A Flirt's Mistake (1914) watch online HD

" A Flirt's Mistake" was an 8 minute one joke film that has enough laughs in it to make it worth catching. Especially for "Fatty" Arbuckle fans.

A simple, though unbelievable case of mistaken identity drive this movie thru it's paces.

The cast is very good (obviously the Keystone Cops share in the shenanigans) camera-work is basic, and the house and police stations look like the same ones that were used in90% of Arbuckle's comedies.

Arbuckle made countless of these short, short films. Try taping a few of them, and watch them all night long. They offer good insight to one of the most popular and tragic figures of the early 20th century.

The material in this short comedy is only fair at best, but Roscoe Arbuckle does his best, and is able to carry it much of the time. The story is really only one basic comedy idea, stretched out as far as possible to fill up the running time. Edgar Kennedy helps out some, but he likewise is limited by the material.

Arbuckle plays the incorrigible flirt of the title, and it's a good role for him. He was always able to make characters like this entertaining and interesting, and his mannerisms and expressions work in defining the character and in reacting to events. The story really doesn't go anywhere, though, since the only point is the gag about "A Flirt's Mistake", which is not all that imaginative or effective in the first place.

It's still watchable thanks to Arbuckle, but there are many other movies of his that survive and that give him much more to work with.

"A Flirt's Mistake" is an American 7.5-minute short film from over 100 years ago. So with the year 1914, nobody should be surprised that this is a silent, black-and-white movie. The star here is one of the biggest players (in the truest sense of the word) from the silent film era, namely Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle. He plays a man who has a girlfriend/wife, but still loves to flirt with other women. Things take a turn for the worse when one of these women is not exactly what he assumes. There is a lot of action in here, much more than usual during that time and even shots are fired. Add pompous costumes to that and you have the perfect example of a film that is style over substance. Arbuckle elevates the material occasionally, but it is still not a good watch sadly. I give it a thumbs down. Not recommended.

This might be a good introduction to the comedy of Roscoe Arbuckle in his Mack Sennett years. In A Flirt's Mistake Arbuckle plays a husband who no matter how happily married he is can't resist flirting with the young women who come in close proximity. He thinks he's a real ladies man.

But one time he sees something from behind that looks positively scrumptious. He makes a pass, gives a little pinch and it turns out to be an oriental rajah with full beard and big old nasty curved scimitar.

Watching the film there was no credit given to the players but who does it turn out to be? None other than Edgar Kennedy of the slow burn totally unrecognizable under that bushy hair. He of the slow burn, burns very quickly as he chases Fatty through most of the film waving that big old scimitar.

For both these guys this is a funny film and an interesting surprise to see Edgar Kennedy. Roscoe does find shelter in home and hearth.

A Flirt's Mistake (1914)

*** (out of 4)

Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle plays a married man who is constantly flirting with women. He makes the mistake of his life when he flirts with one woman who happens to be a man who swears vengeance on any flirt. A FLIRT'S MISTAKE isn't going to be mistaken for a lost masterpiece but as far as Keystone shorts go, this one here is actually pretty good and at least has a good enough of a pace to where it never gets boring. The film is pretty much all action once Fatty flirts with the man because then we have one wild chase after another as Fatty tries to reach safety without getting shot. A lot of these scenes are quite funny and especially the look at Fatty's face when he sees that the woman is actually a man. Another very good sequence involves him trying to find safety inside his house, which just doesn't happen. The comedy star is in fine form here as he takes several falls and his comic timing is certainly right on the mark. Fans of the slapstick era will certainly enjoy this one, although those new to the genre should probably start with a different picture.

This is a pretty typical slapstick film from Keystone Studios in 1914. And, while this is bound to offend some, this isn't particularly a compliment. While Keystone produced some dandy shorts in later years, in 1914, their films almost always were close to being plot less and filled with too much slapstick (punching, kicking, etc.) because the films just lacked coherence.

In this film, Fatty is married but on the prowl. He mistakenly makes a pass at a Rajah who takes very poorly to having a guy come on to him. He pulls out some pistols and shoots at Fatty who runs from the park to his home--all the while being chased by the bearded Rajah. The Rajah's pistols apparently never need reloading and once he starts shooting, his bullets always seem to hit Fatty in the butt. While this may have caused a few laughs at first, it gets very tiresome very quickly. Then, the police show up and the Rajah begins shooting at them. All very, very silly and not particularly funny.

By the way, the Rajah is apparently Edgar Kennedy, though you can hardly tell under all that makeup.