Le cauchemar de Fatty

This is one of the remarkable short comedies that Arbuckle turned out at the end of his contract at Keystone while he was in New Jersey, far from Sennett's grasp: quite possibly the best. Elaborate, realistic sets, varieties of characterizations -- here he plays an irascible doctor who is jealous of wife Mabel's old boyfriend --and the darkest lighting in a comedy until BRINGING UP BABY combine to produce a comedy far from Keystone's frenetic mold.

Add in Arbuckle's casual gags and the result is an excellent comedy that is still highly watchable -- except, of course, when you are trying to make sense of real-life nephew Al St. John's awful mugging and high-speed rowdyism. Still, the man can take a fall.