Wise Guys Prefer Brunettes (1926), directed by Stan Laurel, would actually be Laurel's last directing gig, before joining up with Oliver Hardy, on their successful, 30 year career with each other. This silent comedy stars Ted Healy before he met the Three Stooges, although he knew Moe and Shemp Howard before this film, from their vaudeville days. Healy, at this time, was the highest paid comedian in vaudeville. This was his film debut. The version I found on YouTube is an oddly, colorized version of the film. Healy plays Napoleon Fizz, who creates a magic plaster, that rejuvenates a man and makes women more susceptible to him. The Dean of the college (James Finlayson), is the one, who accidentally gets a dose of this magic plaster. It seems more like it's Finlayson's movie, more than anyone else, including Healy. It makes sense, since Finlayson did a lot of things with Laurel and Hardy later on. The filmmakers throw in some 1926 special effects, as the plaster does its trick. Soon, the chaos ensues.
Finlayson wears the classic acronym "PU" on his shirt, which is the dirtiest thing you can say in 1926 I guess. In the movie it stands for Pinkham University, but we know what it really means. You can tell this was originally produced for adults, with all the alcohol jokes, sexual inuendoes, plenty of flirting with young bathing beauties and cross-dressing, going on in the film. There are some strange choices in the special effects, even for 1926, like, the choice to film the actors (Finlayson and an unknown female swimmer), running underwater and not swimming underwater. They could do that trick successfully, even back in 1926. Healy eventually, has to get in drag, so he can distract the Dean, plus keep the Matron of the school, who shows up unexpectedly, from expelling everyone. Finlayson breaks the fourth wall, all through this film, looking at the camera, as if, maybe the audience can save him from this jam.
Wise Guys Prefer Brunettes (1926), is a cute attempt at an early comedy, but riddled with so much chaos, that it's hard to follow the film in places. The odd technical choices also make it a little bit difficult to follow as well. This film however, is a cinematic artifact, that has the history making tagline of being Ted Healy's first film role. It's also interesting, that Stan Laurel directed it and it ended up being his last directorial effort. I think I understand why, especially since we know now, what happened to his career after this. You could say the same for Healy's future, although his ends up being a more tragic one, 11 years later. It is still a fair/good film and a must-see for Stooges fans.
5.9 (D MyGrade) = 6 IMDB.
