Hot Spot (1932) - A Messy, Sweaty Slapstick Short That Actually Works

If you have about twenty minutes and a high tolerance for people shouting at each other in tiny cars, Hot Spot is worth your time today. It is definitely for those who love the era where a "half-naked" woman meant she was just wearing a slip. If you want something deep or logic-based, you will probably hate this. It's just pure, chaotic energy.

The whole thing stars Jack Hill and Bob Minford as taxi drivers. They aren't exactly the smartest guys on the block. Honestly, they look like they’ve never driven a car before in their lives. 🚕

The plot kicks off when Muriel Evans jumps into the back of their cab. She’s... well, she’s not fully dressed. For 1932, this must have been quite the scandalous moment. You can almost feel the movie blushing through the black and white film.

Then we get the husband. Harry Woods plays him with this terrifying, bulging-eye look. He’s the kind of guy who looks like he eats gravel for breakfast. When he shows up, the movie stops being a comedy for a second and feels like a thriller. Almost.

The physical comedy is where this thing actually lives. There is a lot of leaning out of windows. People are constantly falling over things that shouldn't be in the way. It reminds me a bit of the pacing in Clear the Way, but maybe a bit more frantic.

I noticed this one extra in the background of a street scene. He’s just standing there, staring directly into the camera lens. He looks so confused about what’s happening. It’s my favorite part of the whole movie, honestly. 🤨

Billy Gilbert is here too, of course. He doesn't do his famous sneezing bit, which is a bit of a letdown. But his facial expressions are just gold. He has this way of looking worried that makes his whole face sag like a melting candle.

The editing is... well, it’s a bit of a mess. In one shot, the sun is clearly setting. In the next shot, it’s high noon. I love that about these old shorts. They didn't care about continuity; they just wanted the gag to land.

There’s a moment where the cab almost hits a fruit stand. It’s such a cliché, but they do it with such intensity here. You can tell they actually broke some real crates. I wonder if the actors got hit by flying apples.

The woman, Muriel Evans, spends most of her time looking genuinely distressed. Usually in these comedies, the women are just there to be the "straight man." But she actually has some funny reactions to how dumb the cabbies are. It’s a nice change of pace.

If you've seen Home Cooking, you know the vibe. It’s that loud, crashing style of humor that was everywhere back then. It’s not as polished as a Laurel and Hardy short, but it has more teeth.

The jealous husband trope is played so straight it’s almost scary. Harry Woods really brings a level of anger that feels a bit too real for a comedy. Every time he yelled, I kind of jumped in my seat. He’s a big dude. 😤

I kept thinking about All for Nothing while watching this. Both movies have that sense of "everything that can go wrong, will go wrong." But Hot Spot feels more claustrophobic because so much of it happens inside or around that tiny taxi.

There’s a weird bit with a hat. Bob Minford’s hat is way too big for him. It keeps slipping down over his eyes during the most important parts of the chase. It’s a simple gag, but I laughed every single time.

The movie doesn't really have a message. It’s just about a guy who is very mad and two guys who are very scared. Sometimes that’s all you need for a Tuesday afternoon watch. It’s better than most of the stuff they were churning out in this specific series.

You can tell they were filming on a budget. Some of the interiors look like they were built in someone's garage. But the street scenes feel alive. You get a real sense of the 1930s city life, even if it's just through the back window of a car.

I wish the ending was a bit stronger. It kind of just... peters out? Like they ran out of film and just decided to call it a day. But the journey there is so loud and fast that you don't mind too much.

If you're looking for more of this era, Come to Papa! is another one to add to your list. It has that same sort of "domestic life gone wrong" energy. But Hot Spot is definitely the sweatier of the two.

Overall, it’s a solid 7/10 for vintage short fans. It’s got a girl in a slip, a man with a gun, and a car that probably should have failed its inspection. What more do you want? 🎬

One last thing—the sound quality on the print I watched was pretty rough. You have to really lean in to hear some of the dialogue. But honestly, you can tell what's happening just by the shouting. You don't need to hear the words to know they're in trouble.

I'd recommend this to anyone who likes Night World for the atmosphere, even though the tone is totally different. There is just something about these early 30s films. They feel like they’re making the rules up as they go along. And Hot Spot is definitely breaking a few of them.