Review of Two Knights of Vaudeville

The slapstick nature of the two male black actors doesn't lend itself to a positive portrayal of blacks in general, and for that reason the short film drew it's fair share of criticism back in the day from the community it sought to represent. Stuff that Fatty Arbuckle and Buster Keaton could have handily gotten away with simply didn't work here, compounded by the fact that the gyrations of the principals in question were exaggeratedly over the top and moronic. In an attempt to put on their own show, the men who were kicked out of the theater for their antics attempted to mimic some of the acts they witnessed earlier, but turned out to be total buffoons. Misspellings galore on signs promoting their show also contributed to the perception that blacks weren't all that bright, even if they were 'too famuz akterz'. Mercifully short, the finale of the film ends with their acrobatic act descending into chaos. This may be of value to historians for it's early attempt to feature black players in film, and though it might have seemed inspirational for the principals, the effort got wasted on a less than appreciative public.