When Do We Eat? (1926) watch online HD

WHEN DO WE EAT? is a brief silent film from America, clocking in at just five minutes in length. It's marketed as a comedy but is anything but; rather it's a Lassie-style story of dogged determination and triumph over adversity. The story is about a family dog which has a little of three puppies to take care of. The dog is abandoned by its stupid owners and then must search for sustenance for itself and its family.

Essentially this is a story which dog lovers are going to love and everyone else is going to feel indifferent about. There's plenty of screen time for the cute animals but not enough screen time for anything other than a basic and simplistic story. I suppose that the film is interesting as a brief depiction of small-town America 'as was'.

This isn't a comedy at all, but a story of human neglect and canine determination. A little dog with three puppies watches as her humans lock up the house and drive off, leaving nothing but empty dishes for the poor pooch and her brood. She pursues the car, only to see these heartless characters board a train and apparently vanish from her life. Back at home, she barks and scratches at the door to no avail, and hunger walks abroad in Dogland. Finally deciding that waiting is futile, she goes in search of help and finds a little girl holding a doll and weeping. "Why cry over a broken doll?" barks Mama Dog, "I have three live babies!" The child is interested enough to let herself be tugged by the skirt and led back to the hungry pups. Gathering them up in her arms, she carries them to where her kindly old granny sits on her porch. Fortunately Granny is delighted at the sudden appearance of puppies and dog, and we see the little litter chowing down under the relieved eye of their mother, who puts her paws in Granny's lap in a touching gesture of gratitude. Yeah, but when does SHE eat?

I was only able to see this in an ancient camphor diacetate 100-foot 16mm home version, but the story seems intact, and really works quite well, though one can't help wanting to see the dog's negligent owners made to atone for their behavior. Of course, if there's more to the story they may have had an emergency and later will be concerned... but it may be just this simple plot. Not a bad little drama!