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How Hubby Made Good
(1910) United States of America
B&W : Split-reel / 473 feet
Directed by (unknown)
Cast: (unknown)
Essanay Film Manufacturing Company production; distributed by Essanay Film Manufacturing Company. / Released 5 January 1910; in a split-reel with The Adventuress (1910). / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Comedy.
Synopsis: [The Moving Picture World, 8 January 1910, page ?] Isn't it provoking when one settles down in one’s comfortable arm chair and house slippers, with the evening paper and a good after dinner cigar, to be suddenly called to the office by some belated ‘country customer’? It is usually a most pressing appointment and wifey is led to believe that millions are involved in the deal. In this instance the ‘Boys’ at the club call up our friend, Bailey, and tell him his presence is needed to fill a vacant chair at draw-poker. Bailey turns from the ’phone, mutters something about ‘big deal.’ ‘country customer,’ etc., and hurries out of the house before wifey can register an opinion. An hour later the ’phone rings and a gentleman’s voice inquires if Mr. Bailey is at home. Mrs. Bailey informs the gentleman that her husband is at his office. ‘But,’ says the gentleman, ‘I have just left the office. There is no one there but the janitor.’ Mrs. Bailey, bubbling over with indignation, calls the club. The conversation between her and her spouse is a heated one, containing the old timeworn phrases: ‘wretch, scoundrel,’ ‘but, my dear,’ ‘back to mother, divorce,’ etc. Bailey returns to the boys and tells them that inasmuch as they got him into the trouble they've got to get him out of it. One suggests that two of them disguise as burglars, enter the Bailey house, frighten Mrs. Bailey and let Bailey do the hero stunt, thus winning Mrs. Bailey’s admiration. No sooner said than done. But, in the meantime, a real, legitimate, ‘second-story man’ is on the job. Mrs. Bailey hears him and telephones the police. The burglar hears the 'phone ring, surmises he has been heard and beats a hurried retreat. The police arrive just as the deputation from the club are entering the scene. Our hero comes on the scene and after a desperate struggle, captures the two thieves just as the police enter. There is no other way out of it but to turn the thieves over to the bluecoats. The clubmen appeal to Bailey, but he is obdurate and they are taken struggling away. Bailey takes his trembling wife in his arms and she praises him for his bravery. • [?] [From Billboard]? Hubby has a telephone call from the boys at the club but Mrs. Bailey is made to believe that it is an important deal at the office that takes him from his fireside. An hour later the phone again rings and a gentleman’s voice inquires if Mr. Bailey is at home. Mrs. Bailey informs the gentleman that her husband is at his office. “But,” says the gentleman, “I have just left the office. There is no one there but the janitor.” Mrs. Bailey, indignant, calls up the club. She has a heated conversation with her spouse. Bailey returns to the boys and tells his troubles. One of the number suggests that two of them disguise as burglars, frighten Mrs. Bailey and let Bailey do the hero stunt. Capital idea. But in the meantime a real second-story man is on the job. Mrs. Bailey hears him and telephones for the police. The burglar hears the phone ring and beats a hurried retreat. The police arrive just as the deputation from the club arrive through the dining room window. The two “thieves” are captured and turned over to the blue coats. The clubmen appeal to Bailey but he is obdurate, and struggling, they are taken away.
Reviews: [The Moving Picture World, 15 January 1910, page 57] A development of the hero stunt which, in a way, possesses some novelty and gives a husband an opportunity to make good in his wife’s affections by bravely capturing two burglars. What the clubmen who agreed to perform the role of burglars thought of it doesn’t appear, but may, perhaps, be imagined. The comedy in this is a trifle broad, but perhaps that is no harm under the circumstances. It is, at least, humorous and makes the audience laugh, and when a comedy does that it performs its function.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 23 January 2025.
References: MovPicWorld-19100108 p. 20 : Website-AFI; Website-IMDb.
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