Many Unhappy Returns

Ford Sterling wraps up more than a quarter of a century as a leading film comic, from Keystone through RKO, in almost three hundred shorts and features, in this one, as a pompous businessman whose wife, Velma Wayne, collects dolls. Sterling has bought her one for her birthday, but it has accidentally burned, and she finds the remnants of the doll's hair and thinks he has been stepping out on her. The misunderstandings balloon, and soon enough she is filing for divorce.

Like many of the leading comics who worked for Mack Sennett, Sterling was a fine actor, with leading roles in the silent version of THE SHOW-OFF When not called upon to strangle himself to death, Sterling was capable of subtlety, and particularly adept at playing pompous people. Alas, he died at the age of 55 the day before this short came out. Its plot was re-used for Leon Erroll's PRETTY DOLLY five years later. With Barbara Pepper, Bud Jamison, and Eddie Dunn.

During the sound era, Ford Serling made some short comedies for RKO. While he was much more famous for his work for Mack Sennett at Keystone Studios, he continued into the 1930s making comedies.

You really have to feel sorry for Henry (Sterling) in this one. Although his wife is pretty and younger, she also is insanely jealous...so jealous that any man married to her would be miserable. In the course of this story, his wife makes Henry's life tough because of this jealousy! It all began with a doll....and to learn more, see this cute story yourself.

Sterling is quite good here and it's one of his better sound shorts. I think part of the reason I liked it was because Henry was 100% innocent...and yet things kept happening to him to make his life a mess. And, when you thought MAYBE he'll get out of all this okay, more terrible things kept happening. A clear and enjoyable case of schadenfreude!