TWO WAGONS - BOTH COVERED (1924) Will Rogers, Marie Mosquini

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Ed Watz
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TWO WAGONS - BOTH COVERED (1924) Will Rogers, Marie Mosquini

Postby Ed Watz » Wed May 06, 2020 7:54 am

Director Rob Wagner and "cowboy philosopher" Will Rogers made this takeoff of James Cruze's Western epic THE COVERED WAGON for Hal Roach release. Like Charlie Chaplin's CARMEN, TWO WAGONS - BOTH COVERED closely spoofs the actors and events of the feature film it mocks.

Will Rogers essays a dual role: the cantankerous prairie scout portrayed by Ernest Torrence and his more -- er, "refined" counterpart, played by J. Warren Kerrigan.

I first saw TWO WAGONS in a beautiful Kodascope print, following a screening of THE COVERED WAGON, where it was a hit with the audience. But watching it without benefit of the feature (and in a scratched, tram-lined dupe), you might get bored. So be forewarned! Advice from a contemporary exhibitor report says it all:

Two Wagons — Both Covered (Pathe) — most clever parody on “The Covered Wagon’’ if you’ve seen the latter. If you haven’t you wonder why it’s called a comedy. (Exhibitor's Herald, 1924)

https://youtu.be/X0Ag23cSHOU
"Of course he smiled -- just like you and me." -- Harold Goodwin, on Buster Keaton (1976)

Lorenzo Tremarelli
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Joined: Wed May 29, 2013 5:27 am

Re: TWO WAGONS - BOTH COVERED (1924) Will Rogers, Marie Mosquini

Postby Lorenzo Tremarelli » Wed May 06, 2020 12:38 pm

Great post, Ed. I think it might be a good idea, since the feature-length picture was posted on YouTube some time ago, even in HD: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvHPrpomXmw&t=60s

Besides, this milestone was parioded twice at that studio. I also remember THE UNCOVERED WAGON released six months before, featuring Paul Parrott, Katherine Grant, Noah Young, George Rowe and other usual Roach stock players.
"The more trouble you get a man into, the more comedy you get out of him" (Harold Lloyd)


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