The Fainting Lover: A Comedy Without the Comedy

Alright, let’s just get this out of the way right up front. The Fainting Lover is not worth watching today. Not for entertainment, anyway. If you’re a film historian, or maybe someone obsessed with the absolute depths of Mack Sennett’s later work, then sure, maybe.

But for anyone hoping for actual laughs? Forget it. You’ll probably hate this. It’s a comedy that simply forgets to be funny. 😬

The setup is pretty basic, you know, a guy, Bert (Wade Boteler), is supposed to be sweet on Helen (Olive Hatch). Helen’s dad, played by Andy Clyde, even gives Bert a stern talking to. Don’t take her for granted, he says. Real subtle stuff. Bert, bless his heart, seems to take this advice right in one ear and out the other.

And boy, does he. Because then there’s Dr. Dudley Smith. This guy is, apparently, everything. Musician, artist, sportsman, lecturer, world traveler, singer, dancer, even a cross-word puzzle whiz. I swear, they spent more time listing his accomplishments than they did on any actual jokes. The sheer length of that list is one of the film’s only memorable — and unintentionally funny — moments. 😂

So, Dr. Smith, with his absurd resume, starts putting the heavy moves on Helen. Bert, meanwhile, is just kinda… there. He promises Helen something special for her birthday, which is coming up. You’d think, given the situation, he’d try a bit harder. He really doesn’t.

The big reveal on her birthday? It’s not a romantic gesture from Bert. Nope. It’s her wedding to Dr. Smith. Just a complete gut punch, or at least it’s supposed to be. It’s framed as this dramatic, sad moment. But honestly, it just lands flat. So flat.

The writing here, by John A. Waldron, Harry McCoy, and Earle Rodney, feels utterly bewildered. Like they aimed for melodrama and accidentally labeled it a comedy. The plot description for this one even says there’s “not a laugh in a single frame,” and you know what? That’s just about right.

Wade Boteler, who is usually pretty solid, just gives a bad performance here as Bert. He's just not convincing as a lover, or even as someone who cares a whole lot. Andy Clyde is mostly in the background, playing second fiddle, which is a shame because he could have salvaged something with his usual charm.

The whole thing is just pitiful and kinda feeble. You can almost feel the film trying to convince you this moment matters. But it doesn’t.

The One Bright Spot?

• Vernon Dent.

Yes, Vernon Dent. He sings “Honeymoon” at one point, and later dances to it. If you’re really, really curious, and you have some time to kill, you could fast-forward straight to that bit. It’s… something. He’s putting in *effort*, at least. Once he’s done, though, you can stop watching. Seriously, don't feel bad about it.

It’s hard to imagine what the original audience thought. Maybe they were just being polite? It definitely feels like the writers were either attempting a really serious drama, or they were just practicing for future TV comedies, which, you know, sometimes missed the mark too.

This is one of those films that makes you appreciate all the good comedies, even the so-so ones. Because at least they tried to make you laugh. This one… it just existed.