Call of the Cuckoo (1927)

Call of the Cuckoo Poster

Mishaps befall a new home owner located next door to an insane asylum.

Summaries
"Call of the Cuckoo" is a quiet brief funny film released in 1927 directed by Clyde Bruckman. The film stars famous silent period comedians, Max Davidson, Charley Chase, and Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, before they became a funny duo.

Plot
The movie starts with a frail guy, Max (played by Max Davidson), who is suggested by his medical professional to move to a quieter house due to his frustrating tension and ailing health caused by loud and invasive next-door neighbors. Convinced, Max settles to a peaceful looking home, oblivious of its previous resident 'Goofy Galoot' who was a left asylum inmate.

Quickly after, Max's serenity is disrupted as your house reveals indications of its previous owner's madness. Things in your home behave erratically, with the staircase serving as an indoor slide, and unpredictable automatic gadgets causing chaos. Handling this madness, Max experiences his brand-new next-door neighbors Mrs. Gimplewart (Lyle Tayo) and her hot-headed son (Charley Chase).

Arrival of Hardy & Laurel
Additional adding to Max's torment, a realtor unwittingly rents the asylum-style home next to Max to his previous madcap neighbors (Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy). Unaware of their history with Max, they move in, getting up the whole neighborhood with their calamitous moving efforts. They utilize a makeshift wheel system to transport their large and heavy piano, causing damage along the method.

Their awkward shenanigans, including dropping the piano consistently and meddling with a bee's nest, develop a series of laughable events, causing a turmoil in an once serene community. This intensifies into a full-fledged funny action scenario, including all the citizens of the area.

The Bizarre House
In the middle of all the hilarity and turmoil, the strange qualities of Max's brand-new home further contribute to the humor. The quirks consist of an umbrella that works as a pop-up birdcage, a wall-bed turning Max onto the flooring at sharp 9 'o'clock, a wardrobe transforming into a tub, and a cuckoo bird serving as the doorbell.

Conclusion
Throughout the movie, Max's desperate attempts to acquire peace become significantly humorous and paradoxical as the house and his neighbors make his life more disorderly than before. At last, in disappointment, he abandons the absurd house, leaving it to the cacophony of his madcap neighbors. In an ironic twist, Max goes back to his old, loud house that at first seemed intolerable.

General Reception
The movie, although not extensively acknowledged, is often kept in mind for its ensemble comedy skills. It represents 1920s comedy, marked by slapstick humor and unreasonable comic circumstances. It also presented the early comedy team-up of Laurel and Hardy, even before they were formally a duo. The film features chaotic physical funny, farcical scenarios and amusing subtext that make it a traditional comedy of its age. In general, "Call of the Cuckoo" supplies a comedic and chaotic insight into neighborly relations of the time.

Top Cast

  • Max Davidson (small)
    Max Davidson
    Papa Gimplewart
  • Lillian Elliott (small)
    Lillian Elliott
    Mama Gimplewart
  • Spec O'Donnell (small)
    Spec O'Donnell
    Love's Greatest Mistake
  • Stan Laurel (small)
    Stan Laurel
    Asylum Inmate
  • Oliver Hardy (small)
    Oliver Hardy
    Asylum Inmate
  • James Finlayson (small)
    James Finlayson
    Asylum Inmate
  • Charley Chase (small)
    Charley Chase
    Asylum Inmate
  • Frank Brownlee
    Prospective House Buyer
  • Leo Willis
    Guest
  • Edgar Dearing (small)
    Edgar Dearing
    Guest
  • Fay Holderness
    Guest