The Newlyweds' Pests (1927) - That baby is a menace

Is it worth your time?

If you're into those old silent shorts that feel like a fever dream, then yes. You'll like it if you enjoy seeing 1920s household chaos.

But if you hate seeing kids put in slightly sketchy looking stunts for a laugh, you're gonna hate this one. It's definitely a product of its time.

I just finished watching The Newlyweds' Pests and my head is spinning a little. It's based on the George McManus comic strips, and you can really feel that cartoon energy in every frame.

The whole thing is basically about a baby named Snookums who is played by Sunny Jim McKeen. This kid is like a tiny wrecking ball in a diaper.

The plot isn't really a plot. It's just people coming over to visit the parents and Snookums making them regret every life choice that led them to that house.

Jack Egan and Molly Malone play the parents. They look absolutely exhausted the whole time, which I guess is the most realistic part of the movie.

There is this one bit where a guest sits down and you just know something bad is gonna happen to their hat. Silent comedies really loved a good hat gag.

The baby has this very specific stare. He looks right at the camera sometimes like he knows exactly how much trouble he's causing.

It reminds me a little bit of the energy in Motor Trouble, but more domestic. Everything feels like it's about to break.

One thing I noticed was the wallpaper in the living room. It's so busy and distracting that I almost missed a gag with a falling plate.

The sets are clearly just painted flats. You can see them shake whenever a door slams too hard, which happens a lot.

There's a scene with a cat that looks like it really didn't want to be in the movie that day. It just sort of wanders off-screen while the humans are screaming.

It’s not quite as well-paced as something like Find Your Man. Some of the jokes go on way too long.

I think the best part is when the visitors try to act polite while their clothes are being ruined. That fake social politeness is always funny to me.

The writing by McManus is simple, but it works for what it is. You don't need deep dialogue when a baby is throwing food at people.

I did find myself wondering how they got the kid to do some of these things. Some of the falls look a bit too real for comfort.

It's a weird little piece of history. It feels like someone took a Sunday newspaper comic and just forced it into real life.

If you've seen Your Best Friend, this is way less serious. It’s just pure, loud silence.

The ending is kind of abrupt. It just sort of stops once everyone is sufficiently miserable.

I'd say it’s a good watch for a Sunday afternoon when you don't want to think too hard. Just be ready for a lot of shaking cameras and dust. 👶