Summary
In the 1924 silent short Funny Face, director and writer utilize the stark realities of urban poverty as a playground for chaotic slapstick. The narrative centers on 'Big Boy' and his older brother Jack, two siblings living on the edge of eviction while their mother struggles as a washerwoman. What begins as a grim portrait of a household with empty cupboards quickly pivots into a series of high-energy misadventures. Big Boy’s attempts to help—ranging from scavenging coal to flirting with a wealthy girl named Bonnie at the local grocery—result in more destruction than relief. The film reaches its frantic peak when a dog, a baby buggy, and a series of misunderstandings lead to a town-wide chase. It is a story where the threat of starvation is solved not by systemic change, but by a miraculous $50 reward, allowing the family to finally feast in a conclusion that is as heartwarming as it is narratively convenient.
Synopsis
"Big Boy" and his brother, Jackie, are very hungry. There is nothing to eat in the house. Their mother, a wash-woman, is very poor and has no money to buy food or to pay the rent. Jack and "Big Boy" go out to play. They manage to get some coal for the stove and put it in the kitchen. Then they go to the grocery store where Jack works, delivering bundles, to pay a long due grocery bill. "Big Boy" meets Bonnie at the grocery store and starts a flirtation with her. Bonnie is a little rich girl but she finds the attentions of the poor boy quite acceptable. "Big Boy" makes funny faces and cuts up generally. But he nearly wrecks the store in his efforts. Then to make had enough worse, "Big Boy" climbs into the meat display window after his dog and gets thoroughly spanked by the grocer for his efforts. Jack is told to watch a baby in a buggy. The baby crawls out of the carriage to play with "Big Boy" while Jack ties the buggy to the pet dog. A cat comes along and the dog chases it. The grocery keeper and the mother of the child miss the buggy and start a frantic search for it. They enlist the aid of all the police as the search goes on. The dog pulls the buggy all over town, finally landing in a lake. While the frantic mother and groceryman scream for help, "Big Boy" and the baby are looking for the mother. The mother offers fifty dollars reward to anyone who will save her baby. Consequently, when "Big Boy" appears with the child, she gives him the money. "Big Boy" pays the groceryman and the landlord what his mother owes them and he and Jack go out and purchase the makings for a big feast with the remainder of the money.
Review Excerpt
"Short answer: Yes, but only if you have an appetite for the unrefined, frantic energy of early silent-era slapstick. This film is for cinema historians and fans of 'Our Gang' style child antics who don't mind a heavy dose of 1920s socioeconomic grit; it is NOT for those who prefer the polished, high-brow comedy of Chaplin or Keaton.
Funny Face is a fascinating artifact that attempts to bridge the gap between Dickensian tragedy and Vaudeville humor. It doesn't always succeed in balancing these t..."
