A 9-minute masterclass in doing reading wrong, starring cinema's greatest slacker professor.
Robert Benchley offers a humorous lecture on how to avoid different types of strain during reading.
Acting
Benchley's escalating exasperation is a masterclass in reactive comedy.
Direction
Rowland's timing turns a static lecture into kinetic slapstick.
Writing
Wry observations on modern life that somehow still land in 2024.
Director
Roy Rowland
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This was one of over forty short subjects Benchley made for MGM between 1935 and 1944, essentially inventing the comedic lecture film format.
Benchley's 'How To' series directly influenced later deadpan instructional comedy, from Woody Allen to Adult Swim's absurdist infomercials.
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