Item: The Big Palooka
Rating: 7
Author: Archivist John

Is it worth your time?

Honestly, you should only watch this if you have a soft spot for old school slapstick where people fall over for no reason. If you need a deep plot or 'character growth,' you’re gonna have a bad time.

People who love the chaos of the late silent era will dig it. People who think black and white movies are boring will probably fall asleep after five minutes. 😴

The Gribbon Factor

Harry Gribbon is the whole reason this thing exists. He plays Homer, a chauffeur who has way too much confidence for a guy in his position.

His face is just... unbelievable. He does this thing with his eyes where they almost pop out of his head when he sees Thelma.

It reminds me a bit of the physical energy in The Strong Man, though maybe not as polished. Gribbon feels like he’s vibrating at a different frequency than everyone else in the frame.

The 'Plot' (if you can call it that)

Homer is supposed to be working, but he gets distracted by Thelma Hill. She’s rich, she’s fancy, and she’s definitely out of his league.

The movie doesn't really care about the 'why' of it all. He just sees her and decides that his current girl, Addie McPhail, isn't worth his time anymore.

It’s actually kinda mean if you think about it too hard. But the movie doesn't let you think; it just throws another gag at you.

There is this one scene with a car where I’m pretty sure they almost actually crashed. The stunt work back then was just people being brave or stupid, I can't tell which.

The supporting players

Addie McPhail is good as the jilted girlfriend, though she mostly just has to look sad or annoyed. I felt bad for her, honestly.

Thelma Hill is mostly there to be the 'prize.' She wears this hat in one scene that is so big it looks like it has its own zip code. 🎩

The Big Palooka scene — Scene from The Big Palooka

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of The Big Palooka (1929) through its definitive frames.

And then you have Andy Clyde and Vernon Dent showing up. If you’ve seen enough of these shorts, those guys are like seeing old friends at a bar.

Vernon Dent has this way of looking at Gribbon like he's the most annoying person on earth. It feels very real. I wonder if they actually liked each other off-set.

Small things I noticed

The way the costumes fit back then is so weird—everything looks slightly too baggy or too tight.
There’s a background extra in the party scene who looks like he’s never seen a camera before. He’s just staring right into the lens for a solid three seconds.
The title cards are actually pretty funny, though some of the slang is totally lost on me. What even is a 'palooka' in this context? I guess it means a big clumsy guy.
The pacing gets a bit slow in the middle when they try to do 'romance.'

Final thoughts on the vibe

It’s a Mack Sennett production, so you know what you’re getting. It’s loud (well, visually loud) and messy.

It’s not as sophisticated as something like Mister Antonio, but it isn't trying to be. It just wants to show a guy making a fool of himself.

I caught myself laughing at a bit where Homer tries to act sophisticated and just ends up looking like he’s having a physical breakdown. It’s pure slapstick.

The ending feels a bit rushed. Like they ran out of film or the sun was going down and they just said 'yeah, that's enough.'

Actually, the more I think about it, the more I realize Homer is kind of a jerk. He leaves Addie, fails with Thelma, and we’re supposed to find it charming?

Maybe it was different in 1929. Or maybe we just liked watching people fail back then.

If you're looking for a quick distraction, give it a go. It’s better than most of the stuff that came out of the same factory that year. Just don't expect it to change your life or anything. 🎬