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| Mary Brian |
“Won’t you be my war hero?”
In April 1917, America decided to take an active part in the armed conflict, in which by now so many countries were taking part in that it was already called 'The Great War' at that time. The reason why I leave aside for now, but the fact remains that about a year and a half later the First World War was over. America became a world power, there was economic growth and there was, despite the prohibition that was introduced in 1922, a feeling of optimism. People liked going to the cinema to laugh at the jokes of Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton. They belonged to the first generation of superstars that emerged in the 1920s.
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| Mary Brian and Wallace Beery |
In 1926 enough time had passed to look back at this dramatic Great War in a more light-hearted way. (Okay, admitted that Chapin had no trouble at all making fun of the war even before it was over in his 'Shoulder Arms'). In Behind the Front, from 1926, Shorty McKee (Raymond Hatton) steals Riffs (Wallace Beery) pocket watch. Riff, who’s a detective, starts chasing him, but when he gets lost, he meets the most charming Betty. Betty wants to go to France to make her contribution to the fight against Fritz, but her father only gives his approval when she recruited 25 soldiers. Betty knows how to put her charm to good use and has already enlisted 23 men when Shorty asks her to hide him. With number 24 in mind she hides him in a Spanish chest. When Riff comes in, she sees her chance to complete her set. With an abundance of compliments, a photo and the question “Won’t you be my war hero?” it costs her little effort to persuade him to join the army. And the same method also proves to be effective with Shorty.
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| Gertrude Astor? |
On the way to France, Riff and Shorty meet again. Because Riff never had the opportunity to take a good look at the thief of his pocket watch, he does not recognise Shorty. And since they both aren’t really interested in the war and both are only interested in the girl, who they do not know is the same girl that recruited them, they become friends. A fun adventure, that many times puts a smile on my face, follows.
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| Hayden Stevenson and Raymond Hatton |
Both Wallace Beery, who plays Riff, and Raymond Hatton, who plays Shorty, do not have the comic timing of the slapstick greats I mentioned at the beginning of this review, but I do not really mind that. And perhaps this is not entirely due to them. The rhythm of the editing also has to do with it. For example, the scene with the inspection of the regiment isn’t as effective as it could’ve been. But maybe the editor did not have enough material to work with. An extra close-up here and there could have helped. If director A. Edward Sutherland didn’t shoot these than the editor couldn’t help that. But maybe Sutherland had to work with a limited budget. But what does it matter. Whatever the reasons, the result is still quite nice.
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| Wallace Beery |
A reviewer wrote in the May issue of 'Motion Picture Magazine' of May 1926; “Some my call it a steal on ‘The Big Parade’ [King Virdor, 1925]. But it should be remembered that this is sheer burlesque calculated to strike your funny-bone and nothing else. Beery and Hatton put it over.” And when 'Behind the Front' played in the cinema in 1926, the film broke all box-office records. Although in the present sense of the word ‘burlesque’ there are little bare breasts (read: none) in this film I find 'Behind the Front' a very amusing film.
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