A She Going Sailor Review: Billy Dooley's Weird Legs

Is this worth watching today? Only if you have a weirdly specific soft spot for 1920s slapstick that feels like it was filmed on a weekend whim. ⚓

If you love the big names like Keaton or Lloyd, you might find this a bit underwhelming because the budget just isn't there. But if you like seeing how the 'other guys' did comedy back then, it's a fun enough distraction.

People who need a tight plot or high-stakes drama will absolutely hate this. It’s barely a movie; it’s more like a collection of ideas that someone had while eating lunch near a harbor.

Billy Dooley is the main attraction here, and honestly, he's the only reason to hit play. He plays this character who is a sailor, but he looks like he’s never actually seen the ocean in his life.

He has this very specific way of walking. It’s like his legs are made of overcooked noodles. 🍝

In the first few minutes, he’s just wandering around, and you can see him trying so hard to make every single step look like a near-disaster. It’s a very physical performance that feels exhausting to even watch.

The movie doesn't really have a 'story' so much as it has 'situations.' He gets into trouble with his superior officers, he tries to impress a girl, and he fails at basic human movement.

There is this one bit where he’s trying to be helpful on the deck, and he just keeps getting in the way of everyone. It’s funny for about thirty seconds, but then it keeps going for another two minutes.

I found myself looking at the background more than the actors sometimes. The boat they used looks genuinely cramped and oily.

Vera Steadman is in this too, but she doesn't get much to do except look pretty and occasionally react to Billy’s nonsense. It’s a shame because she usually has more spark in other shorts like Hotsy-Totsy.

The editing is a little jumpy in places. Sometimes a character will be on one side of the frame and then suddenly they are three feet to the left without any transition. 🎞️

I think they might have lost some footage over the years, or maybe they just didn't care that much about continuity back in 1925. It adds to the shambolic charm of the whole thing, I guess.

One gag involves a rope and a bucket that felt very familiar. I’m pretty sure I saw something almost identical in The Sawmill, though that one had a bit more energy behind the stunts.

There is a moment where Billy gets caught in a piece of machinery, and for a second, it actually looks a bit dangerous. Then he just flops out of it like a wet fish and you realize he’s fine.

The title A She Going Sailor is kind of a pun, but it’s the kind of joke that probably worked better ninety years ago. Now it just sounds like a typo that nobody bothered to fix before the posters went out.

I noticed that the sailor suits they are wearing look incredibly itchy. You can almost feel the scratchy wool through the screen whenever Billy starts squirming around.

It’s not as polished as The Man on the Box, which came out around the same time and had a lot more going on visually. This feels much more like a 'quickie' produced to fill out a double bill at a local theater.

The ending is very abrupt. Like, the movie just decides it’s done and stops. 🛑

I didn't mind that, though. Short and sweet is better than long and boring, especially when the main joke is just a guy falling over his own feet.

If you're doing a deep dive into Christie Comedies, you have to watch it. If you're just looking for a laugh, maybe stick to the stuff that has a bit more bite to it.

It’s a weird little relic. It’s imperfect, the pacing is wonky, and Billy Dooley is definitely an acquired taste.

But hey, watching a man pretend his legs don't work is a timeless form of entertainment. Sort of. 🤷