Saturday Afternoon

Saturday Afternoon, starring Harry Langdon and Vernon Dent

Saturday Afternoon (1926) starring Harry Langdon, Vernon Dent

Saturday Afternoon is a pleasant silent comedy, starring Harry Langdon as Harry Higgins, the ultimate in henpecked husbands, who at the urging of his friend Steve Smith (Vernon Dent) accompanies him on a ‘date’ with two young ladies that Steve has found. After working together at their factory job in the morning, Harry tries to take his precious stash of nickels from where he has them hidden under his living room carpetâonly for his wife to see him, and confiscate nearly all of it. Harry tries to stand up to his overbearing wife, locking her in the kitchen while he shouts at her through the door – but it backfires as she simply walks around to the front of the house.

Harry and Steve make it to their date, with poor Harry getting caught in the rear rumble seat of Steve’s car (when Harry hides from his wife as they’re driving along). Eventually, in an example of prop comedy, Steve tries to peel off the various components of the trunk from Harry. Shortly afterward, two rival boyfriends start a fight over the girls. The fight, although funny, goes poorly for them until the combatants see a police office and drive off – with Harry suspended between the two cars, sitting on their running boards. A short slapstick drive ends with Harry getting literally wrapped around a telephone pole, and his wife coming to the rescue.