*Something Simple* is Just That: A Delightfully Goofy Old Short

Okay, so "Something Simple" is definitely not for everyone today. If you need your comedy to be sharp, ironic, or even make a lick of sense, you'll probably bounce off this one hard.

But if you’re like me and have a soft spot for really old, absurd shorts – the kind where logic packed up and left early – then yeah, this is absolutely worth a watch. It’s a quick trip back to a goofier time. 🎬

Charley, played by Charley Chase, gets these dizzy spells. Poof, he's suddenly wobbly.

He ends up in a hospital, and this guy, a "nut" posing as a doctor, gives him the most bizarre diagnosis: "Tetra-Ethyl." What even is that? Doesn't matter, because the cure is even better: sit down, relax, clear your mind, and recite a nursery rhyme.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Something Simple (1934) through its definitive frames.

This movie just tells you, "Here's the setup, don't think too hard."

Then there's this package. Delivered to Mr. Henderson, the "Supreme Crown of the Knights of the Brown Derby." Immediately, my brain is like, what is happening? 🎩

A whole convention of these "Brown Derbies" is happening. The visual of all these men in identical hats, taking things so seriously, is just inherently funny.

Charley's dizzy spell hits him right in the middle of this. He needs to sit, right? And where does he land? Straight onto Mr. Henderson's lap. The poor guy.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Something Simple (1934) through its definitive frames.

Then Charley starts reciting "Mary Had a Little Lamb." This whole scene, it goes on just long enough to be super awkward but in the best way for a comedy. You can almost feel the movie trying to make this bizarre moment stick.

Turns out, Mr. Henderson has "Tetra-Ethyl" too! What a coincidence, eh? When his attack hits, he tries to do the cure, but he forgets the words to "Who Killed Cock Robin."

This is where Henderson's daughter, Betty, steps in. She and Charley just sing the rest of the song together. Right there.

And that's it. They sing a silly song, and BAM! They're getting married. The speed of romance in these old films always cracks me up. They knew each other for, what, maybe ten minutes? But hey, they shared a nursery rhyme, so it's true love. 🥰

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Something Simple (1934) through its definitive frames.

It’s just a stream of silly moments, one after another, not really building to anything grand. No big moral, no deep message. Just pure, unadulterated, old-school silliness. The kind that you either get or you don't.

I mean, the camera work isn't fancy, the plot is basically a string of excuses for physical gags. But it's got a certain charm. Like a strange little found object.

The acting, especially Charley Chase, is all about big expressions and physical comedy. He sells the dizzy spells with some great wobbles. And the guy playing the fake doctor, he's got this perfect deadpan delivery for such an absurd diagnosis. I just kept thinking about that "Tetra-Ethyl" bit. It's so perfectly ridiculous.

Honestly, you could watch this while doing something else and still catch the gist. It’s not demanding. It's just... simple. And sometimes, that's exactly what you need. A quick laugh, a peek into how comedy used to be, before everything got so complicated. It doesn't overstay its welcome. And for that, I give it a little nod. 👍