The Better 'Ole Reviews

Sydney Chaplin was as skilled a pantomimist as his more famous younger brother, Charles Chaplin. The elder sibling, however, lacked the drive to become a star (in fact, he much preferred staying behind the scenes as Charles' business advisor). Nevertheless, Sydney turned in some impressive comedy performances during the silent era, and he shines as Old Bill in this second version of Bruce Bairnsfater's famed play and comic strip. With his natural good looks hidden behind a bushy mustache, Chaplin fully becomes the character -- a bumbling old soldier who gets no respect from anyone (and who isn't particularly willing to dish out any respect, either). Old Bill has a number of brilliant moments, the most memorable being his pantomime of a superior officer (you can almost see the monocle falling out of his eye), and his adventures with Alf (Jack Ackroyd) when they're both dressed up in a horse's costume and frantically trying to escape some drunken Germans. Chaplin dominates the film -- Ackroyd is merely an able assistant, and as Bert, Harold Goodwin is merely handsome window dressing. Only Edgar Kennedy as the irascible Corporal Quint, manages to hold his own. Lovers of silent comedy who want to venture outside of the Charlie Chaplin-Harold Lloyd-Buster Keaton canon, will want to catch this film on one of the rare occasions it runs on TV or in a revival theater.