Judge, 1920-02-07 · page 13 of 36
Judge — February 7, 1920 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Explanation for Modern Readers This is a comedic dramatic sketch titled "The French Play"—a satirical tabloid play meant for busy businessmen seeking brief entertainment. The humor relies on a classic farce setup popular in early 20th-century comedy. A man (François) stumbles home drunk at 2 a.m., enters what he believes is his apartment, and discovers two people in bed. He shoots both, believing he's caught his wife in infidelity. Upon inspection in the light, he realizes neither victim is his wife or his friend André. The punchline: he's simply in the wrong apartment, so he calmly lights a cigarette and leaves. The satire mocks both French theatrical melodrama (known for overwrought passion and murder) and the "tired businessman" audience seeking quick laughs. The absurdist resolution—casually accepting mass murder as merely an amusing mix-up—exaggerates the genre's emotional excess for comedic effect.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“Seemc Two Steerinc Ficures, He Aprroacties STeALTiO‘y Dramatic Cartoons or Tabloid Plays for the Tired Business Man By Kexpatt Baxnine Mlustration by V.ackex Stout stealthily and peers into their faces. He turns away from them with anguish written upon his features.) Night Feaxcois: My best friend, André Vi-Tur Fresen Pray The bedroom of an apartment (He pauses. uncertainly. With a resolute shrug, he dra from his hip pocket a revolver ay h Fraxcots, « husband Taking careful aim, he deliberately shoots the woma Soiserte, his wife lead. With a shriek. het companion awakes and springs Aspré, his friend up. only to be shot in his tracks. FRaNcots calmly: sur. veys the two forms before him and switches on the Large n rises on a darkened bedroom. ‘Through the droplight over the table in the center cf the rom. He carefully unloads the remaining chambers of his revolver and retums the weapon to his hip pocket. Turning to the (The curt open window the moonlight streams. revealing in the dim light « double bed in which two figures are seen sleepi Over one of the chairs are draped the clothes of am over another chair are draped the garments of a wom: In the distance a clock chimes two. Steps are heard hing—the unsteady steps of a man who appa 1 drinking. The steps pause before the bedroom or as the visitor fumbles with his keys. After much rt. the door is unlocked and FRANGotS enters in evening clothes. He makes an effort to enter softly, but upsets chair accidentally; the crash fails to awaken the sleepers He starts to disrobe in the darkness. As he approaches a chair to lay his coat upon it, he notices the man’s garments. He inspects them in amazement, and tums in horror toward the bed. Sccing the two sleeping figures, he approaches hodies again in the light. he starts in surprise. He turns over that of the man end gazes into the uptumed face.) Mercy! ‘Thav’s not André! (He turns over the body of the woman and peers into her face) Sacré Dieu! That's not my wife! (He looks about in a dazed and helpless manner, and begins to inspect the room. A sigh of relief escapes him; a smik plays about his mouth. He lights a cigarette and picks up his coat Parblen! Vm im the wrong apartment! Curtain comicbooks.com