Willful Ambrose

Delightful keystone comedy in which pa (ambrose) falls foul more than once to ma played wonderfully by louise fazenda. Henpecked and out of favour and being pestered by a somewhat simple daughter pa (played by mack swain) goes to try and replace a drinking vessel which he broke but gets into more trouble with a passing couple. Then is caught kissing the women by ma. This comedy is entertaining from start to finish and all the actors and actress's put in 100 percent. It is also a well planned and thought out movie and entertains throughout its ten minute length. it is full of things being thrown at people and people being hit over the head and provides the viewer with a bit of escapism.

The 1910s were the heyday of slapstick movies. Slapstick films featured a lot of people hitting, kicking and/or shooting each other...all, supposedly, for laughs. However, most of these pictures don't hold up well today because of two reasons...there really was little in the way of plot AND all the violence got rather boring after a while because that WAS the laugh...or was supposed to be. "Willful Ambrose" is definitely a slapstick sort of film.

The film begins with Ambrose (Mack Swain) shooting out in the yard. Oddly, his daughter is standing right next to the target...so gun safety is not a priority in Ambrose's life. However, he accidentally ends up shooting the giant beer stein his wife bought him.

Ambrose seems to go out to buy an identical stein as a replacement. But he soon abandons this and all sorts of punching, shooting people and Ambrose forcing himself on a woman...none of which made me laugh in the least. It all ends with the wife showing up and hitting folks with a baseball bat. Again, none of which is very funny.

When seen in 1915 it must have been a riot. However, today I'd say the film lacks plot and laughs and I'm giving it a charitable 3.

By the way, what is with Ambrose's daughter?! She looks like an adult and plays like she's 6. Talk about creepy.