Mates and Models (1919)

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Synopsis by Janiss Garza

Because comedian Larry Semon had a bad habit of running over budget, Vitagraph had no choice but to offer his films at a premium (and theaters were willing to pay because he turned out quality films). But this meant that the studio needed to offer less expensive comedies too, and they filled this need with Jimmy Aubrey, who was once a part of Fred Karno's theatrical troupe alongside Charles Chaplin and Stan Laurel. While Aubrey's two-reelers were certainly cheaper than Semon's, they were also a lot less funny, and this particular film was even lower in quality than his normal fare. Aubrey plays a hapless husband whose wife (Maude Emory) ignores him, preferring instead to flirt with the artists (Oliver Hardy and Dick Smith) across the hall. To say this makes Jimmy insecure is putting it mildly, and he's even jealous of the plumber -- until he discovers that he's also the brother of the missus. One of the artists wants to steal the wife away from Jimmy, so he forges a letter from her uncle, mentioning that if she divorces Jimmy, she will inherit a fortune. The wife, who doesn't really want to get rid of Jimmy, makes a pact with him to divorce and than remarry. Unfortunately, they don't tell her brother who beats him up for supposedly cheating on his sister. The wife shows up before too much damage is done and they remarry, ruining the artist's little scheme.