Karl Dane - "Dumbbells in Derbies"

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Dumbbells in Derbies (1932)

Thanks to Rob Farr for providing a DVD copy of this film.

"Dumbbells in Derbies" was a Darmour short that starred Dane & Arthur in one of their very last pairings. It is an early Talkie, and shows that Karl's accent, while strong, was pleasant and surprisingly understandable. The short was not the best of their pairings, but despite somewhat weak writing, the strength of their personalities and talent makes this a fun short to enjoy today.

Karl and George are two oil field prospectors who have quit their jobs in a huff to see the sights and sounds of the big city, much to the chagrin of their boss, who is desperate to get them back. He hires some toughs to put a good scare into them so they will come running home. Here, shot at my machine gun fire the boys frantically climb a scaffolding and are tricked into thinking that they have witnessed a murder.

Of course, no matter where the boys run, the "murderer" seems to be everywhere the go, much to their horror.

The boys get some bullet proof vests and guns for protection. Here they dive into an alley and test them for accuracy before taking on the gang themselves.

They incur the wrath of the whole town when they haphazardly test their guns too (which contain marbles, not real bullets). Among the ton of items that have been flung at them is an old oil can, which fondly reminds Karl of the old oil fields. The boys then head back to their old stomping grounds, much to the relief of the town's denizens!