Der neue Schreibtisch

Karl Valentin receives the delivery of a new writing desk. When he discovers it is much too tall, he proceeds to perform carpentry on the desk, the chair, the floor, in best comic manner.

Part of the interest in this short is that Valentin was a very popular comic, in cabaret and on film. He sustained that popularity into the 1930s, when authorities decreed that he portrayed poor people too much. His film career ended in 1936, but he remained popular on stage until his death in 1948. Before he became a performer, he had trained as a carpenter: good training for this short!

Overall, I find this one all right but not outstanding for the era, as a simple gag is stretched out with minimal ornamentation until the final disaster.