Art Trouble: A chaotic mess of a comedy

Should you bother?

Look, if you’re into classic, dusty comedies where people act like total goons for 60 minutes, you might get a kick out of Art Trouble. It’s not exactly high art, and if you hate theatrical, over-the-top acting, you should probably skip this one. It’s a bit of a relic, really.

The premise is classic farce. Two lazy brothers hire two house painters to pretend to be them in Paris. It’s exactly as silly as it sounds.

Wait, is that James Stewart?

Yeah, it’s a young James Stewart. It’s kinda funny watching him in something this slight. He’s not doing the whole "aw shucks" thing yet, just kind of trying to keep his head above water while the rest of the cast is busy shouting at the scenery.

The pacing is… well, it’s fast. Maybe a bit too fast? The whole movie feels like it’s in a rush to get to the next punchline, even when the punchline isn't actually there. You can tell they were trying to keep the energy up, but sometimes it just feels like everyone is running in circles. 🏃‍♂️

The "Painters"

Shemp Howard is in this, which pretty much tells you everything you need to know about the comedic tone. He’s doing his usual thing. Some people love it; some people find it exhausting. I’m somewhere in the middle.

There’s this one scene where they are pretending to paint, and it’s just pure, unadulterated nonsense. It doesn’t advance the plot an inch. I think I zoned out for a second and didn't miss a single thing. It’s weirdly charming in its total lack of logic.

Random thoughts

• The Parisian sets look like they were made out of cardboard and hope.
• The "art" they paint is hilarious—it’s just a mess of lines.
• Is it as good as The Shannons of Broadway? Not even close.

It feels like a filler episode of a show that hasn't even been written yet. Nothing really sticks, but it doesn't overstay its welcome either. It’s just... there. Like a piece of furniture you don't really notice until you trip over it. 🎨

I wouldn't call this a masterpiece, but it’s a quick diversion. If you’re a fan of the era, you’ll find bits to enjoy. If you aren't? Well, you might find yourself checking your watch. A lot.