Works featuring "identity mix-up" (49)
identity mix-up

When someone (or something) is mistaken for someone (or something) else, possibly because of deception, usually with comic results

alter ego

When someone either maintains an alternate persona/personality, or uses someone else as an alternate/double/substitute

undercover agent

When someone assumes a false identity and joins a household/group/organization for the purpose of spying

master of disguise

When someone has gained notoriety for an exceptional abilty to assume false identities

College Chums

Another Porter snoozer, posing as “comedy”. Entirely filmed in one room, and it looks as if the camera was set up and then the photographer went off for a nap. The sole noteworthy feature here is the inventive animation of a phone call.

Pedicure for Love/Unwilling Chiropodist (Pédicure Par Amour)

When papa steps in, Max must stop romancing the daughter and pretend to be a pedicurist.

An early version of what seems to have been a sort of signature skit for Linder: it was remade in 1914, and then a portion of the remake appears in another film as the catalyst that spawns a Max Linder imitator. This version includes André Deed (as the real pedicurist, who ends up romancing the wife), Pathé's star comic before Linder. Deed's exit from Pathé gave Linder his opportunity for stardom. This may be the only surviving film where they are seen together - although with the poor quality and distant camera, actually not much can be seen.

In Love With The Bearded Woman (Amoureux de la Femme à Barbe)

This is not Max, the dapper and loveable upper-class twit, but appears to be the same schoolboy in His First Cigar (same uniform and still living with parents), who now has lovesick eyes for big bush.

Max Has Trouble With His Eyes (Le duel de monsieur Myope)

Max's bad eyes lands him in a duel. Kind of a silent Mr. Magoo. But poor print, strangely lacking the closeups that have been in Linder's films from the beginning, leaves the viewer with trouble with the eyes.

A Shy Youth (Les timidités de Rigadin)

A shy young man is sent to court a young lady, but ends up being allured by a servant pretending to be the absent young lady. Humorously highlighting class differences via a spirited and domineering woman that breaks down the reserve of a bourgeois man, this provides the basic framework of the screwball comedy (sans happy ending). Mistinguett steals the show, exuding the kind of earthy charm and humor that gave her fame.

In The Hands Of Impostors (Den hvide slavehandels sidste offer)

Oddly, the impostors' ruse starts with a primitive hit-or-miss con act repeatedly performed in full public view - yet we are to believe that this silly stunt fronts an elaborate well-tuned network. While the patsy is still in the clutches of the con woman, a masher also swoops down on her - and she again falls victim to yet another persistent motor-mouth. Not long after she steps into the hands of the impostors, the film breaks down in hopeless confusion. The impostors (who remain unnamed, just referred to as “the impostors”) phone the blackmailer (misnamed “Mr. Bright”), who quickly has his hands all over the patsy. Meanwhile, the persistent masher (aptly named “Engineer Faith”) catches on to the flimflam and leaps on his White Knight horse. But before he arrives, another blackmailer (mysteriously named “Lord X”) muscles in on Mr. Bright and nabs the patsy - which leads Mr. Bright to counter by paying to have her kidnapped from Lord X. Meanwhile, amidst this torrent of cock brawls, no one has turned a dime of profit off the patsy - nor has anyone revealed any plans to cash in. This seems to be merely a confusing tale of a town desperately in need of new nooky. Still, the patsy - and the movie - is saved by a delightfully daring cock-buster.

Let this serve as a lesson for solo travellers, showing how personal information shared with strangers can be used harmfully - i.e. as a plot for a time-wasting movie.

Most interesting was the train station exit scene, which shows passers-by gawking at the camera and performers - a quaint record of the days before mobile digital devices, when people actually paid attention to their surroundings.