Watch My Smoke (1933) is a messy, loud, and weirdly fun time capsule

You should probably watch this if you have about twenty minutes to kill and you like seeing how real kids acted before they became overly polished child stars. It is great for people who enjoy old comic strips like Smitty. If you hate scratchy audio and kids screaming at the top of their lungs, you will probably want to skip this one entirely.

I honestly didn't expect much from a short titled Watch My Smoke. It is one of those old comedies where the plot is basically just an excuse for a bunch of boys to fall over things. But there is something really charming about how low-budget it feels. It’s like watching a home movie that accidentally had a professional crew show up halfway through.

Donald Haines plays Smitty, and he has this weirdly adult energy. He’s supposed to be an office boy, but he carries himself like he is forty years old and has a mortgage. He wears that little cap and tries to act all dignified while his little brother Herby just ruins everything. Herby is played by Kendall McComas, who has a voice that could probably cut through sheet metal. 📢

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Watch My Smoke (1929) through its definitive frames.

The whole thing centers around a soapbox derby. The car they build is basically a wooden crate with some wheels slapped on it. It looks incredibly dangerous. I kept waiting for the wheels to fall off in the middle of a scene, and honestly, I think they almost did once or twice.

The Bully and the Race

Jackie Searl shows up as the rival, and he is just so good at being a little jerk. He has that classic 1930s 'rich kid' bully face. You just want to see his car crash into a bush. It reminds me a bit of the kid energy in Sea Scamps, but maybe a bit more aggressive. 🏃‍♂️

There is a scene where they are working on the car in a garage. The lighting is really dark and kind of muddy. You can see dust floating in the air. It feels very authentic to the time period, probably because they weren't trying to make it look fancy. It was just a quick short for the weekend matinee crowd.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Watch My Smoke (1929) through its definitive frames.

Bull Montana has a small part too. He has one of those faces that looks like it was carved out of a giant rock. He doesn't have to do much to be funny. Just standing there next to the kids makes for a weird visual contrast. 🗿

• The soapbox race itself is the highlight.
• The camera work during the race is surprisingly shaky.
• It makes you feel like you are actually riding in a wooden box.
• The ending is exactly what you expect, but that’s okay.

One thing that bugged me was the sound quality. In the middle of the race, the audio kind of dips and sounds like it was recorded underwater. I guess that’s what happens when you film outside in 1933. It adds to the crunchy texture of the movie, I suppose.

I noticed a dog in the background of one shot that looked very confused by the whole production. It wasn't a trained movie dog. It was just a dog that wandered onto the set and stayed there. I like little details like that. It makes the movie feel human. 🐕

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Watch My Smoke (1929) through its definitive frames.

Why it Works (Sort of)

The writing by Walter Berndt stays pretty close to the spirit of the comics. It isn't trying to be deep or meaningful. It isn't a 'meditation' on childhood. It is just about a kid who wants to go fast and beat the neighborhood jerk. That is a story everyone understands. It's much simpler than something like The Wonderful Chance which tries to do way too much.

"I'll show them some real speed!" — Smitty, probably, right before his car almost disintegrates.

The pacing is a bit weird. It starts slow with some office jokes that don't really land today. Then it suddenly shifts into high gear for the race. It feels like two different movies glued together with some old tape. But the energy of the kids keeps it moving. They are so loud. They just yell every line. 🗣️

I think the best part is just seeing the old cars and the streets. It is a glimpse into a world that is totally gone. Even if the jokes are a bit moldy, the visuals are fascinating. It’s like looking at a living photograph that someone spilled coffee on. It’s better than Flashing Spurs if you prefer neighborhood antics over dusty western trails.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Watch My Smoke (1929) through its definitive frames.

Is it a masterpiece? No. Not even close. But it has a lot of heart. You can tell the kids were actually having fun, especially during the outdoor scenes. They weren't just acting; they were actually getting to drive a weird little car down a hill. I’d take this over a boring, over-produced modern short any day. It’s scrappy. It’s messy. It’s exactly what a movie about kids should be.

I did find myself wondering how many of these kids got splinters from that car. The wood looked really rough. And the brakes? I don't think there were any brakes. They just sort of stop by crashing into things or letting the friction do the work. It’s a miracle nobody actually died on set, honestly. 🛠️

If you've seen other stuff from this era, like Is Conan Doyle Right?, you know how experimental things could feel. Watch My Smoke isn't experimental, it's just raw. It’s the cinematic equivalent of a PB&J sandwich where someone used way too much jelly. It’s sticky and a bit much, but you still enjoy it while it lasts.

Overall—oops, I wasn't supposed to say that word. Anyway, the point is, it's a fun twenty minutes. Don't go in expecting Shakespeare. Just go in expecting some 1930s chaos and a lot of dust. It's worth it for the face Bull Montana makes alone. 🏎️💨