Marcel Perez, a forgotten star of the silent comedy era, is finally getting his due. Long after his untimely death in 1929, a Perez revival of sorts is currently underway. A slim but informative biography (written by film historian Steve Massa) has been published, and this coincides nicely with the release of a new DVD, one that offers a representative sampling of the man's work. The disc includes short comedies Perez produced in Europe before the First World War, back when his screen character was called "Robinet," as well as several short films made in America in later years. The Robinet films remind me of the early efforts of Max Linder: the situations are simple, the acting style is broad, and the material is sometimes crude, but even so the comedies are engaging and funny, taken for what they are. The medium of motion pictures was still new, and the sheer excitement and joy the performers must have felt in emoting for the cameras is conveyed in every frame. Marcel Perez himself is quite appealing, very much the music hall clown, and he really throws himself into his work.
This short, known as "Robinet is jealous" in English, is my favorite of the European films in the DVD collection, and that's because it displays his high-energy physicality to best advantage. The way Perez uses every part of his body reminds me of the characters in the Looney Tunes of Bob Clampett; that is, he comes off like a human cartoon figure, one that "reads" especially well. There's never any doubt as to what he's feeling, and you can easily follow his thought processes at all times.
The premise is simple. When Robinet's wife prepares to go out she's mysterious about her destination, and refuses to explain. As soon as she departs, he lunges outside and follows her. And although he makes some half-baked attempts to disguise himself (briefly donning a false beard, hiding in a delivery man's cart, etc.) it's plain that he's determined to tail her until he finds out what's happening. When he sees his wife enter a building, Robinet dashes inside, and then makes several attempts to figure out which room she has entered. And here's where he gets his comeuppance: every time he rushes into a room, ready to accuse her, he's punished. First he finds himself in a dentist's office, where he's mistaken for a patient and has a tooth pulled with much ferocity. On the next flight up, he's caught between two sparring partners who are boxing. Of course, Robinet gets caught between them, and is pummeled. Another flight up, and he's trapped in a gymnasium, where he's seized by a masseur, thrown onto a marble slab, and pummeled once more. Finally, dazed and battered, Robinet finds his wife, and discovers that his suspicions were groundless.
Individual viewers may or may not be amused by all the violent slapstick, but what I find funny about this situation is that Robinet's punishment is entirely justified by his distrustful behavior. He chooses to believe the worst of his wife, and is treated accordingly. There's even a nice little running gag that suggests, deep down, he feels the same way: after getting his tooth pointlessly extracted, the woozy Robinet reaches into his pocket and actually PAYS his tormentor for the privilege! And he does this again with the sparring partners. For me, that's the best gag in the film.
Marcel Perez went on to make more sophisticated and elaborate films in America, before his career as a performer was curtailed by health problems. But a number of his early comedies are still enjoyable for modern viewers, over a century after they were produced. "Robinet is jealous" is a prime example of what made Perez such a popular player in his heyday.
This short, known as "Robinet is jealous" in English, is my favorite of the European films in the DVD collection, and that's because it displays his high-energy physicality to best advantage. The way Perez uses every part of his body reminds me of the characters in the Looney Tunes of Bob Clampett; that is, he comes off like a human cartoon figure, one that "reads" especially well. There's never any doubt as to what he's feeling, and you can easily follow his thought processes at all times.
The premise is simple. When Robinet's wife prepares to go out she's mysterious about her destination, and refuses to explain. As soon as she departs, he lunges outside and follows her. And although he makes some half-baked attempts to disguise himself (briefly donning a false beard, hiding in a delivery man's cart, etc.) it's plain that he's determined to tail her until he finds out what's happening. When he sees his wife enter a building, Robinet dashes inside, and then makes several attempts to figure out which room she has entered. And here's where he gets his comeuppance: every time he rushes into a room, ready to accuse her, he's punished. First he finds himself in a dentist's office, where he's mistaken for a patient and has a tooth pulled with much ferocity. On the next flight up, he's caught between two sparring partners who are boxing. Of course, Robinet gets caught between them, and is pummeled. Another flight up, and he's trapped in a gymnasium, where he's seized by a masseur, thrown onto a marble slab, and pummeled once more. Finally, dazed and battered, Robinet finds his wife, and discovers that his suspicions were groundless.
Individual viewers may or may not be amused by all the violent slapstick, but what I find funny about this situation is that Robinet's punishment is entirely justified by his distrustful behavior. He chooses to believe the worst of his wife, and is treated accordingly. There's even a nice little running gag that suggests, deep down, he feels the same way: after getting his tooth pointlessly extracted, the woozy Robinet reaches into his pocket and actually PAYS his tormentor for the privilege! And he does this again with the sparring partners. For me, that's the best gag in the film.
Marcel Perez went on to make more sophisticated and elaborate films in America, before his career as a performer was curtailed by health problems. But a number of his early comedies are still enjoyable for modern viewers, over a century after they were produced. "Robinet is jealous" is a prime example of what made Perez such a popular player in his heyday.
