Robert Benchley was an American humourist, well-known for his work as a newspaper columnist for "Vanity Fair" and "The New Yorker." However, he also made a name for himself in Hollywood, even winning an Oscar for his 1935 short comedy film, 'How to Sleep.'
'How to Be a Detective' is an entertaining nine-minute entry into Benchley's comedic series of "How to " films, which he produced with MGM between 1935 and 1939. I'd imagine that these shorts would have played directly before a main feature, allowing the audience to settle down and get into the correct mood (it's something that I wish cinemas today did more often, but it seems that Pixar are the only people interested in doing so). In this particular short, directed by Felix E. Feist, Benchley plays an experienced private detective, who lectures the audience on the intricacies of fighting crime, such as identifying criminals, getting a confession and escorting a convicted criminal to prison.
'How to Be a Detective' is divided into distinct episodes, each building slowly towards to a single gag. With some of them, you can see the punchline coming from a mile away, but Benchley's underplayed reaction to it is always very amusing. The best gag, which actually had me laughing out loud, involved Benchley setting himself up to meet a gang of criminals who had threatened a man. After the unseen confrontation, we are unsure of the outcome of the conflict; that is, until we see Benchley bound and gagged hanging from behind the door. There's also a funny uncredited appearance from Dewey Robinson as a hardened criminal from whom Benchley is trying to get information. After bumbling his questions, the detective suddenly finds himself answering the criminal's queries, before being enticed to visit a burlesque show!
Overall, the jokes in the film aren't absolutely hilarious, but they're witty and clever enough to keep you watching, and Benchley's colourful personality is perfect for the role. For those interested, 'How to Be a Detective' can found as a special feature in the "Complete Thin Man Collection," on the DVD for the second film in the series, 'After the Thin Man.'
'How to Be a Detective' is an entertaining nine-minute entry into Benchley's comedic series of "How to " films, which he produced with MGM between 1935 and 1939. I'd imagine that these shorts would have played directly before a main feature, allowing the audience to settle down and get into the correct mood (it's something that I wish cinemas today did more often, but it seems that Pixar are the only people interested in doing so). In this particular short, directed by Felix E. Feist, Benchley plays an experienced private detective, who lectures the audience on the intricacies of fighting crime, such as identifying criminals, getting a confession and escorting a convicted criminal to prison.
'How to Be a Detective' is divided into distinct episodes, each building slowly towards to a single gag. With some of them, you can see the punchline coming from a mile away, but Benchley's underplayed reaction to it is always very amusing. The best gag, which actually had me laughing out loud, involved Benchley setting himself up to meet a gang of criminals who had threatened a man. After the unseen confrontation, we are unsure of the outcome of the conflict; that is, until we see Benchley bound and gagged hanging from behind the door. There's also a funny uncredited appearance from Dewey Robinson as a hardened criminal from whom Benchley is trying to get information. After bumbling his questions, the detective suddenly finds himself answering the criminal's queries, before being enticed to visit a burlesque show!
Overall, the jokes in the film aren't absolutely hilarious, but they're witty and clever enough to keep you watching, and Benchley's colourful personality is perfect for the role. For those interested, 'How to Be a Detective' can found as a special feature in the "Complete Thin Man Collection," on the DVD for the second film in the series, 'After the Thin Man.'
