This blog entry is part of my “movie year countdown”. To read more about that check out my first Spout filmblog entry.
Seven Years Bad Luck
Max Linder was a silent film maker doing physical comedy type of films similar to Chaplin and Keaton but many years before either of them. His skill at physical comedy routines rivaled both of these silent film icons, and Chaplin often referred to Linder as his professor or his teacher.
But Chaplin and Keaton were the ones to really find ultimate success. Linder started out in his native France, but didn't find too much success in the USA. It's very sad to discover these old film personalities and then subsequently discover their shocking demise. Linder and his wife made a suicide pact and unsuccessfully attempted to take their own lives once before ultimately being successful a year later. I've come across many instances of film personalities who have committed suicide in my journey through film history, but repeated attempts at a suicide pact with a spouse is pretty disturbing. It makes me think of the movie The Seventh Continent.
Anyways, after that downer, here's a bit about the movie. This is the only feature length movie of Linder's available I think. The beginning of the movie features a mirror gag that was later revised in Duck Soup and probably hundreds of other comedies in movies, television, and theatre I'm sure. Other than this, Linder's physical abilities are quite impressive and amusing, but he just isn't able to create a story or characters that are as satisfying as Chaplin. I guess it's unfair to compare him to someone so great and iconic, but it's inevitable because they were trying to achieve such similar effects. Nonetheless, the film is fun enough at times and recommended for people who can't get enough of silent era comedies.
Rating: 7/10