His First Flame

Daphne Pollard was an Australian comic who came to America with her brother, Snub, in order to make films. Both worked steadily during the silent era making comedies. I was surprised when I bought a DVD of Vitaphone shorts from the 1930s to see her starring in some of them along side Shemp Howard. What surprised me more is that she did a very good American accent!

So far, unfortunately, the Pollard-Howard shorts have been god- awful...especially "Smoked Hams"! What shocked me about this one, "A Peach of a Pair" is that it actually IS a good comedy!!

The film begins with Pollard playing anything but hard to get, as she practically attacks a Fireman (Howard) who is walking in the park. She does everything she can to get his attention and ends up proposing to him!! Apparently, she is mad at her boyfriend, another fireman, and wants to marry someone else to show him! Unfortunately, later in the film the old boyfriend does everything he can to get revenge.

While I would never consider this a great comedy, it is enjoyable and the pair's acrobatics are very funny...in an old silent slapstick sort of way. Not at all brilliant, but considering how bad their other films were and how bad MOST of the Vitaphone comedies of the 1930s are, at least this one is pleasant and watchable.

Shemp plays a fireman who is "snagged" by a woman (Daphne Pollard) in a park. She's been following all the advice in her book - "How to make love". Even so, he's wary at first. Then she tells him that she turned down the advances of a fellow officer of his. Shemp doesn't like the other guy, so he decides to marry her! Once they've settled down to married bliss, he thinks he can make a fortune by inventing a "putter-outer" fire powder. Oddly enough, it works. But, needless to say, things don't go smoothly when he tests it out on his own house and wife!! OK Shemp short, nothing special. Good physical comedy early on by Daphne Pollard.