Fatty's Plucky Pup

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Starts with a clever sketch that was reused two years later in an extended, and even funnier, form in The Rough House. Then moves on to a dull rework of the 1895 The Sprayer Sprayed, and we're forced to wait 7 minutes before the pup in the title appears and shows off his speed, agility, and acting skills. Midway in the film, with no lead-in or link, the Rescued By Rover adventure finally begins, and the star shines with his dope speed, jumps/climbing, and enthusiasm. No doubt about it: Luke was The Dog. In addition, we get “special” effects that add the cartoonish touch that later characterized the Comique works.

Online: Internet Archive

Related:

The Rough House

Highlights:

  • Demonstrates the benefit of a calm, composed, and emotionally disengaged response to unexpected events.
  • With two forks stuck into two bread rolls, Roscoe performs a dance using the rolls as feet: in the same way that Chaplin years later made famous in the “Oceana Roll Dance” of The Gold Rush
  • The acrobatic teamwork of The Rough Boys
  • Fatty's kitchen skills
  • Reveals one possible origin of the thuggish character of US police
Let's be clear: if you're looking for any hint of a story, other than what is given in the title, then too bad. If you can't stand the heat, then stay out of the Rough kitchen.

Rescued By Rover

1905 is known as a 'miracle year' for physics, when Einstein published papers that changed views on space, time, mass, and energy. That year, the international blockbuster hit movie was of a dog performing tricks for the camera. That this nonetheless appears as a coherent story of a character moving through space and time, has to mark 1905 as also a 'miracle year' for motion pictures.