THE COOK

Fatty Arbuckle is a chef at the Bull Pup Café and Buster Keaton a pest waiter. Al St. John, a holdup man trying to rob the café, takes a fancy to Alice Lake, the cashier, whom he pursues on a rollercoaster; but he is constantly and feriously being chased by Fatty's dog Luke. Highlights are Fatty's «Oriental dance» - dressed up in kitchen utensils, he starts as Salome (we even see he severed head) but ends as Cleopatra, killing himself with vipers - and a nice, casual scene where Fatty and Buster show us various ways of eating spaghetti. (Bo Berglund)

Piano accompaniment by Gerhard Gruber

This film is part of the special program Laughing 'til It Hurts dedicated to Manny Farber (1917-2008).