The Passionate Plumber

Dir. Edward Sedgwick

73 Minutes

USA

1932

Starring: Buter Keaton, Jimmy Durante, Polly Moran, Irene Purcell, Gilbert Roland, Mona Maris

**/*****

Wow, what a mess. Keaton is paired with Jimmy Durante in an effort to make them a new comedy team of sorts (they would next pair on the wonderfully titled What-No Beer). Keaton plays a plumber who is used by a beautiful socialite to make her lover jealous. The plot line is routine enough for this kind of picture, but at barely 70 minutes the entire time is a true slog, limping along to a basically nothing conclusion. Keaton looks like he is completely on autopilot, and any energy that was spotted in the far superior Parlour, Bedroom and Bath or Doughboys has completely gone away. And parts weirdly feel more sex comedy than physical farce, with the narrative getting oddly convoluted considering its very simple setup. A depressing watch following anything from the silent period.

August 21st, 2019