Skinner's Dress Suit

Two timeless business adages are the basis for this film: "It's not what you know, it's who you know" and "Clothes make the man." Skinner is an office clerk in need of a raise, because his wife has expensive tastes. However, his boss refuses, and, when the firm loses an important contract, his situation worsens when he is let go. Unfortunately, Skinner cannot tell his wife the truth, and, because he lets her believe that he did receive a substantial raise, she begins spending and spending and spending. "Skinner's Dress Suit" is an amusing silent comedy that shows off the talents and skills of its leading man, Reginald Denny. The six-foot Denny, who had been a boxer in his youth, displays an unexpected agility on the dance floor; whether trying out steps in the office, aping the moves he describes to his wife over the phone, or doing the Savannah Shuffle in a crowded ballroom, Denny was obviously nimble and light on his feet. Also noted for his baritone voice, perhaps he should have pursued musicals when talkies arrived.

Denny is paired with pert Laura La Plante as Honey Skinner, who sees her big, handsome husband as successful and pushes him to complete that image with a new business suit. Properly attired, Skinner projects success and begins to make useful contacts at various affairs he and his wife attend. The supporting cast, which includes Arthur Lake and Hedda Hopper, is solid, and director William A. Seiter, who was married at the time to the leading lady, La Plante, had extensive experience directing comedy. Seiter's skill shows in the pacing and in the sight gags. In one especially funny scene, Denny is dancing in the office, a secretary points to the boss standing behind him, and he imitates her hand movements, thinking she is illustrating dance moves. While the story is slight and predictable, the cast, especially Denny and La Plante, enhance the material and make "Skinner's Dress Suit" a charming, entertaining, and, unfortunately, little-known film.

Years ago I watched a fading-to-white, scratchy, blurry old VHS tape of "Skinner's Dress Suit" (1926) which, when I'd finished, I thought had been a lot of fun; just wished it could have been a much better print. Well, the new Reginald Denny three film Blu-Ray set from Kino Lorber is now my answer. I re-watched the film and enjoyed it all over again, only this time my eyes weren't crossed when I finished watching. The print isn't necessarily pristine, as there are a few lines here and there, but they're so minor as to be barely noticeable. I have to admit that half-way through this the only thing running through my mind was that Cary Grant HAD to have learned to copy Denny at some time or other because I kept seeing Grant playing the part! Grant's farceuring in "Bringing Up Baby" and "Arsenic and Old Lace" come immediately to mind.

This one begins with Denny's wife, played by lovely Laura La Plante, wondering if Denny had asked his bosses for a raise yet. No, he hasn't. Well, when will you? Today... Bye, Dear, gotta dash, catch the 7:32. Of course, he doesn't get it. Plus, other factors enter into the picture which complicate all even more. He gets home. Does he have the raise? No, but does he tell his wife? No. But does she think he does? Yes. And so what does she do? Buys him a new dress suit - that is, white tie and tails evening dress. And does it stop there? Of course not! New suit for work. New set of furniture. And whose outfit is more expensive than his new dress suit? Hers! But does he get the raise yet? NO! And so forth and so on. But do you think the outcome will be tragic? OF COURSE NOT!

The plot is short on genuine comedic drive. But...with Denny in his top farceur mode - absolute non-stop body action and eye movements and mouth movements that scream farce; and with Laura La Plante matching him at every step of the way; and with all of the cast in top fashion under director William A. Seiter's helm - this is a comedy masterpiece. Such a pleasant journey from the get-go. Besides Denny and La Plante, we have Ben Hendricks, Jr., E. J. Ratcliffe, Arthur Lake, Hedda Hopper, Lionel Braham, Frona Hale, and two who simply outdo even the stars: William H. Strauss and Betty Morrissey. The last named can do a mean 20's dance, too. By the way, the dance everyone does in the film, called the Savannah Shuffle, a somewhat combination of the Black Bottom and the Charleston, was an invention of Denny himself. Denny, as we discover, was no mean dancer himself. Nor was Laura La Plante. The fun of the dance is strewn throughout the film at different points as we're given small doses here and there.

The film, for the record, is actually a re-make of a seemingly very successful 1917 film of the same name which had starred Bryant Washburn, Hazel Daly, Virginia Valli, and Ullrich Haupt. The Variety reviewer mentions the earlier version with a seeming nostalgia. The film was re-made even a third time for sound in 1929 with the bland Glenn Tryon and Myrna Kennedy in the leads. E. J. Ratcliffe, who appeared in the Denny version, also appears in the sound version.

If you look closely during the large party scene in the Denny version, you'll notice early silent star Minta Durfee, Janet Gaynor, and Grady Sutton as extras. This one is not to be missed.

After knowing its reputation for ages, I finally got around to seeing this. It lives up to its reputation. Beautifully controlled, very funny, and very simple, full of lovely little gags that are natural and convincing -- you never see anybody working here, it's all subtle and believable and very entertaining.

It's a plain, sitcom-y story about a suburban husband and his ambitious wife who pushes him to ask for a raise at the worst possible time and things just go downhill from there. He lies to her that he actually got a raise, she starts spending money they don't have, and it just gets worse until the inevitable happy ending.

Denny and Laura La Plante are wonderful, and William A. Seiter's direction is just terrific. It's a film that really ought to be seen by anyone doing comedy even today -- every character's every thought and every reaction to the situations is just so clear and well-paced that it just plays like gangbusters. Really a joy from beginning to end.

The only downside is the score on the new Kino print in their Reginald Denny Collection. The restoration is beautiful, but the score's not great: it calls far too much attention to itself and does not really punctuate the action like an original score should.

This film was remade three years later as a sound film - "Skinner Steps Out" - starring Glenn Tryon and Merna Kennedy. That film is rarer as I've only seen it at Capitolfest in Rome, NY about ten years ago.

but a social comedy, about how, while clothes don't make the man, they allow you to disguise who you are. This comedy is neatly performed with a fairly high-brow air. It is interesting to watch Arthur Lake in a small role, as this sort of role, played for pure slapstick, is the sort of thing he performed for twenty years as Dagwood in the BLONDIE series and tv show.

The stars were competent enough (although director William A. Seiter indulged his somewhat miscast star, Reginald Denny, with far too many close-ups), but the three people I enjoyed most were Arthur Lake (up to his usual Bumstead shenanigans in the office), Betty Morrissey (an office worker with zing), and Lionel Braham (as the pugnacious but wife-tamed Jackson). E.J. Ratcliffe and Ben Hendricks, Jr., also contributed some laughs.

I enjoyed the way the script cleverly turned the tables, and I'm not at all surprised the film was so popular on first release.

In all, a well-staged and nicely produced effort that would benefit by a bit of astute trimming whenever Reg Denny is on-screen.