Summary
In the chaotic world of early aviation, two daring pilots, Percy Small and Johnny Stout, experience an unceremonious, roof-level landing that leaves them disoriented. Their concussion-induced delirium transports them into a whimsical, childlike state where they perceive themselves as 'Birdies' flitting through an imagined spring. This aerial fantasy is abruptly grounded when a misjudged flutter lands them on a sidewalk, mistaken for a pool for 'gay mermaids.' A shrewd insurance agent, seizing the opportune moment, jolts them back to reality with a bucket of water, using a near-miss involving a reckless motorist and a fragile egg as a vivid illustration of life’s inherent risks. Convinced, the aviators secure life policies on each other. Their misadventures continue when Percy is snagged by a motor truck hook, leading Johnny on a wild chase through treacherous terrain. After a series of comedic tumbles and a dramatic trouser tear, Percy finds himself in a concrete mixer, from which Johnny liberates him, providing a makeshift wash-down under a railway water tower. Their brief respite is shattered by the scream of their friend, Mabel, whose distress call draws them into a peculiar situation involving 'ghost-like critters' and an eccentric father’s unconventional initiation ritual, which the bewildered heroes must navigate.
Synopsis
Two aviation aces land rather hard on a roof. Being woozy from the shock, they imagine that spring has returned, and that they are little Birdies, fluttering about. They flutter too far on one occasion, and land on the sidewalk, which they mistake for a pool where gay mermaids are wont to disport. An insurance agent dashes up and revives them with a bucket of water. The agent has his argument illustrated when a passing egg is almost scrambled by a reckless motorist. The boys immediately heed his advice and take out policies on each other's lives. A motor truck hook catches Percy Small and Johnny Stout follows. Through mud and all sorts of other disastrous elements, Percy is dragged. Finally, his trousers tear and Percy falls, bounding downhill, knocking Johnny off his feet. Percy lands in a concrete mixer and Johnny helps him to wash himself clean under a railway water tower. Then, they hear their little girl friend, Mabel, scream for aid. The boys dash in, and are stunned to see ghost-like critters ambling about. They battle their way through thick and thin, and when they succeed, Mabel thanks them for her father, explaining that he is trying out a new initiation trick.
Review Excerpt
"Can a film titled Accidents Can Happen truly live up to its chaotic promise? Short answer: yes, absolutely, but with significant caveats. This early cinematic curiosity is a whirlwind of physical comedy and narrative whimsy, a fascinating glimpse into a bygone era of filmmaking that prioritizes sheer, unadulterated absurdity over coherence. It’s a film that demands a certain kind of viewer, one willing to embrace its primitive charms and forgive its considerable narrative eccentricities.
This fi..."
