UP IN MABEL'S ROOM
Starring Marie Prevost
MOTION PICTURE CLASSIC
August, 1926
And still the come - these film farces. This month seems to be devoted to showing them to the exclusion of the straight romantic stuff. One of the newest entries is "Up in Mabel's Room," with Marie Prevost cast as the irrepressible Mabel.
As the title indicates, this farce comedy has to do with a marital mix-up - with the figures making frenzied dashes in and out of Mabel's room. The crisp dialog of the spoken version has been silenced, but, nevertheless, the director knew what he was about. He has timed it well so that the action is projected in gingery fashion.
The piece calls for much activity - and, like all farces, a word of explanation from one of the dozen characters would give it away long before it had run its course. But true to the unwritten law of the theater - these characters keep silent. And so the fun is on as they try to capture the filmy piece of lingerie which is up in Mabel's room.
Now Mabel, mind you, has made up her mind to win her divorced husband over again. She mistrusts the lingerie was intended for another girl. And so it becomes a battle of wits between the quarrelsome love birds - which culminates in a happy reconciliation. The players keep on the move all the time - hence there are no dull pauses.
Marie Prevost demonstrates very capably that she is a clever comedienne - and Harrison Ford plays with that mock seriousness which is necessary to interpret farce correctly. Harry Myers is also in the picture.
Video source: Movies Unlimited, Facets, Nostalgia