Jonah Jones

There is a word in Yiddish that can be transliterated as "Shlamiel." Nothing ever works out for a shlamiel. If one apple in a barrel is wormy, that is the one he bites into. If he plugs a device into a socket, the wiring will be faulty and he will get a shock. If there is a banana skin anywhere in the city, he will trip on it and fall down a manhole.

There is another Yiddish word, "Shlamazel". When the shlamiel trips on a banana skin and falls down a manhole, he will land on the shlamazel. Who will be named Lloyd Hamilton.

That is the basis of Lloyd Hamilton's comedy and character in the 1920s and this particular film, while not from his peak work, is full of beautifully composed and executed gags on the theme: among the worst falls he takes is to fall for beautiful Dorothy Seastrom, who gets him in all sorts of amusing trouble.

Also on hand is fat girl comedian Babe London. Now best known for her role as Oliver Hardy's fiancée in OUR WIFE, she handles her role as the discarded woman with good will and plenty of energy.

But Ham is really the whole show. Poor fellow.