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5.2/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.2/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Skirt Shy remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you already like Harry Langdon, you'll probably find this charming in a very specific way. If you hate slow-moving comedy where the main character acts like a confused toddler, stay far away. ✋
It is a short movie, so it doesn't take up much of your afternoon. It's mostly for people who enjoy the transition period between silent films and the early talkies.
Harry Langdon is... well, he's an acquired taste. He doesn't move fast like Keaton or act as clever as Chaplin.
He just mostly blinks. He looks like he’s constantly trying to remember if he left the stove on.
The whole plot is about Harry helping a woman get a marriage proposal. To do this, he has to pretend to be a woman himself.
It’s a classic trope, but Harry makes it feel extra awkward. He isn't trying to be a convincing woman; he just looks like a man who is very uncomfortable in silk. 👗
I noticed the makeup on his face is super thick. It makes him look like a ghost in some of the indoor shots.
There is a scene where he’s trying to be 'dainty' while sitting down. It goes on for a long time.
The way he adjusts his skirt is actually kind of funny because he looks so genuinely confused by the fabric. It's the small movements that work best here.
Charlie Hall is in this too. You might know him as the guy who is always getting angry in those Laurel and Hardy shorts.
He plays his role well, mostly by being the 'normal' person reacting to Harry’s nonsense.
The set they used for the house looks pretty cheap. You can almost see the walls shaking when someone closes a door too hard. 🏚️
One thing that bugged me was the lighting in the kitchen scene. It’s way too bright, like they just turned on every lamp they had and hoped for the best.
It’s a huge contrast to something like The Patent Leather Kid which felt like a much bigger production. This one feels like they filmed it in a weekend.
The writing is by H.M. Walker. He did a lot of stuff for Hal Roach, so the jokes have that specific rhythm where everything builds up to a tiny, quiet thud.
Sometimes the silence in these shorts is more uncomfortable than the actual jokes.
I did like the part where the proposal finally happens. The guy proposing is so desperate that he doesn't even notice he’s talking to a man in a wig.
It’s absurd, but that’s why these old movies are fun. They don't care if the logic holds up for even a second.
Is it a masterpiece? Definitely not.
But there’s something sweet about how hard Harry tries to be helpful while being completely incompetent.
I think I saw a fly land on the back of a chair in one shot. Nobody moved it.
It’s those little things that make me realize how fast they were churning these out back then.
If you want to see a movie that takes itself seriously, go watch The Whip Woman or something else with a dramatic title.
This is just a guy in a dress trying not to trip over his own feet. 🤡
The ending feels a bit rushed. It just kind of... stops?
But I guess there wasn't much else to say once the secret was out.
Overall, it’s a decent way to spend twenty minutes if you’re into film history. Or if you just like seeing old-timey people get confused by basic disguises.
IMDb —
1918
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