It Can Be Done: A Bumbling Clerk's Big Break (Almost) ✨

“It Can Be Done” isn’t going to blow anyone’s mind today, let’s be real. But if you’ve got a soft spot for those really early sound comedies, the kind where the dialogue still feels a little stiff but the charm is undeniable, you might find something here. Folks used to lightning-fast plots and flashy visuals? You’ll probably be bored stiff. This is for the patient ones. 🤔

Our guy is Jerry Willard, played by Richard Carlyle. And oh man, does he embody the word 'meek.' He’s a clerk at a publishing house, just drowning in his own inferiority complex. The movie opens with him kinda just existing, almost blending into the wallpaper. He gets fired, and it’s not a big dramatic thing, more like a gentle push out the door. You really feel for the fella. His shoulders just seem to slump even further.

Then comes the central mix-up. Anne Rogers (Sue Carol) shows up, all bright-eyed, looking for 'Mr. Watson,' the boss. And because, I guess, Jerry is the only one walking out the door at that exact moment, she just assumes it’s him. It’s a classic setup, right? And it kicks off everything else.

Richard Carlyle does a pretty good job showing Jerry’s internal freak-out. He tries to correct her, but she’s just so insistent and charming, he just… *goes along with it*. You can almost see the gears grinding in his head, a mix of terror and maybe, just maybe, a tiny bit of thrill. Like, he’s the boss? For a second? 🤯

The humor often comes from Jerry’s clumsy attempts to keep up the charade. There’s a scene where he’s trying to sign some papers he really shouldn't. His hand shakes, and he glances around the room like he expects the real Mr. Watson to pop out from behind a filing cabinet. It’s not laugh-out-loud stuff, more of a quiet chuckle.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of It Can Be Done (1929) through its definitive frames.

Sue Carol as Anne is quite lovely. She’s got this easy confidence that completely contrasts with Jerry’s nervousness. You can almost see why he doesn’t correct her; she’s just so magnetic. Her performance makes you believe *she* believes he’s the boss, which is important for the whole plot to work. She doesn't have much to do beyond being charming and a little naive, but she does it well.

The pacing, well, it's definitely from an earlier era. There are moments where the camera just sits, letting the scene play out without rushing. A little too much sitting, sometimes. You might catch yourself wondering if the film is just catching its breath or if someone forgot to yell 'cut.' But it does give you time to really soak in Jerry’s discomfort, which is the point.

There's this one moment where Jerry is trying to give instructions to an actual employee, and he keeps stammering, almost blurting out the truth. The employee just stares blankly. It’s a small bit, but it really nails that feeling of being way out of your depth. 😬

The movie doesn't try to be anything grand. It’s a simple story about a simple guy getting a chance to pretend to be someone else, and maybe, just maybe, finding a little courage along the way. It’s not a deep dive into human psychology. More like a splash in the shallow end.

You can’t expect modern sensibilities from a film like this. It’s a time capsule, really. A glimpse at how stories were told back then, before every movie had to be a blockbuster event. It’s got a certain charm, even with its creaks and groans. A good Sunday afternoon watch if you’re into the history of film.

Didja notice?

• The office sets are so detailed. All those papers piled up!
• Someone in the background of one scene walks right into a doorframe. Nobody seemed to care.
• Jerry’s tie keeps getting crooked when he’s stressed. A nice touch.
• The way Anne’s hat just perfectly matches her dress in that first scene. Costume department really putting in work.
• That one guy who keeps clearing his throat every time Jerry tries to speak. Annoying but kinda real.