''The Boob'' (released in the UK as ''The Yokel'') is a 1926 American silent

romantic comedy film Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a sub-genre of comedy and romance fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount all obstacles. Romantic comedy e ...

directed by

William A. Wellman William Augustus Wellman (February 29, 1896 – December 9, 1975) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, actor and military pilot. He was known for his work in crime, adventure, and action genre films, often focusing on av ...

, and starring

Gertrude Olmstead Gertrude Olmstead (November 13, 1897 – January 18, 1975) was an American actress of the silent era. She appeared in 56 films between 1920 and 1929. Her last name was sometimes seen as Olmsted. Career Olmstead was born in Chicago, Illinois ...

, Antonio D'Algy,

George K. Arthur Arthur George Brest (27 January 1899 – 30 May 1985), known professionally as George K. Arthur, was an English actor and producer, born in Aberdeen, Scotland,. He appeared in more than 50 films between 1919 and 1935, and is best known as t ...

, and

Joan Crawford Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; March 23, 190? was an American actress. She started her career as a dancer in traveling theatrical companies before debuting on Broadway theatre, Broadway. Crawford was signed to a motion-picture cont ...

as a law enforcement agent.

Plot

Peter Good, a courteous idealist, is in love with his childhood friend Amy. However, she is in a relationship with the urbane Harry Benson, whom she has only known for one week. Peter has two friends, Ham Bunn (who is accompanied with a dog Benzine) and Cactus Jim. Peter meets with Cactus Jim, who dresses him in his old cowboy gear, thinking it will impress Amy. Meanwhile, Harry pledges to have dinner with Amy at a

roadhouse Roadhouse may refer to: Premises * Roadhouse (premises), a mixed-use premise to service passing travellers * Receiving house or roadhouse, a theatre for touring theatre companies * A truck stop in rural Australia Arts and entertainment Film * '' ...

called "The Booklovers" and marry her before he drives off. Outside, Peter asks Amy to accompany him for a late-night walk but she declines. Distraught, he returns to Cactus Jim's barnyard home and rides off suspecting Harry is a bootlegger. Cactus Jim, who is a closet alcoholic, follows Peter hoping to find more liquor to drink. Along the road, Peter meets an old lady volunteering to give her a horse ride home. He learns from her that the Booklovers is suspected of being in league with bootleggers. Peter drops her off at her retirement home, which houses impoverished women. Meanwhile, Ham Bunn ventures on his separate journey to find Peter. Later that night, Amy has dinner with Harry at the Booklovers, which uses antique book covers to secretly contain alcoholic beverages. There, Jane, an undercover

Prohibition Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic b ...

agent, shares information with her colleagues that Harry is the leader of the bootlegging ring. She attempts to eavesdrop on a closed-door meeting but is unsuccessful. Peter arrives at the Booklovers and begins firing in the air, frightening some patrons. However, he is thrown out. Cactus Jim also arrives and hoards some thrown-out liquor bottles inside his clothes. Ham Bunn reunites with Peter near a graveyard. There, Jane approaches Peter who learns the bootleggers are planning to meet at a nearby mill. Peter and Ham Bunn arrive there where the bootleggers unearth a casket full of liquor bottles. The next morning, they approach the bootleggers, but are beaten up. Harry arrives to help transport the casket and throws an injured Peter into the river. Cactus Jim and Ham Bunn save Peter, who all give chase to stop Harry. Peter catches up to Harry and fights him inside his vehicle, while Amy is driving. The vehicle crashes into the same retirement home, injuring all occupants. Later on, Prohibition agents arrive and arrest Harry for bootlegging. Amy apologizes to her father while Jane awards Peter five thousand dollars for helping to stop Harry. Moved by Peter's bravery, Amy kisses him.

Cast

as Amy *

as Peter Good *

as Jane * Charles Murray as Cactus Jim *

Tony D'Algy Tony D'Algy (born Antonio Eduardo Lozano Guedes; 1897 – 29 April 1977) was a Portuguese film actor. He appeared in 57 films between 1924 and 1949, including ''The Boob'', a silent comedy where Joan Crawford makes one of her first appearanc ...

as Harry Benson (credited as Antonio D'Algy) *

Hank Mann Hank Mann (born David William Lieberman; May 28, 1887 – November 25, 1971) was a Russian-born, American comedian and silent screen star who was a member of the Keystone Cops, and appeared as a supporting player in many of Charlie Chaplin's ...

as The Village Soda Clerk *

Edythe Chapman Edythe Chapman (October 8, 1863 – October 15, 1948) was an American stage and silent film actress. Career Born in Rochester, New York, Chapman began her stage career as early as 1898 when she appeared in New York City in ''The Charity Ball''. ...

as The Old Lady (uncredited) *

Babe London Babe London (born Jean Glover, August 28, 1901 – November 29, 1980) was an American actress and comedian, most remembered for her one-time partnership with Oliver Hardy in the 1931 Laurel and Hardy two-reeler '' Our Wife''. Career Lond ...

as Fat Girl (uncredited)

Preservation

According to the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...

, a print of ''The Boob'' has been preserved by MGM.

References

External links

* * * 1926 films 1926 romantic comedy films Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films American silent feature films Articles containing video clips American black-and-white films Films directed by William A. Wellman 1920s American films Silent American romantic comedy films {{1920s-silent-comedy-film-stub