Cheap The Nut / The Matrimaniac (Video) (Theodore Reed) Price

Related Products

Customer Reviews of The Nut / The Matrimaniac

Timeless entertainment and great fun!
These are two very good and clever comedies featuring Douglas Fairbanks before his 'swashbuckling era' of the 1920s for which he is best remembered. These are not like the old slapstick or vaudeville style comedies, rather an early century equivalent of our popular 'feel-good' Comedy-Romance films with a good theme and easily-followed plot. For example:
"The Nut" is Fairbanks, the main character, who invents useless gadgets and instead of impressing his lady-love only makes things worse. It becomes more complicated when a 'baddie' goes after her as well, and some of his cronies con 'the Nut', resulting in more desperate attempts by him to win back his girl's love. It all works out in the end and they live happily ever after, but not after some unforeseeable twists and turns, making it exciting and very entertaining viewing.
The second film, The Matrimaniac, is short and sweet, being only 46 minutes long, but packed with action. Our guy is trying to elope before the girl's disapproving father can stop them, but with Papa and 'Papa's idea of a son-in-law' close on their heels, they decide to grab a nearby pastor to marry them before Papa can do anything. Not as easy as it sounds because they become separated and our hero desperately tries to bring pastor, girl and himself together for the quick ceremony while also evading Papa, preferred son-in-law and some lawyers with injunctions to prevent the marriage. Near the end, Fairbanks gets to show off his athletic abilities by scaling buildings and jumping across roof tops, and throughout both films he expresses his usual enthusiasm and vitality, but unlike his costumed swashbuckling films, he is just a regular guy wearing a suit and tie.
Another appealing feature of these two comedies is that they are a window into the past showing a more innocent and playful mentality. There are also steam trains and gorgeous pre-1920 automobiles, for those who are interested. The Matrimaniac was filmed in 1916 and I was surprised by the good quality of this film. Both films on this video are in top condition and a thorough pleasure to watch.