Skinner's Dress Suit

1926

Comedy / Romance

IMDb Rating 7.0/10 10 239 239

Top cast

E.J. Ratcliffe as McLaughlin
Charles Meakin as Party Guest
Henry A. Barrows as Samuel Colby
Arthur Lake as Tommy
720p.BLU 1080p.BLU
703.13 MB
1280*950
English 2.0
NR
23.976 fps
1 hr 16 min
Seeds ...
1.27 GB
1456*1080
English 2.0
NR
23.976 fps
1 hr 16 min
Seeds ...

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by 8 / 10

A great late silent era film

After knowing its reputation for ages, I finally got around to seeing this. It lives up to its reputation. Beautifully controlled, very funny, and very simple, full of lovely little gags that are natural and convincing -- you never see anybody working here, it's all subtle and believable and very entertaining.It's a plain, sitcom-y story about a suburban husband and his ambitious wife who pushes him to ask for a raise at the worst possible time and things just go downhill from there. He lies to her that he actually got a raise, she starts spending money they don't have, and it just gets worse until the inevitable happy ending.Denny and Laura La Plante are wonderful, and William A. Seiter's direction is just terrific. It's a film that really ought to be seen by anyone doing comedy even today -- every character's every thought and every reaction to the situations is just so clear and well-paced that it just plays like gangbusters. Really a joy from beginning to end.The only downside is the score on the new Kino print in their Reginald Denny Collection. The restoration is beautiful, but the score's not great: it calls far too much attention to itself and does not really punctuate the action like an original score should.This film was remade three years later as a sound film - "Skinner Steps Out" - starring Glenn Tryon and Merna Kennedy. That film is rarer as I've only seen it at Capitolfest in Rome, NY about ten years ago.
Reviewed by 8 / 10

Denny's a Dandy Dancer

Two timeless business adages are the basis for this film: "It's not what you know, it's who you know" and "Clothes make the man." Skinner is an office clerk in need of a raise, because his wife has expensive tastes. However, his boss refuses, and, when the firm loses an important contract, his situation worsens when he is let go. Unfortunately, Skinner cannot tell his wife the truth, and, because he lets her believe that he did receive a substantial raise, she begins spending and spending and spending. "Skinner's Dress Suit" is an amusing silent comedy that shows off the talents and skills of its leading man, Reginald Denny. The six-foot Denny, who had been a boxer in his youth, displays an unexpected agility on the dance floor; whether trying out steps in the office, aping the moves he describes to his wife over the phone, or doing the Savannah Shuffle in a crowded ballroom, Denny was obviously nimble and light on his feet. Also noted for his baritone voice, perhaps he should have pursued musicals when talkies arrived.Denny is paired with pert Laura La Plante as Honey Skinner, who sees her big, handsome husband as successful and pushes him to complete that image with a new business suit. Properly attired, Skinner projects success and begins to make useful contacts at various affairs he and his wife attend. The supporting cast, which includes Arthur Lake and Hedda Hopper, is solid, and director William A. Seiter, who was married at the time to the leading lady, La Plante, had extensive experience directing comedy. Seiter's skill shows in the pacing and in the sight gags. In one especially funny scene, Denny is dancing in the office, a secretary points to the boss standing behind him, and he imitates her hand movements, thinking she is illustrating dance moves. While the story is slight and predictable, the cast, especially Denny and La Plante, enhance the material and make "Skinner's Dress Suit" a charming, entertaining, and, unfortunately, little-known film.
Reviewed by 7 / 10

Not a slapstick comedy

but a social comedy, about how, while clothes don't make the man, they allow you to disguise who you are. This comedy is neatly performed with a fairly high-brow air. It is interesting to watch Arthur Lake in a small role, as this sort of role, played for pure slapstick, is the sort of thing he performed for twenty years as Dagwood in the BLONDIE series and tv show.
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