California or Bust

In 1912, Pathé brought out the Pathé Kok, its first home projector (the system was then known as Pathescope in the US). It used non-flammable celluloid but was relatively expensive and ddi not sell well in Europe. In 1922 it was replaced by the Pathé-Baby which used 9mm film and was considerably cheaper. It was known in the US both as Pathescope and Pathex.

The system was enormously successful (and both Kok and Baby could be accompanied by a home-video camera) but the 9mm format meant that films weer often abbreviated in order to fit onto one reel (or onto fewer reels in the case of feature films). So we end up with many bowdlerised versions of films.

There are many Pathé-Baby versions of films around and in many cases this is the only version we have but they are usually fairly easy to recognise, even if they are not identified as such, from the quality of the print and the rather abrupt cuts in the action caused by the abbreviation of the film. In the case of the Hal Roach films of this period which usually had title-cards charmingly illustrated by H. M. Walker, one obvious sign of a Pathex version is the absence of the Walker illustrations.

This particular film is readily available in both versions (the Pathex version on Youtube is quite clearly identified both in the description and in the film itself as such). The regular print runs for over twenty minutes and the Pathex version for just five minutes. It is in effect, in this case, just the first five minutes of the film although the company converting the 9mm film may not have used all the original).

Many Maz Linder films and some Harold Lloyd films for instance seem to survive only in abbreviated Pathex versions. As far as I am aware,Snub's well-known "It's a Gift" only exists in such an abbreviated Pathex version.

Snub Pollard, an Okie tired of frequent tornadoes, decides to haul all of his worldly goods and his wife to a better land. It is California OR BUST, but what's more likely, California, or bust?

I can see how the other reviewer saw a six minute version -- this is a movie that breaks down easily in several parts. Fortunately, all the parts are chock full of funny, imaginative gags, as well as an interesting view of the privations of long distance auto travel in 1923. A conflict with Jimmmy Finlayson at an auto camp (forerunner to the trailer parks) presages many similar conflicts Stan and Ollie would have with the angry Mr. Finlayson. Other gags tend to be very elaborate and feature Rube Goldberg style inventions.

The long version is very worth finding.