Summary
In the nascent dawn of cinematic slapstick, Herman C. Raymaker’s “Our Pet” unfurls a spirited, if episodic, narrative centered on the precocious Baby Peggy. The film’s opening gambit establishes its pint-sized protagonist as an unwitting agent of justice; as night descends, a nefarious burglar infiltrates her domestic sanctuary. Unbeknownst to the sleeping child, her arsenal of playthings – dolls, blocks, and buoyant balloons – becomes an impromptu, chaotic obstacle course, each inanimate object a silent conspirator in the assailant’s undoing. The intruder, disoriented and beleaguered by these whimsical impediments, ultimately succumbs to a collision with a wall, a fortuitous stumble that leads to his apprehension by a timely passing officer. The subsequent day ushers in a new brand of pandemonium: a parade of lovestruck suitors, each vying for Peggy’s youthful affections. Harry, James, Henry, and David, in their sequential attempts to pay court, find themselves unceremoniously shunted into various domestic hiding places – closets, obscure corners – as each subsequent rival arrives. This farcical ballet of concealment and romantic competition escalates until the arrival of Chauncey, resplendent in his Packard, finally whisks Peggy away. Her departure ignites a powder keg among the previously sequestered admirers, leading to a riotous, house-wrecking confrontation. Upon their return, Peggy’s parents are confronted with a scene of utter domestic disarray, a testament to the amorous anarchy that transpired. While a disciplinary reckoning looms, Peggy is serendipitously spared a chastisement by the reappearance of the officer, bearing the reward for her inadvertent heroism, a final, charming exoneration for the pint-sized architect of chaos.
Synopsis
When Baby Peggy closed her little eyes, little did she realize that the same night she would capture a bold, bad burglar. Her toys and balloons met the burglar every way he turned until at last he ran into the wall, stunned. A passing policeman took him with him, and Baby Peggy closed her eyes to sleep her Beauty Sleep. The next day her suitors called - one at a time. When Harry called he was thrust into the closet when James rang the front bell. James, too, was thrown into one of the obscure corners of the house. This continued in turn as Henry and David each paid their respects with a call on their little "sweetie." But when Chauncey called in his Packard car Peggy was ready to go out, and she did. Then the rivals discovered each other - and then the fun began. When Peggy's folks returned home they found their place looking like - well, you know. Peggy's return home was far from triumphant, but she was saved from a sound spanking by the return of the officer who had Peggy's reward for capturing the burglar.
Review Excerpt
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Step right up, fellow cinephiles, and journey with me back to the roaring twenties, a golden age of silent cinema where laughter was loud, emotions were grand, and a pint-sized dynamo named Baby Peggy reigned supreme. Today, we're unearthing a delightful gem from 1923, Our Pet, a film that, despite its brevity and seemingly simple premise, encapsulates the spirit of its era with an infectious charm and a surprising depth of comedic craft. Directed by Herman C. Raymaker, this short feature i..."
