Balladeer’s Blog takes its third and final look at the best silent film comedies of the legendary comedienne Mabel Normand. For 1910-1915 click HERE. For 1916-1920 click HERE.
MOLLY O (1921) – This film was produced by Mabel’s longtime romantic partner Mack Sennett (the musical Mack & Mabel is about them) and co-written by Mary Hunt. Originally 80 minutes long, this comedy was once considered completely lost like so many other silent movies.
Part of the surviving 57 minutes of footage has an unusual survival story. Because the film centers on the romance of a poor struggling Irish girl, Molly O’Dair (Normand) and wealthy MD John Bryant (Jack Mulhall), much of the comedy centers on class stereotypes of Molly’s poor but honest family and Jack’s wealthy but villainous family.
The Soviet Union edited out all the funny parts and presented what was left as one of their propaganda films depicting life in America as one long nightmare of evil rich capitalists ridiculing and being cruel to poor working-class people.
That footage from the fallen U.S.S.R.’s film archives helped UCLA film historians flesh out what surviving footage they held with the chopped-up Russian version to make the 57-minute cut. Luckily the ending is intact and reviews from 1921 help fill in any missing story beats.
Molly’s Irish family runs a laundry and when she delivers some clothing to Dr. John Bryant, they fall for each other. Dr. Bryant is the only decent member of his family, and he & Molly struggle to make their romance work despite the snobbish machinations of his hoity-toity clan who despise the Irish.
The brother of John’s former lady is the main villain and tries to send Molly/ Mabel to her death from a high-flying dirigible in the thrilling finale. Dr. Bryant uses a bi-plane to reach the dirigible and executes a daring leap to board the lighter than air vessel so he can overcome the bad guy and save his true love. Continue reading
FATTY AND MABEL ADRIFT (1916) – This 34-minute film is not only one of the most popular shorts teaming Mabel with fellow comedy legend Fatty Arbuckle but it’s one of the most popular silent comedies ever. When Fatty wins Mabel’s hand in marriage his jealous rival (Al St. John) sabotages their honeymoon cottage by the sea. 
MABEL NORMAND – Born Amabel Ethelreid Normand on November 9th, 1893 in New York, this silent film comedienne blazed trails for countless subsequent actresses as well as female directors and screenwriters. Like so many silent film stars Normand is largely neglected today except for my fellow silent movie geeks and I. 
INDISCRETION OF BETTY (1910) – Mabel had her first starring role in this short drama but had appeared in an unknown number of previous films in smaller roles. Mabel played Betty, the wife in the marriage of a social-climbing couple. 
HER AWAKENING (1911) – The above-mentioned short in which Mabel caught the eye of Mack Sennett, who then signed her for comedy collaborations. In this short drama, Normand played a young lady trying to snare a successful husband. 
THROUGH HIS WIFE’S PICTURE (1911) – Mabel Normand’s first film short with Mack Sennett. He directed and had a supporting role in this 9-minute comedy about a misunderstanding that threatens a marriage. 
Balladeer's Blog 