Summary
In an incandescent display of marital misadventure and farcical pursuit, 'Berth Control' plunges its audience into the immediate aftermath of Eddie's nuptials. Scarcely escaping the boisterous, confetti-strewn gauntlet of well-meaning but overzealous wedding guests, Eddie and his new bride find their nascent bliss rudely interrupted by Lee, a provincial lawman whose earnest, if dim-witted, disposition proves a catalyst for chaos. Duped by a spurious telegram promising a hefty thousand-dollar bounty for the apprehension of Eddie, falsely branded a dangerous felon, Lee embarks on a relentless chase. The unsuspecting groom is swiftly located on a bucolic trail, and in a stroke of bewildering logic, the detective shackles himself to his quarry. A momentary lapse in judgment sees Lee un-cuff Eddie, granting him leave to dispatch a clarifying message to his friends, a decision that inadvertently causes Eddie to miss his crucial connecting train. The narrative then escalates into a madcap dash as Eddie commandeers a taxi, hurtling towards the local constabulary. There, in a bewildering twist of bureaucratic absurdity, he discovers Lee has taken his new bride into custody as collateral, a surrogate prisoner in Eddie's stead. The bewildered newlyweds are subsequently incarcerated together, their honeymoon suite replaced by a decidedly less romantic jail cell, until a subsequent, genuinely explanatory telegram from their prank-loving friends finally unravels the elaborate, if ultimately harmless, hoax, securing their belated and undoubtedly harried release.
Synopsis
Eddie and his bride manage to escape the hazing of the wedding guests, but is later caught by Lee, the hick detective, who has received a fake wire offering $1,000 reward for Eddie's capture as a dangerous criminal. He locates Eddie on the trail and handcuffs himself to him. Lee releases Eddie so the latter can wire his friends, and the bridegroom misses his train. He hurries by taxi to the jail, where Lee has taken the bride in lieu of Eddie. Eddie and his bride are locked up together, but are later released upon receipt of an explanatory telegram from their practical joking friends.
Review Excerpt
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Navigating Nuptial Nonsense: A Deep Dive into 'Berth Control' (1915)
Ah, the silent era! A veritable goldmine of cinematic ingenuity, where expressive gestures and exaggerated pantomime conveyed narratives with a unique charm. Among the myriad offerings from this foundational period, a delightful little gem emerges: the 1915 film 'Berth Control'. This particular picture, a product of the prolific Universal Film Manufacturing Company, stands as a testament to the enduring appea..."
