I seem to recall that in a long ago bit of sub-scholarship I suggested that this film was directly derived from the stage. I stand corrected. Always trust Mr. Musser! It’s comic postcards that provided the inspiration for this little trifle.
The “Dam” pun is so dumb and innocent that it’s kind of charming. These actors mug and caricature with varying degrees of success. Performances vary but this shot size, this shot duration, are just right, all the way through. The execution of the punch line, on the other hand, is completely botched. The camera sits there, utterly inert and way too far away. It takes forever to get to the dog’s climactic action, which doesn’t really make much sense when it finally does arrive.