"His Wife's Mistakes" is a film that is directed by Fatty Arbuckle. He also stars in it, as does his wife (Minta Durfee) and his nephew (Al St. John)....making it truly a family affair. I must admit, however, that Al isn't given much to do here except collect a paycheck.

When the story begins, Fatty is hired as a janitor though he is a complete incompetent and makes a mess of most everything. Amazingly, the boss' wife is waiting to see Mr. R. U. Stout and when Fatty arrives, she asks him if he is R. U. Stout and he thinks she's making a remark about his poundage. Soon, she invites him to lunch and they go to a very strange restaurant...and soon the boss arrives...along with his gun!

In some ways, this film is definitely a product of its times...filled with pratfalls and slapstick. By the early 1920s, silent comedies became a bit more sophisticated...with little of the mindless shooting, punching and kicking you associate with slapstick. But here, it's a film by Keystone and was when slapstick was king...so of course it will have all that. I generally don't like slapstick BUT was amazed at Fatty's ability to take a fall or tumble. However, despite being light on plot and being filled with slapstick, it also manages to have some nice moments...and Fatty is quite nice in them.

For a slapstick Keystone film, this one is really good. While I prefer some of Fatty's more plot-driven and less slapsticky films (such as his great "Mabel and Fatty Adrift"), this one is very good and is well worth seeing....even if some of the humor is really yucky! See what I mean...you'll see what I mean by yucky!

The slapstick comedy subgenre, a term that originates from a type of wooden paddle with a hinged flap that was used in early comedic performances to create slapping noises during comedic actions, is a form of physical comedy characterized by exaggerated, boisterous, and often absurd actions, situations, and physical interactions. Slapstick humor relies on visual gags, physical stunts, and exaggerated movements to create laughs.

Leslie Nielsen in The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)

The comedy genre refers to a category of entertainment that aims to amuse and entertain audiences by using humor, wit, and comedic situations. Comedies are created with the primary intention of eliciting laughter and providing lighthearted enjoyment. They encompass a wide range of styles, tones, and themes, appealing to various tastes and audiences.

Will Ferrell, Angela Grillo, and Lap-Gei Cheung in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

The short form refers to creative works characterized by their brevity and concise storytelling. Unlike full-length feature films, short films have a running time of less than 45 minutes, while TV shorts have a running time of less than 22 minutes.

Benedict Cumberbatch in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)

Roscoe Arbuckle is hired as an office building janitor. He fills in as barber, soda jerk and is mistaken for an important customer, pursued by a jealous husband.

Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle and Minta Durfee in His Wife's Mistakes (1916)

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Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle, Minta Durfee, and Al St. John in His Wife's Mistakes (1916)

His Wife's Mistakes

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