Having only seen a couple of Keystone Kops comedies, I hadn't realized what a gifted comedic actor Ford Sterling was before seeing this movie. He's great as the loud mouthed, pompous, lying braggart Aubrey Piper. For some inexplicable reason, the much younger and beautiful Amy Fisher (Lois Wilson) falls in love with and marries him. Piper pretends to be a railroad executive when in fact he's a lowly crook. His colleagues laugh behind his back, calling him "Carnation" Charlie for the airs he puts on. But Amy loves and supports him even though her family and every one else finds him obnoxious. There's a great scene where Aubrey explains in gestures how an automobile accident happened - no title cards, yet it was perfectly understandable and amusing. Also top notch and funny was the court room scene. In spite of all logic, Aubrey actually saves the family from financial ruin (but he was the one who got them into the financial mess in the first place). It's unlikely that Aubrey learned anything positive from this near disaster and he probably becomes even more of a braggart. Poor Amy. As Ma Fisher so aptly puts it in the last title card line: "Heaven help me from now on!" Highly recommended.
Review of The Show-Off
