Works by Pathé (68)

Max Takes A Picture (Max fait de la photo)

Max goes nuts when he sees big butt. Max tries to sneak snapshots of a Rubenesque beauty on the beach, but she gets payback - as Max ends up frantic with guilt. Too little content, dragged out too long.

Germinal

The original film is 2.5 hours, so this version is missing more than half the film - most notably, the intertitles. Also, the two main male leads share similar costumes, physique, mustaches, and hair styles, and are both seen with the same woman. So this version is tricky to follow, but is worth the effort: a more natural acting style, location filming, unforgettable scenes of crowd uprising, and a story that subtly surveys the intersection between emotional and social landscapes - at a time when US film was still honing its huckster skills of grabbing the attention of the audience, then ramming views and values (aka, propaganda) down its throat.

Max Speaks English (L'anglais tel que Max le parle)

Max meets an English girl on a train, and uses drawings to woo her. Few laughs, but effortlessly oozes charm.

Max As A Chiropodist (Max pédicure)

When papa steps in, Max must stop romancing the daughter and pretend to be a pedicurist. Rework of "Pedicure Par Amour (1908)", and later sampled in "The False Max Linder (1914)"

Max Professor Of Tango (Max professeur de Tango)

One, two, three - puke! A drunken tango lesson by Max is the old “Walk this way” gag taken to the extreme. Showcases both his smooth dancing style (7 years before Valentino's tango!), as well as his masterful physical comedic skill, in a clever skit that needed no intertitles.

Max And The Lady Doctor (Max et la doctoresse)

In the first act, Max must overcome his shyness to declare his love for a lady doctor. Some funny stuff here. In the second act, he faces numerous obstacles on his wedding night. Not much Max here, just lots of strange medical practices. In the final act, he restores his privileged position of malehood, as in the Alice Guy-Blaché film “The Consequences of Feminism (1906)” - sans the profound irony. But the major shortcoming here is too much angry Max, not enough lovable hapless twit.