Mr. Benchley delivers a brief lecture on Civics, or something

Whether or not you're registered to vote in the 8th District you might want to listen to this stirring campaign address, as you'll surely learn a lot about the Grounds Water Dam project so crucial to the forthcoming election. Unfortunately Mr. Murney couldn't attend in person, but he's sent his personal assistant Robert Benchley to explain it all for you. (Maybe it's just as well for him that Mr. Murney is too ill to see this.) Happily, Mr. Benchley has brought along a list of figures and an illustrated chart to help make things less clear -- which he does with spectacular success, I might add.

Fans of Benchley's nonsense lectures will enjoy this entry, as How to Vote presents the great humorist at the peak of his powers. From the moment he steps up to address the audience he is stumbling over his words, launching into a joke he never finishes and questioning whether "our" candidate will actually win the election. His chart, a confused map of Odney County where the proposed fake dam will be built (the real one, we're told, will be hidden under some bushes), is a riot of nonsensical notations, pointless digressions, and helpful labels such as Proposed Post Office, Mens' Locker Room, Place to Leave Bicycles, and Possible Indians. Oh, and there's that captive balloon he was telling you about!

This is an amusing short for the campaign season or any other time, and it makes as much sense as many actual political speeches. Better still, it's shorter than most.

The satire subgenre uses humor, irony, exaggeration, and parody to critique and comment on various aspects of society, culture, politics, institutions, and human behavior. Satires aim to provoke thought, highlight absurdities, and expose hypocrisy by presenting familiar situations in a distorted or exaggerated manner. They entertain while also providing social commentary and encouraging viewers to reflect on the subjects being criticized.

Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

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)

A candidate has laryngitis, so his assistant must make a speech in his place. Both the speaker and his audience are soon befuddled.

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Robert Benchley, Hobart Cavanaugh, and Esther Dale in How to Sub-Let (1939)

Edward Arnold, Cy Endfield, Vicky Lane, Stephen McNally, and Esther Williams in Inflation (1943)

Sterling Hayden, Gloria Grahame, and Gene Barry in Naked Alibi (1954)

Spencer Tracy, Katharine Alexander, and Valli Roberts in The Hard Guy (1930)

Robert Benchley in How to Train a Dog (1936)

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