Things We Can Do Without

A Pete Smith Specialty shorts series entry. Dave demonstrates a variety of household items and furniture which, while modern, is much more trouble than the progress is worth.

While only 9 minutes, this is a pretty spectacular little film if you like slapstick comedy. Taking the idea of inconvenient furniture to an extreme, Dave O'Brien falls over a lot, breaks things and at one point even flies through a wall. I love it.

As the short goes on, it gets more extreme, which only makes it more funny. We get from a man falling over a lot to a convenience of actually having an old man stored in a wall so he could be taken out to play bridge. Weird stuff... and makes me wonder why no one plays bridge anymore.

Things We Can Do Without (1951)

** (out of 4)

Pete Smith short tells us what we use everyday yet might not really need. We get all sorts of slapstick comedy worked around an arm less chair, mechanical tables and various other items, which of course turn crazy and provide the laughs. There's some nice laughs here including a great sequence with a mirror.

If you're interested in this or any other Pete Smith short then keep your eyes on Turner Classic Movies as they play their quite often. Most of the Smith shorts are worth viewing at least once.

Another in a series of Pete Smith Specialties that has the energetic DAVE O'BRIEN demonstrating how not to deal with the inconveniences of modern conveniences, such as armless chairs, trays that come out from the wall, and desk drawers that are supposed to slide open at the magic touch.

Actually, I expected more when I saw the title THINGS WE CAN DO WITHOUT but this short flies by swiftly with one sight gag after another, each time providing a chuckle to watch how skillfully O'Brien handles all the falls. One mishap has him even punching a hole in the wall when his chair rapidly goes backward as he tugs at a drawer.

Amusing stuff--not one of the best of the series but fun to watch.