This Keystone 2-reel comedy was also distributed under its working title, The Lure of Broadway. Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, who also directed, is cast as a cook in a Broadway cabaret. In addition to his kitchen duties, Fatty is also the establishment's star performer, assisted by bartender Al St. John and waitress Mabel Normand. While Fatty and Al battle over Mabel's attentions, she is lured away by a villainous city slicker (William Jefferson) who deposits the girl in a seedy waterfront dive. Having tried and failed to rescue Mabel from this den of iniquity, Fatty finally succeeds with the aid of a bunch of brawling sailors. At one point in the proceedings, an African American piano player turns white with fear, which should give the reader an idea of the subtle nature of the rest of Bright Lights.
by Hal Erickson
synopsis
