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5/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Henry the Ache remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
"Henry the Ache" is one of those old-school comedy shorts that probably isn't for everyone today. If you dig classic slapstick, especially stuff with Bert Lahr or Shemp Howard, you'll probably get a kick out of its silly premise. But if you're looking for, you know, a movie with deep thoughts or anything remotely serious, you should probably just skip this one. 🎬
The whole idea here is pretty wild. King Henry VIII, right? And his new wife, Queen Annie, finds out he's completely clueless about... well, where babies come from. So she turns to Sir Thomas for help. It's such a ridiculous setup for a historical figure, which is exactly where the humor comes from.
Bert Lahr as Henry is just a joy. He leans into the confusion and the sheer awkwardness of the situation. You can almost see him trying to put on this regal face, but then his eyes just betray him every time Annie tries to explain things. There's a moment where he just stares at her after she tries to use a very roundabout analogy, and his blank expression is priceless. 😂
Then there’s Shemp Howard as Sir Thomas. He’s stuck in this impossible position. How do you explain the birds and the bees to a king without getting your head chopped off? Shemp does what Shemp does best – lots of nervous fidgeting, big exaggerated movements, and that sort of "oh boy" look on his face. He's practically sweating trying to come up with polite, palace-appropriate ways to explain things. It’s mostly him trying to avoid the topic, really.
Queen Annie, played by Leni Stengel, is actually pretty sharp. She’s the straight man, or rather, the straight woman, in this whole mess. She's the one trying to fix things, even if it means putting herself in a bit of a pickle. She never quite loses her composure, which makes Henry's cluelessness even funnier.
The whole thing feels like it's built around a single, extended gag. They milk it for all it’s worth. You can see the stage play origins, probably. The sets are pretty minimal, just a couple of rooms, which keeps the focus right on the actors and their reactions. It’s quick, maybe a little too quick in parts, like they knew the joke couldn't sustain a full feature.
It’s definitely a product of its time. The humor is broad, the pacing is a bit uneven sometimes – a quick burst of energy, then a long, drawn-out reaction shot that feels like it goes on forever. But that's kind of its charm, honestly. It doesn't try to be anything more than what it is: a silly little romp.
IMDb —
1931
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