The Chief: Ed Wynn is a lot to handle

Is it worth your time?

Look, if you have a high tolerance for old-school, vaudeville-style nervous energy, you might get a kick out of The Chief. If you prefer your protagonists to be somewhat grounded or even remotely quiet, stay far, far away.

It’s the kind of movie that feels like it’s vibrating. Ed Wynn is just constantly doing things with his face and hands. It’s exhausting, but in a weirdly hypnotic way.

The Rhythm of the Mess

The whole plot is basically a shell game. You’ve got these political suits trying to use this poor guy as a pawn, and they fail so spectacularly it’s almost impressive. It doesn’t really have a coherent shape, but honestly, who cares?

There’s a moment where Wynn is just blathering on, and the camera lingers on him for a solid chunk of time that feels like an eternity. It’s awkward. It’s very awkward. But that’s the movie.

Bits and Pieces

• Dorothy Mackaill is the only person here who seems to know what year it is. She’s great.
• The ending with the radio show is a total gear shift. It feels like they just gave up on the narrative and decided to put on a live performance instead.
• I kept thinking about Goopy Geer and how much smoother that animation feels compared to the frantic, sweaty live-action pacing here.
• The political satire is about as sharp as a butter knife. Don't expect any deep insights into the human condition here.

It’s not a masterpiece, and it’s certainly not trying to be. It feels like someone just turned a camera on Ed Wynn and let him loose for eighty minutes. Sometimes that’s enough. Sometimes it’s just noisy.

I found myself zoning out during the scenes where he wasn't talking, only to get jolted back by his high-pitched delivery. It’s a strange, disjointed experience. 🍿