Why Is a Plumber? (1927) - A messy, funny little relic

Is this worth your time?

If you have twenty minutes and you like watching things go wrong in black and white, then yeah, definitely. It is great for anyone who finds property damage funny.

If you can't stand silent movies or the over-the-top acting from that era, you will probably hate this. It is very loud for a silent film, if that makes sense. 🛠️

The first thing I noticed is the title. Why Is a Plumber? It doesn't really make grammatical sense, does it? But that is part of the charm of these old shorts.

It feels like it was written on a napkin five minutes before they started filming. Leo McCarey, who wrote this, clearly just wanted to see how much water he could get on the actors.

The plot is paper thin. A guy needs a job, gets mistaken for a plumber, and then proceeds to destroy a house. That is it. That is the whole movie.

I found myself staring at the background more than the main action sometimes. The sets in 1927 always look so flimsy, like if the lead actor sneezed too hard, the wall would fall over.

Edgar Kennedy is in this, and he does his usual 'slow burn' thing. You can see the anger bubbling up under his skin until he finally snaps. It is a bit predictable but still works every time.

There is a specific moment where a pipe bursts and the look of genuine shock on the actor's face makes me think they didn't tell him how much water was coming out. He looks like a drowned rat.

Let's talk about Jean Harlow. She is barely in it. This is right at the start of her career, and if you blink, you might miss her. She’s mostly just there to look nice while the men fall over themselves.

It is weird seeing a future icon just standing in the corner of a frame in a silly comedy. It makes the movie feel like a time capsule of people who didn't know they were going to be famous yet.

The pacing is a bit jittery. Some gags go on for a long time, like the bit with the tools in the bag. It is funny for the first thirty seconds, then it gets boring, then it gets funny again because of how long it's taking.

I’ve seen better silent comedies, like Pass the Dumplings, which feels a bit more put together. This one is more of a shambles, but a fun shambles.

The physical comedy is very aggressive. People don't just fall; they launch themselves at the floor. You have to respect the commitment to the bit. These actors must have had bruises for weeks after filming wrapped.

There is this one scene where a lady is trying to stay dignified while everything is leaking around her. Her expression of pure disgust at the plumber's incompetence is the best part of the whole thing. 💧

The movie doesn't really have an ending. It just kind of stops when they run out of things to break. It’s very abrupt, like the film reel just snapped and they decided to call it a day.

If you're into the history of cinema, you'll probably enjoy spotting the tropes. It reminded me a bit of the chaos in The Wrecker, though obviously on a much smaller, domestic scale.

It’s not a masterpiece. It’s not even the best thing McCarey ever did. But it has this honest energy to it that you don't get in modern comedies.

Sometimes you just want to watch a guy get hit in the face with a wrench. And this movie delivers that in spades. 🔧

One thing that bothered me was the lighting. In some shots, it’s so bright you can barely see the actors' eyes. It gives everyone this ghostly look that is a bit distracting.

Also, the music on the version I watched was way too cheerful for what was happening on screen. It was playing a happy jig while a man was basically being drowned in his own basement.

I think these shorts are better when you don't try to analyze them too much. They are just slapstick delivery systems. No deep meaning, no 'human condition,' just wet floors and confused faces.

Did I mention the cat? There is a cat in one scene that looks genuinely terrified of the actors. I felt bad for the little guy. 🐱

Overall, it's a lightweight experience. It’s perfect for a Sunday afternoon when you want to turn your brain off for twenty minutes.

It doesn't try to be anything other than a mess. And honestly? We need more movies that are okay with just being a mess.

Check it out if you want to see where the legends started. Just don't expect a deep plot or any actual plumbing advice. You'll leave more confused about pipes than when you started.