A Merchant of Menace is a messy, frantic hoot

Is it worth your time?

If you have a soft spot for the kind of short, frantic comedies where everyone is constantly shouting and falling over furniture, then yes. Watch this. If you need a plot that makes sense or characters who behave like human beings, steer clear. This is for the folks who want to see Edgar Kennedy’s face turn bright red for twenty minutes.

There’s something inherently stressful about watching a guy try to run a department store with his family. Edgar is his usual self—grumpy, blustering, and constantly on the verge of a breakdown. It’s a classic setup that feels like it could have easily been pulled from The Printer's Devil if you squint hard enough, at least in terms of that specific brand of manic energy.

The Retail Nightmare

The pacing here is wild. It doesn't build up to the chaos; it just dives headfirst into it. One second he’s the boss, the next he’s being buried under a pile of hats while his relatives argue in the background. It’s loud. It’s honestly a little exhausting.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of A Merchant of Menace (1933) through its definitive frames.

There’s a moment with a customer that lingers just a bit too long, to the point where the silence between the jokes becomes really awkward. It’s almost like the camera forgot to cut away, or maybe the editor just thought, "Eh, let's keep it." It’s a strange choice that makes the whole scene feel oddly grounded, like you're watching a real store manager finally lose his mind on a Tuesday afternoon. 🛒

• Edgar’s slow-burn frustration is the real star here.
• The family dynamic is… loud. Very loud.
• The store layout makes zero sense, which honestly feels accurate for a place that would hire this crew.

It isn't high art. It isn't trying to be Heroes for Sale or some grand social commentary. It’s just a bunch of people running around a set, probably trying not to trip over the lighting cables. Sometimes, that’s exactly what you need.

I found myself wondering if they actually sold anything in that shop or if it was just a staging ground for slapstick. Probably the latter. The ending doesn't really resolve much, but at that point, you’re just relieved the noise stopped. It’s an imperfect, messy little film that knows exactly what it is. And honestly? I can respect that.