Dr. Pyckle and Mr. Pride

[Micromegas]

On an old post in alt.movies.silent [anybody here remember that one? ] someone mentions that the ending of Dr. Pyckle and Mr. Pride (missing on the Kino DVD) has Stan Laurel drinking a vial castor oil which he believes to be poison.

Can anyone help me out in verifying that?

I have the miniscule copyright [registration -edit] as well as write-ups from Film Daily and Moving Picture World. However, none of them even provide a summary...

Thanks,

Steve

[Richard M Roberts]

On an old post in alt.movies.silent [anybody here remember that one? ] someone mentions that the ending of Dr. Pyckle and Mr. Pride (missing on the Kino DVD) has Stan Laurel drinking a vial castor oil which he believes to be poison.

Can anyone help me out in verifying that?

I have the miniscule copyright sysnopsis as well as write-ups from Film Daily and Moving Picture World. However, none of them even provide a summary...

Thanks,

Steve

Actually, the odd thing about both original survivng print materials on DR PYCKLE AND MR PRYDE, neither of which had original subtitles, both end in the same abrupt spot, making one wonder if the film ends on a subtitle that no longer exists.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

[Micromegas]

Actually, the odd thing about both original survivng print materials on DR PYCKLE AND MR PRYDE, neither of which had original subtitles, both end in the same abrupt spot, making one wonder if the film ends on a subtitle that no longer exists.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

Richard, can you provide any background on the existence of two prints? How they were found? anything like that?

Steve

[Richard M Roberts]

Actually, the odd thing about both original survivng print materials on DR PYCKLE AND MR PRYDE, neither of which had original subtitles, both end in the same abrupt spot, making one wonder if the film ends on a subtitle that no longer exists.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

Richard, can you provide any background on the existence of two prints? How they were found? anything like that?

Steve

There are two original print materials on DR PYCKLE AND MR PRYDE, one was in the Rohauer Collection and was sold to Rohauer by the films producer,Joe Rock . Most likely it is the original American release version, but the negative or fine grain did not have any titles in it. Rohauer distributed it without any subtitles at all.

The other print material is in the hands of Lobster Films, comes from a foreign source, and either originally had no titles or had foreign titles.

Both prints differ slightly in content, both have shots and alternate takes the other one does not have, but both end in precisely the same place.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

[Joe Migliore]

Kino includes this short not only on THE STAN LAUREL COLLECTION, but also includes it as an extra on DR. JEKYLL & MR. HYDE. Interestingly, the former credits Percy Pembroke as director, and has a running time of 19:39, while the latter credits Harry Sweet as director and has a running time of 21:27. The former fades out directly after Julie Leonard breaks a vase over Stan's head, while the latter continues with Stan pulling her necklace around his head, and a shot of the crowd breaking in before abruptly ending.

[Richard M Roberts]

Kino includes this short not only on THE STAN LAUREL COLLECTION, but also includes it as an extra on DR. JEKYLL & MR. HYDE. Interestingly, the former credits Percy Pembroke as director, and has a running time of 19:39, while the latter credits Harry Sweet as director and has a running time of 21:27. The former fades out directly after Julie Leonard breaks a vase over Stan's head, while the latter continues with Stan pulling her necklace around his head, and a shot of the crowd breaking in before abruptly ending.

The Lobster Video Version in the Stan Laurel Collection tries for a smoother transition by fading out early, but the print ends in the same abrupt place as the Rohauer version. Percy Pembroke directed the short, Harry Sweet is incorrect. The missing original titles were written by Tay Garnett.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

[Micromegas]

The Lobster Video Version in the Stan Laurel Collection tries for a smoother transition by fading out early, but the print ends in the same abrupt place as the Rohauer version. Percy Pembroke directed the short, Harry Sweet is incorrect. The missing original titles were written by Tay Garnett.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

Just to be clear, the Lobster version is on the Kino Stan Laurel Collection* but not the Kino Barrymore DVD, correct?
(and not on one of Serge's DVDs)

I also take it that you're saying that the Harry Sweet credit is considered bogus because it is on reconstructed title cards whereas the Percy Pembroke credit is correct because it comes from original title cards?
(or is there some other reason?)

Thanks Richard and Joe for all of the info on this.

Steve

*If so, the completist in me as got to run out and buy the set for the alternate takes! (and take in some other Stan Laurel too)

[Richard M Roberts]

Just to be clear, the Lobster version is on the Kino Stan Laurel Collection* but not the Kino Barrymore DVD, correct?
(and not on one of Serge's DVDs)

No, I think they both derive from Lobster material.

I also take it that you're saying that the Harry Sweet credit is considered bogus because it is on reconstructed title cards whereas the Percy Pembroke credit is correct because it comes from original title cards?
(or is there some other reason?)

All original source material on DR PYCKLE AND MR PRYDE that I have seen indicates Percy Pembroke as director. I don't know where somebody got Harry Sweet as the Director (most likely wishful thinking on somebody's part as Sweet directed the two Stan Laurel/Joe Rock Comedies on either side of it, THE SLEUTH and HALF A MAN). The imdb lists Scott Pembroke and Joe Rock as the Directors, but they're usually off the mark.

*If so, the completist in me as got to run out and buy the set for the alternate takes! (and take in some other Stan Laurel too)

An OCD waste of time, the differences are minor, even if the one on the Kino set is the Rohauer version, which I don't think it is.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

[Joe Migliore]

Micromegas wrote:

Just to be clear, the Lobster version is on the Kino Stan Laurel Collection* but not the Kino Barrymore DVD, correct?

Listen to Richard; both versions come from the same source material, at least the same camera angles, but the one on THE STAN LAUREL COLLECTION is a tighter edit. It makes sense to dip to black after Stan gets the vase smashed over his head, wheras letting the existing footage meander a bit only serves to indicate that something may be missing. (They also clipped out the British Certificate at the beginning, but that doesn't have a lot of laughs either.)

[Micromegas]

It makes sense to dip to black after Stan gets the vase smashed over his head, wheras letting the existing footage meander a bit only serves to indicate that something may be missing.

Agreed. Having watched that footage, it comes across better without the last few (surviving) seconds.

I do get bouts of OCD sometimes (maybe from watching too much Monk), but I'll lay low on this one.

Thanks!!

Steve