By the time the two-reel comedy DOUBLING IN THE QUICKIES was released in 1932, the careers of both Lloyd Hamilton and Majorie Beebe were sort of approaching the end. First of all, the very Mack Sennett studio, in which this short was produced and where both performers had been given regular work for the last few years (Hamilton having his best years behind him, Beebe as an up-and-coming star), would be a closed chapter within 1933. Hamilton is reported to have had difficulty finding work at another studio, and was also struggling with weak health at this point. Beebe ended up doing supporting roles in B-movies until finally retiring from movies altogether. Now, keep in mind that such scenarios were very common for performers back then, and they possibly still are today; stars come and go, like so much else. What is sad in the case of Hamilton and Beebe, however, is that both possessed considerable talent, which one would wish had been allowed to shine a bit longer, and perhaps also ended on a higher note. DOUBLING IN THE QUICKIES offers some nice moments, though.
Beebe plays a typical naĂŻve young hopeful trying to make it big in Hollywood, being equipped with more self-assurance than talent. She delivers a monologue rather horrendously, emphasizing in the process that Beebe (the real one) was far from being in lack of talent; within just twenty minutes or so, she manages to appear both talentless, naĂŻve, quite dumb and spoiled but rather sweet at the same time. Our sympathy is with her, no doubt, as one producer after another expresses contempt for her performing, making for some amusing bits of business. The highpoint occurs when she is hired as a stunt-double against her knowledge, and is consequently exposed to much physical strain, while the unharmed movie stars she's doing stunts for receive both the large salary and credit.
Lloyd Hamilton is given less to do here, but appears in a few amusing sequences; trying to get through the gateway of Charlie Chaplin's studio, he appears with a mannequin dressed as Chaplin in the back seat, Tramp costume and all. It is always of interest to see Chaplin being referenced to in films of this era, as it gives some indication to how huge a phenomenon he actually was back then. Less worthy of applaud here is the editing work, which seems rather hastily done and amateurish also by 1932-standards. This is perhaps understandable considering how fast Sennett's studio was required to churn out those things, but it limits the impact of what could otherwise have been a really funny two-reel comedy. Yet, DOUBLING IN THE QUICKIES is definitely among the better stuff produced at Sennett's studio during this late period, and I am indebted to it for several laughs.
Beebe plays a typical naĂŻve young hopeful trying to make it big in Hollywood, being equipped with more self-assurance than talent. She delivers a monologue rather horrendously, emphasizing in the process that Beebe (the real one) was far from being in lack of talent; within just twenty minutes or so, she manages to appear both talentless, naĂŻve, quite dumb and spoiled but rather sweet at the same time. Our sympathy is with her, no doubt, as one producer after another expresses contempt for her performing, making for some amusing bits of business. The highpoint occurs when she is hired as a stunt-double against her knowledge, and is consequently exposed to much physical strain, while the unharmed movie stars she's doing stunts for receive both the large salary and credit.
Lloyd Hamilton is given less to do here, but appears in a few amusing sequences; trying to get through the gateway of Charlie Chaplin's studio, he appears with a mannequin dressed as Chaplin in the back seat, Tramp costume and all. It is always of interest to see Chaplin being referenced to in films of this era, as it gives some indication to how huge a phenomenon he actually was back then. Less worthy of applaud here is the editing work, which seems rather hastily done and amateurish also by 1932-standards. This is perhaps understandable considering how fast Sennett's studio was required to churn out those things, but it limits the impact of what could otherwise have been a really funny two-reel comedy. Yet, DOUBLING IN THE QUICKIES is definitely among the better stuff produced at Sennett's studio during this late period, and I am indebted to it for several laughs.
