I've seen several other silent films from Televista and I must say that this company is both a boon and a curse. On the positive side, they are the only source for several very rare silent films--if you didn't have Televista, you'd have no way to see the movies. On the negative, every single Televista DVD I have seen is a terrible print and appears as if they were taken directly from video with absolutely no restoration work whatsoever. Because the film appears to be a copy of a copy, the print have always been fuzzy and washed out--but are still watchable.
Betty Compson and Raymond Griffith star in this delightful silent comedy. In many ways, this film seems highly reminiscent of several of William Powell's crime films of the 1932--where he played gentlemen bandits so well. However, this film has a bit more emphasis on comedy, but is still well worth seeing.
The film begins with a wildly imaginative and funny bit involving the rich tourists who want to see 'local color'. A man is showing a group of shocked tourists one of the seediest hangouts in town--where there is a gang of counterfeiters working on a new batch of money. But only a moment later, a different rich tourist comes along who is expecting to see a Chinese opium den. All at once, the room and occupants make a quick change--now it is an opium den! It seems these scam artists make this dump whatever they are expecting (and paying) to see.
A bit later, after the gang is given a taste of their own medicine, their leader, Betty, and a rival con-man, Griffith, show up at the same home on the same night to steal the same diamond necklace. At first, they try to outwit each other but later they join forces to get the loot. Then, when the cops arrive, the two give flight and there is a nice little chase scene--with a few innovative touches in this familiar routine--such as their changing a tire and gassing up on the fly (you just have to see it to believe it). Plus, the ending is really strange--and something you probably wouldn't have seen in the days after the strengthened Production Code in 1934.
Overall, the film is a very nice little comedy with good acting, a nice plot and some very good direction. There isn't a lot I would change in the film--it is enjoyable and pleasant--too bad the print is so ugly. Well worth seeing for silent film buffs as well as the casual silent viewer.
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