What Price Pants Review: A Weirdly Loud Time Capsule

You should probably watch this if you have 20 minutes to kill and you actually like seeing how people made jokes before the world turned digital. It's a weird little relic from the Cohen Film Collection that feels like a time capsule.

If you hate crackly audio or old-school Vaudeville humor where everyone talks at the same time, you will probably hate this. It is loud. 📢

The whole thing is basically Joe Smith and Charles Dale being frantic in the garment district. They are tailors, I think, or maybe just guys trying to sell pants they don't really have.

The way Joe Smith waves his hands around whenever he gets frustrated is actually pretty funny. It’s that specific kind of physical energy you don’t see anymore.

There is a scene with a sewing machine that feels like it was supposed to be the big comedic peak. But the camera is just a little too far back to catch the best parts of the struggle.

The sets look like they were made of cardboard and hope. 📦 If someone sneezed too hard, the whole office would have probably collapsed.

I found myself looking at the background actors more than the leads sometimes. Like Millard Mitchell, who just kind of stands there looking like he's waiting for his paycheck to clear.

It isn't exactly a heavy hitter like The Big House. It's much smaller and way more chaotic in a low-budget way.

One reaction shot from Dale lingers for about four seconds too long. It makes the joke feel awkward, then funny, then awkward again.

The audio is pretty rough, honestly. You have to really squint with your ears to catch some of the faster puns they throw at each other.

It reminded me a little bit of the mess in Too Many Mammas, but with more focus on trousers. Why were people so obsessed with pants comedy back then?

There is a moment where a cop walks in and the whole vibe shifts into this weirdly staged panic. It feels like a high school play but with professionals who are slightly tired.

The movie is noticeably better when they stop trying to follow a plot and just insult each other. Their chemistry is clearly from years of doing this on stage. 🎭

I noticed a stray hair on the lens in one shot. It’s small things like that which make these old shorts feel more real than the polished stuff we get now.

Don't expect a masterpiece or a deep story. It’s just 20 minutes of guys being stressed about clothing prices. 👖

It’s a decent watch if you’re already deep into a marathon of 1930s shorts. Otherwise, it might just feel like a lot of noise.

I kind of liked it though. It’s short, it’s fast, and it doesn't overstay its welcome by even a second.