Three's a Crowd

1927 comedy

Rating: 14/20

Plot: A lonely man saves the life of a frozen pregnant woman and starts to dream that he has a family. Unfortunately, her husband could return at any time and shatter those dreams.

This is the first of that trio of movies that Langdon ruined his career with. I like how he pulls it off with very few title cards, and the film's got a good look to it. There are really just a pair of settings--his humble abode with comically-tall rickety steps leading up to it and the street--but there's a lot done with the settings. Langdon also includes a dream sequence with a boxing match, and although Keaton, Chaplin, and probably Lloyd (I can't remember) did boxing better (and funnier), there was something comical about seeing Langdon with a humorously gigantic boxing glove. The dream sequence starts with cool visuals--stormy winds, great lighting, the face of the husband peeking through the window. Unfortunately, comic loneliness is difficult to pull off, and this movie doesn't balance humor and pathos with anything close to the ability that Chaplin had. It's a movie that really can't decide if it's a comedy or a drama, and it's just kind of in limbo, no-man's land, something that isn't really all that funny or dramatic. When Langdon's character (named The Odd Fellow according to the credits) is alone and playing with a doll, things work ok. The movie grinds to a halt once the woman enters the picture and the character becomes domesticated, taking care of a baby and making pies. The pacing's bad, and the comedy feels awkward. There is one brilliant shot featuring a lamp and streetlights that I thought was very touching. Worth watching for silent comedy fans and better than the Capra movie, but this is nothing special.