Life, 1927-07-14 · page 24 of 40
Life — July 14, 1927 — page 24: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**The Main Cartoon (top):** A satirical commentary on Hollywood's cynicism during the silent film era. Two producers discuss making a "big league picture"—specifically a Bible picture with "actors with long hair and muffs" (wigs). The joke exposes the opportunistic nature of the industry: they plan to cast people currently "outta jail," secure financing by blackmailing a wealthy man ("Abe knows a dame who's got enough on a rich chump to hang him"), and treat the entire enterprise as a guaranteed moneymaker ("gravy"). The satire targets Hollywood's moral bankruptcy and its willingness to exploit both Biblical subject matter and criminals for profit. **The Side Story ("The Necessary Ingredient"):** A lightweight humorous piece about a girl named Arbutus who ruins her holiday by forgetting her bathing suit—"IT." The repeated emphasis on mysterious "IT" is the joke's mechanism, playing on period slang where "it" meant sex appeal or magnetism. Here it's literally just... a bathing suit. Light satirical commentary on vanity and social anxiety. Both pieces mock contemporary American culture—one seriously (Hollywood corruption), one frivolously (social pretension).
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“a sTOMACH- ACHE? “yr is Now WHY, YOUR STOMACH ISN BLADE ve BACK you Ninny!” Hollywood Idyl ello, Joe.” ssa dope, big boy? What- all set: a big league picture. It’s gravy.’ “Wheresa jack comin’ frot “Abe who's got enough on a rich chump to hang him. The chump'll put up it’s n body's business how much.” “Whatcha gonna make? Slapstick comedy or a horse-opera?” “Don't be silly. This is” big league. We're gonna make one o° these Bible pictures. You know— actors with long hair and muffs,” gonna produce knows a dame Lookit Kings’ is “It'll be a pushover, Moe. the "King of doin’.” “Joe, we business can't miss. We're all as Abe and the dame and our leadin’ man and our leadin’ lady get outta jail.” “Well, good luck, Moe. Gimme a buzz over at the club when you need a good perduction manager.” “Yeh. I'll give you a buzz, Joe.” So long, Moe. “So long, Joe.” set to start—soon Robert Lord. O man can serve two masters: yes-men can serve hundreds! BETWEEN YOUR SHOULDER T BEEN TO A CHIROPRACTOR.” The Necessary Ingredient THE long-anticipated holiday was proving a miscrable failure for Arbutus. She did not have IT. She sat alone and neglected. Some one had warned her not to come with- out IT. She thought she had IT. All the other boys and girls had IT ind having a splendid time riding the waves, swimming, and being taught how to swim. Never again would Arbutus home without IT. Unless one had that magnetic, illusive, practically invis- ible somet . one had better re- main away. Next time she would not forget to bring her bathing suit. were leave comicbooks.com