Fatty Joins the Force
R: George Nichols. B: Mack Sennett. D: Roscoe ‘Fatty’ Arbuckle, Charles Avery, Lou Breslow, Harry DeRoy, Minta Durfee, Dot Farley, Edgar Kennedy, George Nichols. P: Keystone Film Company. USA 1913

“Although he appeared in a few earlier shorts, in 1913 Roscoe Arbuckle made some three dozen films. It was the year that he started using the moniker ‘Fatty.’ In 1913, Arbuckle was the first of the great silent comedy stars. Charles Chaplin would make his debut the following year but not star in shorts until the year after that. In 1913 Harold Lloyd was just an unknown extra and Arbuckle had four years before he would discover Buster Keaton. Minus Mary Pickford, Fatty Arbuckle was arguably the biggest movie star in the world in 1913. (…)
Even though the jokes are as amateur as you can expect from a 100 year old film, (a pie in the face) it does have some interesting things to say. Fatty clearly has no ambition here, but his girlfriend does. She pushes him every step of the way. Even though this is only a 13.5 minute short we understand their relationship. He is clearly thrilled with her while she is eager to improve him so as to improve herself by association.”
Eric Nash
Three Movie Buffs: Movie Reviews Archive