Summary
From the unassuming facade of a bird and animal emporium, a comedic maelstrom erupts, ensnaring its proprietors, Eddie Barry and the conniving Harry Mann, in a vortex of domestic discord and mistaken identities. A mischievous simian, an unwitting catalyst, initiates the pandemonium by sabotaging the shop's entry, forcing Mann into the Barry household in pursuit of a spare key. This seemingly innocuous errand quickly devolves into an entanglement with Eddie's wife and, more perilously, an unintended adoration from his formidable mother-in-law. The ensuing marital friction between Eddie and his wife culminates in a dramatic declaration of separation, articulated in notes that, through a twist of fate, fall into Mann's opportunistic hands. Seizing the moment, Mann, ever the schemer, capitalizes on the perceived vacancy by leasing the Barry residence to a vaudeville duo, Harry Griffin and Bartine Burkett. Further compounding the absurdity, Eddie inadvertently ignites a frantic chase across the park, having presented Burkett's husband with an incriminating photograph of his wife in stage attire, mistakenly linking her to his own address. The initial chaos momentarily subsides, only to reignite with explosive force when Eddie and his wife, having reconciled, return to reclaim their home, finding it already occupied by the unsuspecting vaudevillians, thus unleashing a cascade of farcical complications and an unforgettable clash of domestic and theatrical worlds.
Synopsis
Eddie Barry and Harry Mann are the owners of a bird and animal store, of which Harry is the crooked partner. Arriving at the store one morning, Harry is unable to unlock the door because a monkey has inserted a hose nozzle in the keyhole, and plays the spray on Harry. Harry goes to Eddie's house for the key and gets into some awkward complications with Eddie's wife, and he also be comes the idol of Eddie's mother-in-law. Eddie and his wife have an argument over the mother-in-law, and they say they are going to break up their home. Harry Mann, by mistake, receives the two notes telling of their intentions to leave their home, so he rents Eddie's house to Harry Griffin and Bartine Burkett, a vaudeville team. Eddie has met Bartine in his store and has a picture of her in tights, without her face showing. Meeting her husband in the park, he shows him this picture, with the address, and then a chase ensues between the husband and Eddie. Everything is settled until Eddie and his wife decide to return to their home, which at the same time is occupied by Griffin and Bartine, and a great many complications result.
Review Excerpt
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The Feathered Fiasco: Unpacking the Enduring Charm of 'It's a Bird' (1918)
In the annals of early cinematic comedy, where physical gags reigned supreme and narrative intricacies often took a backseat to escalating absurdity, one occasionally stumbles upon a gem that, while perhaps not widely canonized, offers a delightful window into the era's comedic sensibilities. Such is the case with the 1918 silent film, 'It's a Bird'. This particular offering, a vibrant tapestry of domes..."
