The Life of the Party

This is an odd full-length comedy from Fatty Arbuckle. I don't mean it's odd in a bad way, but it's quite a departure because the film is much more plot-driven than his shorts and because he initially plays a rather non-sympathetic character.

When the film begins, Algernon Leary (Arbuckle) is a very successful lawyer--thanks in part to his complete lack of ethics! So, when the evil Milk Trust is being sued, the crooked judge advises the Milk people to hire Leary, as he will do anything to win a case. But, before Leary can cash the retainer check from the milk folks, he's visited by a group of concerned women who want him to fight the Milk Trust! Smitten by one of the lovely ladies, he reluctantly agrees to take the case and rips up the Trust's HUGE check.

Soon, Leary is seen by the community as a virtuous man and he's nominated as a reform party candidate for mayor. Now, with his reputation cleaned up, Leary decides to actually clean up his act and gain the woman's love. But this is not going to be easy, as the Milk Trust will resort to any sort of underhanded politics to win their case--and if it means destroying Leary, so be it.

While none of this sounds all that funny, it is a comedy...but one with its major emphasis on the story and characters, not cheap laughs. Because of this, the film is slower and the comedy clearly is secondary...but the film IS well-crafted and very enjoyable. Well worth seeing and among Arbuckle's best.

By the way, if you do see this film, it was until recently assumed lost. It's now about 99% restored but the final few seconds of the print are gone--replaced by stills and intertitle cards.