Jimmy Aubrey lets the kids in the alley shoot arrows at him. After he grows tired of this, he treats them like satchels to get them out of his way. A policeman shows up and he is terrified; later, disguised as a policeman, he encounters Oliver Hardy, who is in brutal mode here.

The last sequence makes some sense, but the rest of it makes me wonder how much of this picture is missing. I often feel that way about Jimmy Aubrey's starring shorts and it's not because I think large chunks are missing. I think of Aubrey as a competent performer, but more of a white-face clown than a screen comedian, someone who did funny things because they made the audience laugh, with little in the way of rhyme or reason to hook them together. He should have done better; he came out of the Karno troupe, like Chaplin and Stan Laurel (who gave him small parts in many of his movies). Later he became a bit player in hundreds of features.

The copy I saw on the National Film Preservation site had a good score by the indefatigable Ben Model and was tinted bright cherry red for the outdoor scenes and cyan for the indoor ones.

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)

Jimmy is playing William Tell in an ally with several children until a cop is shot with an arrow, starting a chase. The girl is going to be ransomed by a ruffian for her grandfathers millions and Jimmy has to step in and save the day.

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Jimmy Aubrey and Evelyn Nelson in The Backyard (1920)

Oliver Hardy and Jimmy Aubrey in The Backyard (1920)

The Backyard

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