Fooling Casper

Fooling Casper (1928)

* 1/2 (out of 4)

Casper (Bud Duncan) rushes home so that he can take his wife Toots (Thelma Hill) and their young child on vacation. Before they can head off Toots' rich uncle, wife and annoying child show up and demand to tag along.

Duncan and Hill made a handful of films together under the Casper and Toots routine but this here was the first I've seen of them. To be honest, I can't say I'll be searching any more of them out as this one here really wasn't all that impressive. Not only did this comedy lack any real laughs, I'd argue that it also didn't set itself apart in any way, shape or form. Most comedy teams have some sort of style or some sort of routine that helps set it apart but that wasn't the case here. There really wasn't a single funny moment and the cast was quite dull as well.

Casper is going on vacation with his wife and ugly baby (I'm sorry, but the kid IS really creepy looking) and after about five minutes of unfunny shenanigans, he arrives home and gets ready to take off for the country. However, unexpectedly, his rich uncle, his aunt and their destructive and stupid son arrive and invite themselves along for the trip. The trip is anything but relaxing and at the end, the film just ends abruptly--too abruptly, as I suspect the actual ending is missing.

Thelma Hill and Bud Duncan made a dozen films together as the characters "Toot and Casper"--a husband and wife who get themselves into trouble. This is the first movie in the series and I haven't seen any of the others. Considering how many silent films have degraded over the years, it's very possible that this is the only film in the series left today and this might also explain why the film ended the way it did. Also considering that the film isn't particularly funny, it isn't exactly the greatest loss unless the succeeding films were a lot better than this one or unless the end somehow miraculously is funny.