Released by Rayart Pictures in January, 1927, as Speeding Hoofs, the movie was retitled by Kodascope. Fortunately, no cuts were made for 16mm distribution as the movie offers good entertainment as is, thanks to the sterling efforts of comedian Ray Turner and to a lesser extent, Dick Hatton and Elsa Benham. To my surprise, this was director Louis Chaudet's 76th of 78 movies. He started off in 1915 and in all this time he still doesn't know how to shoot close-ups that match previous footage. It's a small point but it's irritating as it keeps our eyes focused on Chaudet's lack of technique rather than on the story. The chief offender was Elsa Benham. Maybe she just couldn't remember how she expressed herself in the two-shot. Maybe she didn't think it was important, but it's very jarring to cut from a two-shot of an animated Elsa in the middle of a sentence to an expressionless Elsa as she continues to speak to a fiery Elsa as she concludes the very same sentence. She also looks far more attractive in the two-shot. The script is a bit muddled too. I don't know what a real ghost is doing on the premises. He makes two brief appearances and then disappears, never to be seen or heard from again! Anyway, aside from these lapses, the movie is moderately entertaining and boasts good production values. Available as a bonus feature on Alpha's "Golden Trails" DVD.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
