Oh, What a Man! (1927)

One of his last films to be released, Semon is playing opposite the great Gertrude Astor in Oh, What a Man. The film has only been available as its first reel that was found and distributed by Paul Lisy about five years ago. Judged by its first reel the film is surprisingly fresh and entertaining considering Semon's downhill path in Filmland. Now also the last 4 mins of the second reel have resurfaced at the Nederlands Filmmuseum and already passed the process of restoration. The film's Dutch title remains a mystery. Here is a summary of the freshly discovered footage:

Larry is sitting in the side car of a motorbike next to Notorious Nora (Gertrude Astor), who is driving like smoke. Larry is afraid. Both are in pursuit of two villains in a car speeding through dusty roads and large spaces. Finally Larry and Nora manage to shortcut to the villains. Larry jumps into their vehicle, takes a bag and jumps back into the motorbike. The two parties continue their race. When they come to a railroad bridge a train passes under. The bridge crushes with the car on it. CUT to an office where Larry and Nora sit behind a bureau. Nora is typing. Larry comments [Dutch intertitle]: "We finally finished the manuscript". They get up. Somehow Larry ends up setting fire to the heap of paper burning the manuscript to ashes. The end.

This is another Semon picture that disappointingly terminates on the plot's meta level. Semon used the same gimmick for The Headwaiter and recycled it with minor changes in The Fly Cop (1919) and as if this was not enough he did even not bother to exploit it in The Agent (1922). But be it as it may: the gaps in Semon´s existing uvre are becoming smaller - and whoever knows what the Nederlands Filmmuseum has still in store! Since Elif is the only person having had the opportunity to watch the recent Semon rediscoveries the concluding lines will be left to her: "I especially found the HEADWAITER a funny film. Some of the plotlines are kind of difficult to follow, but Semon is very charismatic in the role. OH WHAT A MAN is particularly impressive because the female is driving, and there are some breathtaking stunts. The latter actually goes for A JEALOUS GUY too, where there is great dynamics, for instance in the sequence with Semon rushing home hopping in and out of cars while getting into the chase with policemen."

Semon and Nora on the motobike: The photo that helped identify the last 4 minutes of Oh, What a Man!. Source: [Král, 1969]