Single Bliss (1924) Review: Fast, messy, and pretty funny

Is it worth the time?

If you like old silent shorts where the plot is basically just an excuse for people to fall over, then yeah, give it a go. It is only about twenty minutes long so you aren't losing much of your life if it doesn't click for you. 🎞️

People who need a deep story or 'character arcs' will probably hate this. It is just a bunch of people in hats running through doors.

I watched this on a Tuesday morning and it felt like the perfect background noise for a cup of coffee. It is frantic but in a way that feels comfortable, like an old cartoon.

The main guy, Neal Burns, is fine, but I was mostly watching Jack Duffy. He has this way of looking absolutely terrified of everything happening around him.

I think he was supposed to be playing an 'old man' character even though he wasn't actually that old yet. It's a weird trope in these movies where they just put a bunch of white makeup on a guy and call him Grandpa.

There is this one scene where a character is trying to hide behind a curtain and it is so obvious they are there. But the other actors just walk past like they are totally blind. It's hilarious because of how bad the hiding is.

The sets look like they were built about five minutes before the cameras started rolling. You can almost see the walls shaking when someone closes a door too hard. 🚪

It reminds me a bit of In the Movies where the whole point is just the spectacle of the movement. There isn't much 'bliss' in this movie, mostly just stress.

Georgia O'Dell has some great reaction shots. She does this thing with her eyes where she looks like she is staring into your soul while being annoyed at a man.

I noticed the lighting in the outdoor scenes is really harsh. Everyone is squinting like they are looking directly into the sun for the entire take. ☀️

The writing by Robert Hall isn't exactly Shakespeare. It is more like a list of things that could go wrong in a house.

I keep thinking about how many hats were used in this production. Every single man has a hat and they are constantly taking them off or losing them.

Some of the gags feel a bit recycled if you have seen a lot of these. Like, I am pretty sure I saw a similar bit in A Rambling Romeo last month. But hey, if it works, it works.

The pacing is the best part. It doesn't linger on any one joke for too long. If a joke fails, there is another one three seconds later.

The Middle Muddle

The movie gets a little confusing in the middle when everyone starts swapping places. I honestly lost track of who was supposed to be married to who. 😵‍💫

Lyle Tayo pops up and she is always a pro at these comedies. She has a way of moving that feels very rhythmic, almost like she is dancing through the chaos.

There is a specific moment where a vase nearly breaks and you can see the actor genuinely look concerned for a split second. I love those little human moments that make it through the edit.

The film doesn't really have an ending so much as it just... stops. Everyone gets tired of running and the screen fades out.

I've seen better shorts from this era, like The Smile Wins, which felt a bit more put together. But Single Bliss has a certain messy charm that I didn't mind.

One thing that bugged me was the music on the version I watched. It was way too upbeat for a scene that was supposed to be slightly tense. But that's not the movie's fault, I guess.

Stella Adams is underused here. She has such a great presence but she's mostly just standing in the background of the wider shots.

If you've ever felt like your house is too crowded, this movie will make you feel better. At least you don't have Neal Burns tripping over your rug.

It's weirdly grounding to see people from 100 years ago making the same dumb jokes we make today. Physical comedy is universal, I guess.

The title is kind of ironic because nobody in the film seems particularly happy. They all look like they need a very long nap and a glass of water. 💧

I wouldn't go out of my way to find a high-quality scan of this. A grainy YouTube version is probably the 'correct' way to experience this kind of madness.

Overall, it is a decent Christie Comedy. Not their best work, but far from their worst. It's just... fast.

Check it out if you want to see Jack Duffy make weird faces for twenty minutes. Skip it if you want something that actually makes sense by the time the credits roll. 🎬