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6.4/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.4/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Clancy at the Bat remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
"Clancy at the Bat" is... well, it's a *movie*. Not exactly a cinematic masterpiece you'll be telling your grandkids about, but for folks who dig into early cinema, especially the slapstick stuff, there's a certain goofy charm. If you’re allergic to films older than color TV, you can probably skip this one. But if you’ve got a soft spot for silent-era antics and don’t mind a plot held together with spit and a prayer, you might find yourself chuckling. It's a fun little time capsule. ⚾
The premise is simple, almost quaint. We got a small-town baseball team, the "Mudville Nine" (original, I know), and they're up against some big-city rivals. Our hero, Clancy (played with gusto by Harry Gribbon), is their star hitter, but also, you know, a bit of a *klutz*. The whole town's hopes are riding on him, which is a lot of pressure for a guy who looks like he might fall over just tying his shoes.
Right from the start, the film just throws you into the action. The opening shot of the dusty baseball field, with a few chickens wandering around, sets the tone perfectly. It's clear we're not dealing with any big-league drama here. More like a Sunday afternoon game where anything could happen, and usually does, *badly*.
Clancy himself is the real draw. His exaggerated wind-up before a pitch, where he practically does a full pirouette, is just ridiculous. And it goes on for, like, ten seconds before he even swings. You can almost feel the movie trying to convince you this moment matters, even if it's mostly just for laughs. One specific shot, where he’s trying to catch a pop fly and his hat falls over his eyes, leaving him flailing – that’s pretty much the whole film in a nutshell.
The other players are mostly background noise, honestly. Though I gotta give a shout-out to the catcher, played by Patsy O'Leary. She (yes, a female catcher, which was pretty neat for the time!) spends half the game trying to keep her mask on, which keeps slipping. It’s a running gag that never quite gets old, maybe because her expressions are *so good*.
And the umpire! He’s this gruff, moustachioed fellow who clearly just wants to go home. Every call he makes is met with these hilariously over-the-top reactions from the crowd. One reaction shot lingers so long, of a woman in a big hat looking utterly bewildered, it becomes funny just by its sheer length. It’s like they held the camera there until she blinked twice. 😂
There’s a part, maybe around the twenty-minute mark, where a hot dog vendor's cart somehow breaks loose and rolls across the field. Everyone just stops the game to chase it. It has *nothing* to do with the plot. Absolutely nothing. But it’s a good three minutes of pure, chaotic fun, with players tripping over each other and the poor vendor waving his arms. It felt very much like someone just had an idea on the spot, and they just ran with it. 🌭
The pacing is… well, it’s a silent film. It’s *fast* when it needs to be, with all the running and chasing, but then it slows down for these oddly long close-ups. Like, there’s a moment they focus on a broken bat for what feels like an eternity. Why? I don't know! It's an interesting choice, to say the least. Maybe it was a prop they were particularly proud of?
You can see the effort they put into the crowd scenes, even if half the extras look like they’re just waiting for lunch. The energy, especially in the final innings, is pretty infectious, even if the film quality makes everyone look a bit ghostly. It’s a good reminder of how physical comedy used to carry so much of the story.
So, is "Clancy at the Bat" a lost classic? Nah. Is it worth tracking down for a quick laugh and a peek into early film history? *Absolutely*, if that’s your jam. It's a bit rough, a bit silly, and a whole lot of fun. Definitely for the cinephiles who appreciate the foundations of comedy. For everyone else, maybe try The Main Event for a more modern boxing comedy fix. But for a pure, unadulterated dose of old-school silliness, Clancy hits a home run... eventually. 🥳
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