Doughnuts and Society

Maude Eburne and Louise Fazenda play off each other wonderfully, as two long-time friends and partners in a doughnut shop who part when one of Eburne's harebrained investments pay off and she leaves to get her daughter into society. The two bring an sense of cameraderie, irritation and mutual sympathy that is reminiscent of Laurel and Hardy and the supporting cast, including the ever dependable Franklin Pangborn and a young Anne Rutherford are fine.

The script, however, veers from beautifully played small moments of pensiveness to to unfunny moments of forced slapstick. Eburne plays her role as if she is playing the snobby wife in RUGGLES OF RED GAP instead of the down-to-earth Maw Pettingill, which role she did take. The comedic partnership is very uneven and the net result is generally ill-humored. Still, it's worth a look to see what these two old pros can do with their opportunities.