Yankee Doodle in Berlin

As World War I drew down and the world struggled with the devastating effects of the flu epidemic, Mack Sennett was writing this comedy about the conflict in Europe.

This silent comedy had a target--the Kaiser. An American is sent behind the lines to infiltrate the German Headquarters, which he does in drag. The Kaiser and his entourage are depicted as bumbling fools, beaters of women and cheaters at croquet. They are certainly no match for our "hero", Bob White the dress-wearing representation of American patriotism.

No doubt audiences jeered and hissed when the Kaiser and his immoral scum cronies were on screen and cheered whenever they got their comeuppance. The film even contains some editorial comments written on the footage to cue the audience's animosity.

Portraying the Kaiser as a half-witted monkey makes the Allied enemy seem less that formidable, but the audience must have its laughs. The result is a dated, one-trick film that is interesting as an artifact of the immediate post-war era.