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Reviews
Exit Smiling (1926)
A wonderful introduction to THE Bea
The ending was just right and somewhat in the Chaplinesque vein. I was really amazed at the little sight gags that appeared here and there and can not fathom why we have not seen more of this movie, and why we didn't get more of Bea to enjoy! We hear a lot about Thelma Todd, Mabel Normand, and numerous other movie comediennes of note, but here is someone for whom comedy was natural and timeless, and it's a shame to see her as a relative unknown even to buffs. I did see it on TCM and although the theme was indeed on homophobia and the like in movies over the years, I hated seeing her glossed over in the commentary afterward. Even the little bit with the actor taking all the ham, and how Bea deals with him, was more than just a throwaway. I can't imagine actresses of today who can handle this sort of thing. It's a lost art...at least in most modern movies. Bea had touches not only of Chaplin, but of Lloyd; some broad, some subtle. She and the director crafted some wonderful moments. The "onstage" stand-in scene and the vamping were just classic. Period.