Two unrelated movies called He Did and He Didn't were released in 1916, and the one written and directed by Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle is a strikingly well-made comedy with an engaging story convincingly acted by Mabel Normand and Arbuckle himself. It centers on a physician whose wife invites an old beau named Jack to dinner at their home, which is ritzy enough to have servants and a private office for the doctor's medical practice. Jack cozies up to the wife, raising suspicions in her jealous husband, and the situation gets more complicated when burglars lure the doctor away for a bogus house call, leaving his flirtatious spouse and handsome houseguest to themselves. The doctor's worst fears appear to come true, but in the end it doesn't turn out to be a dream - it turns out to be two dreams, one dreamt by the doctor and the other by Jack, both of whom ate too much lobster before bedtime. The performances are restrained and believable, at least until a burglar starts swinging on a chandelier near the end, and cinematographer Elgin Lessley provides some notably atmospheric moments via camera placement and lighting. In all, this is a superior item from the Keystone catalogue.

Director: Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle
Producer: Mack Sennett
Screenplay: Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle
Cinematographer: Elgin Lessley
With: Roscoe Arbuckle (The Doctor), Mabel Normand (His Wife), Wm. Jefferson (Her Schoolmate), Al St. John (A Bounding Burglar), Joe Bordeaux (accomplice), Jimmy Bryant (accomplice), Lloyd Peddrick (Butler), Gilbert Ely (cop)
BW-26m.

By David Sterritt