Believe It Or Not (silent, 1935)

“Believe It Or Not” is a 1935 black and white film that features a series of interconnected vignettes blending dark humor with physical comedy, reflecting societal norms and professional practices of the 1930s. The film opens with a scene of a man entering a Metropolitan St. Louis police car, hinting at a theme of authority. It transitions into a series of bizarre scenarios, including a disturbingly theatrical operation in which a patient, chained to the operating table, is humorously ‘operated’ on with oversized surgical tools. The film also captures lighter moments, such as a police officer comically directing traffic and a man nonchalantly reading inside a giant metal pipe. It concludes with a nod to historical industry, featuring the Mallinckrodt Chemical Works, blending real-world elements with the film’s surreal and exaggerated narrative style. This mix of dark and slapstick humor serves to critique and satirize the era’s professional and everyday life.

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