Misbehaving Husbands (aka Dummy Trouble) (DVD)

Store owner Henry Butler (Harry Langdon) finds himself in a compromising position when he sneaks home late one night carrying the high-heeled shoe of a tall, gorgeous blonde. Mortified, wife Effie (Betty Blythe) is convinced that her husband has strayed and promptly files for divorce. As part of the proceedings, her sleazy lawyer, Gilbert Wayne, insists that two witnesses, Bob Grant (Ralph Byrd) and Jane Forbes (Luana Walters), move in with the Butlers to prove they're estranged.

Bob and Jane try to reconcile the couple and bolster meek Henry's feeble attempts to tell his side of the story - the tall blonde was merely a mannequin. They almost succeed, until a glamorous woman shows up at the door demanding that Henry "return her shoe." Effie signs the divorce papers on the spot as the bumbling Henry protests, but Bob and Jane are more certain than ever that Gilbert is behind the trickery. Devising an outrageous scheme to expose the scoundrel, the pair seize one last chance to save the Butler's marriage.

Silent comedy legend Harry Langdon exhibits his slapstick brilliance in this hilarious feature-length talkie. The actor's early work includes the Frank Capra silent classics, The Strong Man (1926) and The Long Pants (1927). Although Langdon's career faltered with the advent of sound, Misbehaving Husbands is one of several worthy post-Silent Era movies featuring the great comic.

• comedy