They use Curly’s head to break out of jail. Pa is a nice creation, or variation. Looks like Curly, but sure doesn’t act like him. Cheers, Mr. Howard. You wouldn’t want to say that he didn’t have range, since this one character contains so many delights. But his paternal turn in this picture makes you realize that he sure could have done some other things if he’d set his mind to it, or if the situation had warranted it. (Further on such transformations, you want to check out Stan Laurel’s astonishing turn as Lord Paddington, in A Chump at Oxford [1939].)
There’s some beautifully executed back and forth, up and down up there during the attempted wedding. Turn off the sound, ignore the plot, and it’s a study in symmetrical movement. Some nice stuff with the window too, and this great height that they are above the ground.
Words of wisdom: “Won’t Pa sizzle when he finds out you married his girl!” Ditto: “She’s supposed to be his wife, but now she’s gonna be his daughter!”