Aces Wild

Tom Howard gets into a poker game on the train with some guys who make up their own rules.

Howard's character was a mildly incoherent mumbler, and I take no pleasure in that sort of delivery. I like them fast, and sharp, like Abbott & Costello. Still, there's little doubt that Howard is good at what he does, particularly in the company of supporting players like George Shelton and Donald MacBride.

Not the best for Howard...seems more a spectator to some fast-talking sharpies.

Too many aces in deck.

Tom Howard was a Vaudeville comic who only made about a couple dozen films...almost all of which were shorts. I've seen a few and they are a real mixed lot...some ("2 a.m.", and "Acid Test") very good, some others pretty poor ("Static" and "Rain or Shine"). Is "Aces Wild" a good one or bad...or something in between?

The plot to "Aces Wild" is very simple. Tom (Tom Howard) meets an old acquaintance on a train and the guy convinces him to play a friendly game of poker with him and his friends. Tom knows nothing about poker and so the 'friends' make up the rules as they go along.

This is only a fair film for Howard. While the final scene is very funny, you cannot help but think that much more humor could have been generated with such a plot. It also didn't help that Howard's character is very passive and doesn't say or do a lot in this one...he's more just some patsy.