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When We Were Boys
(1907) United States of America
B&W : Split-reel / 415 feet
Directed by (unknown)
Cast: (unknown)
The Selig Polyscope Company, Incorporated, production; distributed by The Selig Polyscope Company, Incorporated. / Produced by William N. Selig. / Released 9 February 1907; in a split-reel with [?] The Tramp Dog (1907) and/or The Foxy Hoboes (1907)? / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / [?] The film may have been released in the United Kingdom by The Walturdaw Company, Limited, in 1907.
Comedy.
Synopsis: [From Selig promotional materials] The two old cronies who make their bow to an audience in this film are evidently engaged in a very animated discussion of this kind, and each refreshes the other’s memory regarding the wonderful adventures of by-gone times, as they enjoy their “post-prandial” cigar, the scene showing as perfect a piece of animated photography as has ever been projected through a moving picture apparatus. While out two old friends discuss matters together, the scene changes and goes back to boyhood days, and two little fellows are seen robbing a farmer’s orchard, and their subsequent chase and capture by the farmer’s bulldog. Once more the old chappies put their heads together and recall other boyish pranks. The young imps are seen playing a practical joke of a very painful nature on their elder brother, for which they receive a well deserved thrashing. A very cunning happening then shows how the boys indulged their natural appetite for pie without suffering any disagreeable consequences. Grandma appears and sets out several newly baked pies to cool, while she enjoys her afternoon siesta. The boys take advantage of the situation to consume pie to their hearts’ content, and then inveigle a passing tramp and persuade him that it would be easy to take “just one pie.” While Weary William is enjoying the succulent pastry the boys wake up their grandma and point out the poor hobo as the one who has done it all and converted himself into a walking pie factory. Grandma promptly turns the dog loose, and the last seen of the tramp is a streak along the dusty road. Once more the old gentlemen reminding each other of scenes of their youth, and this time a negro sandwich man, or billboard carrier, is their victim. A quick change in the lettering on his board (unknown to him) makes an A.P.A. announcement which excites the wrath of the Irish neighborhood in which he is promenading at the time, and assures for him an Irish reception which is more demonstrative than pleasant. In rapid succession the fun-loving boys are seen in more or less mischievous adventures and funny incidents with various victims. A pompous flat janitor washing his windows is left suspended in midair; an Italian laborer at work on the street is befooled into practically committing an assault upon himself, and a little girl who appears to be friendly with both boys is deprived of her toys, although a reconciliation is afterwards effected, combine to make a panorama of ludicrous situations and laughable events, any one of which has enough comic originality to supply ideas for the ordinary feature subject, and a fight and reconciliation between the boys, which comes near being reproduced by the “two old cronies,” but is happily adjusted.
Reviews: [Variety, 9 February 1907, page ?] “WHEN WE WERE BOYS” is original in conception and cleverly carried out. Two old fellows sitting over a post-prandial cigar recall the adventures of their youth and revel over the “good times” of long ago. The scene then shifts, showing many forgotten escapades and adventures of their early days, making up a picture brimfull of real contagious laughter.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 14 September 2023.
References: Montgomery-Comedy p. ? : Variety-19070209 p. ? : Website-AFI; Website-IMDb.
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