Hands Up (1926)
In the National Film Registry
•
1h 9m
Confederate spy seeks Union gold, finds love & more gold instead. Comedy chaos ensues.
Hands Up (1926), a romp involving a Confederate spy and a stolen Union gold shipment, takes liberties with historical accuracy. Characters like Abraham Lincoln and Sitting Bull make caricatured appearances, creating an absurdist twist on the Civil War setting. This satirical approach reflects the experimentation happening in silent film during the 1920s, as filmmakers explored new avenues of humor beyond slapstick routines.
Hands Up also utilizes innovative visual techniques. The rapid-fire pacing and use of multiple exposures create a sense of manic energy, mirroring the frenetic pace of the protagonist's schemes. This focus on visual storytelling aligns with the emerging modernist movements in art and film, where form held equal importance to narrative.
Although Hands Up (1926) may not be a work of pure cinematic abstraction, its playful spirit and experimentation with narrative and form make it a worthwhile example of how silent comedies like this one were pushing the boundaries of filmmaking in the 1920s.
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