Summary
Heavyation is a frantic, high-altitude collision of political satire and low-brow slapstick that centers on Governor Alexander, a man of significant girth and questionable administrative oversight. When a concerned friend (Carr) alerts the Governor to the appalling state of the local insane asylum, the Governor—accompanied by his loyal butler (Ross)—embarks on an inspection tour that immediately descends into mechanical chaos. Their journey in a 'trick Ford' sets the tone for a narrative that abandons logic in favor of kinetic energy. Upon reaching the asylum, the trio is forced to infiltrate the grounds, leading to a series of surreal encounters with inmates whose 'insanity' is expressed through increasingly dangerous stunts, including a disastrous attempt at human flight from a rooftop. The plot takes a sharp turn into the clouds when the Governor loses vital papers, leading the group to an airfield staffed by the very inmates they just encountered. The film culminates in an aerial circus of explosions and mid-air collisions, pushing the boundaries of silent film stunt work before crashing back to earth in a heap of twisted metal and improbable survival.
Synopsis
The story opens with Fatty Alexander as governor of a state, Ross as a butler, and Carr as a friend of the Governor. This friend of the governor comes out with the fact that the state Insane Asylum is in a very poor condition and that he should make an immediate inspection. The three leave for the Asylum in a trick Ford which bounces all over the road. Upon their arrival at the Insane Asylum, the keepers will not let them in, so they go around the back way where they meet many of the inmates. Since these inmates are all insane, they do many foolish things before the three visitors. The chief stunt that they do is a fake aeroplane stunt from the roof of the Insane Asylum. They push an aeroplane off and instead of flying it goes right to the ground. Then the story is told to the governor that he has lost some important papers involving him, and they they must be found. He, with the two men accompanying him immediately make the aviation field to fly to find the papers. the aviators are all insane and they take them in aeroplanes which do all kinds of stunts, falls and explosions. The picture ends with the crash of three planes in the air, and all fall to the ground without anyone being badly injured.
Review Excerpt
"Is 1926's Heavyation a forgotten treasure of the silent era? Short answer: No, it is a chaotic, messy curiosity that serves better as a historical document of stunt-work than as a cohesive comedy. While it offers a fascinating look at the 'Three Fat Men' comedy troupe, its reliance on outdated tropes and repetitive gags makes it a tough sit for anyone but the most dedicated cinephile.This film is for historians of early physical comedy and those who find genuine thrill in the dangerous, unregula..."
