Mickey

Keystone star Mabel Normand was tiring of the slapstick grind by 1916, but Mack Sennett managed to keep her on board by setting up a new production company for her. Personal problems, filming delays and distribution hassles held up the release of the company's first film, "Mickey," until the summer of 1918.

It proved to be a smash hit on the states-rights circuit. It's still pretty irresistible today, because it's a pure showcase for Mabel's unique charm. You just can't take your eyes off her. No wonder this film was known in the trade as "the mortgage lifter!" Organ score by Bob Vaughn.

Supplemental material: Also featured is one of Mabel's last and best Keystones, the two-reel comedy "He Did and He Didn't" (1916), co-starring Roscoe Arbuckle and Al St. John. Plus: a giant photo gallery of Mabel Normand portraits, movie posters, sheet music and production stills, accompanied by Henry Burr's 1918 recording of "Mickey," the popular theme song written as a tie-in for the film.

Nice feature with famous silent era comedienne

Mabel Normand had already made her mark as an accomplished comedienne in Keystone and Mack Sennett productions when she ventured forth with her own production company in 1916. "Mickey" was the first and only film produced by that company, and it was delayed due to various problems until its release in 1918, but it was well worth the wait. Unlike the earlier Keystone comedies however, "Mickey" is basically a serious but light-hearted story, and as Mickey, Mabel is thoroughly entertaining as a tomboy growing up in a rough environment at the 'Tomboy Mine' where everything she does ends in trouble. It doesn't get any better when she is sent to live with her aunt in New York, but through romance and a bit of adventure she turns into a lady - though not before some twists and turns with action and some intrigue. There is quite a lot packed into just over an hour, and while there's nothing really outstanding or special about "Mickey", it is still a pleasure to watch, mainly due to Mabel's charisma and acting skill. The picture quality is very good, although at times there are a few jumps where some frames are missing. A little worse for wear is the short bonus comedy "He Did and He Didn't", in which Mabel stars with Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle who plays Mabel's jealous husband. When Mabel's old school sweetheart comes for a visit, the three of them experience a wild and crazy night, complete with robbers, shooting and murder - or so it seems. Finally, a slide show with beautiful photographs of Mabel and other memorabilia set to the original 1918 theme song for "Mickey" is a lovely treat, taking you back in time to when the film was first released. Although this is only a mid-priced DVD with budget packaging, the good quality of the feature film and the two bonuses make it rate fairly well. February 14, 2005

More reviews at Amazon.com ...