Warner Brothers produced an annual reel of bloopers from the mid 1930s onwards. For the Retronaut, such material is invaluable. It catches the past off-guard. It shows us the people behind the accents, the plots, the conventions of 75 years ago. And it reminds us that the business of being human remains entirely the same across time.
Look out in this reel for actors including Humphrey Bogart; James Cagney; Bette Davis; and Leslie Howard. And if you are short on time, at least catch the nine seconds between 5:24 and 5:33.
Thank you very much to Blair.
[...] out in those moments when the delivery breaks into reality. The source of this reel discovery, How to be a Retronaut, says it nicely: “It catches the past off-guard. It shows us the people behind the accents, [...]
Still, even when caught off guard back then people apparently used a whole different kind of swear words.
Less vulgar in my opinion.
Talking of swearing, what were these reels used for?
They couldn’t be broadcast or show to a audience I assume.
Theatrical release of some kind. But still there’s not the same notion of audience in these outtakes; they are not addressing the same kind of people who encounter outtakes on comedy DVDs.