appearing in films not based on talent but her looks. While working at Biograph Studio she met and fell in love with an actor/director, Mr. Mack Sennett, the king of comedy. Though they had a stormy relationship, which has been written about extensively, it was because of Sennett, Normand became a star, after Sennett left Biograph to form his own studio, a comedy studio, Keystone, which became home of the Keystone Kops and the Sennett Bathing Beauties, which is what Normand started off as. But very soon Normand's comedy skills were displayed and Sennett started to make short one or two reelers around her personality.
Though I haven't seen many of Sennett's comedy shorts, they are available if you are willing to search. Normand would direct and write a few pieces herself. She actually worked with all the big stars at the Sennett lot including Charlie Chaplin. Together they wrote "Mabel's Married Life" (1914). Normand would direct and write "Mabel's Busy Day" (also 1914) and co-starred in "Tillie's Punctured Romance" (again 1914) which starred Chaplin and Marie Dressler, a another comedy draw in her day and at one time the top box-office champion.
Her career started in 1910 and from what remains "The Extra Girl" (1923) is perhaps the most popular with audiences today, her other feature films with Sennett, "Molly O'" (1921), "What Happened to Rosa" (1920) and "Head Over Heels" (1922) are no longer available. Neither are the films she made with another legendary comedy producer Hal Roach, including "Raggedy Rose" (1926), which Stan Laurel co-wrote.
Judging by "The Extra Girl" it is somewhat difficult for me to understand what made Normand appeal to audiences. Some have claimed she was as good as Chaplin, capable to do whatever he did. Because I have not seen all of her work I can't truthfully comment on this. But, if she did have such an extraordinary talent, sadly it isn't fully on display in "The Extra Girl".
The film has Normand play Sue Graham, a young carefree woman who dreams of becoming a movie star. All day she puts on performances for her childhood friend, David (Ralph Graves) and her mother (Anna Dodge). But her father (George Nichols) wants Sue to lead a normal life and get married and raise a family. He has decided she will marry Aaron Applejohn (Vernon Dent, who played the "heavy" in several two reelers opposite Harry Langdon). When Sue hears of her engagement she is upset. Such a life is not for her. Plus she doesn't love Aaron. It is only when forced into marriage both she and David realize they love each other.
After reading a movie magazine, which had an ad in it looking for fresh new faces, Sue sends a snapshot informing them everyone tells her she is a natural born actress and very beautiful. But they must respond within ten days. By then she will be married to Aaron.
Through a mix-up, which I won't spoil, the wrong snapshot is sent to the movie studio. The studio however is impressed with the photo and offer Sue a contract. Gee, if only it were that easy to brake into movies now. When Sue arrives on the studio lot she realizes the mix-up. The studio will have to let her go since she is not what they hired. After pleading to give her any job she finds one in a prop room. As she still hopes to find herself one day in front of the camera.
"The Extra Girl" reminds me of another silent comedy called "Exit Smiling". The story follows another talented comedienne Beatrice Lillie, whom I personally prefer, as a would-be stage actress in love with a leading man, who sees her as nothing more than a friend. One day she gets her chance to appear on stage. But this film was made in 1926. There is a good chance whoever got the idea to make it saw "The Extra Girl". The difference is, having seen what Sennett and Normand did in this film, writers were able to improve upon it in "Exit Smiling". Mind you, this is just my own theory.
There is no other way to get around saying this but "The Extra Girl" just doesn't have enough laughs. I can see where humor could have been injected but there are far too many missed opportunities. It is also clear to see what Normand wanted her character to be. An average looking woman, who is a bit clumsy but well meaning. The problem is unlike some of her male counterparts, Keaton or Lloyd, Normand doesn't seem to have any special comedy gifts. The humor in "The Extra Girl" is primarily what you would call "situation comedy". Normand is put in funny situations but nothing about her adds to the moment to make it even funnier. She personally is not doing much other than fully believing in the situation itself. Sometimes I don't mind that, but, even if Chaplin knows he has a funny gag, he is still personally doing something. Normand is showing the restraint of a Keaton she is just acting rather plainly.
I figured once Sue gets a job at the studio perhaps now the film would become a parody on the film business. These moments I thought would be where Normand would display her comedy prowls. But not really. There is a funny moment when she has a screen test but unintentionally makes it funny through mishaps beyond her control but the film doesn't go far enough with the material. Normand needs to let lose.
Other comedies have dealt with the film industry. Look at Chaplin's comedy "His New Job" or Harold Lloyd in "Movie Crazy". They were making fun of Hollywood. "The Extra Girl" can't even do this! There is so much potential for comedy which the film never explores.
Anyone who knows me knows of the love I have not just for comedy (my favorite film genre) but silent comedy in particular. I walked into "The Extra Girl" with high hopes. I wanted to be able to say how much I appreciate Ms. Normand's brand of comedy. I wanted to be able to say she deserves a place along side Chaplin and Keaton. If she does "The Extra Girl" doesn't show it. And that's too bad. A certain part of me still wants to tell people to see this. I'm not sure how much is available with Normand, and simply because of that fact and this is one of the few films which has be preserved I'd like you to see it just so you can say you've seen her in something. But I can't assure anyone they will enjoy this.
"The Extra Girl" needed a few rewrites. More comedy needed to be written. Another problem is whatever jokes are in the film are given to Normand, thus wasting everyone else. Dent for instance has no funny moments at all. After watching this, if I told you he could be funny, you'd think I was nuts. But watch him with Harry Langdon. "The Extra Girl" should have given all or at least more of the characters funny gags. Every attempt at humor should have been taken. Instead we are left with a film which had much potential but lives up to almost none of it. A shame.
Also worth noting is the message at the end of the film regarding a women's place in society and what is expected of her and what should give her enjoyment. I don't want to spoil anything but think about these things at the end of the film and what exactly is it telling women of the day.
Posts
