Paul Bertho

The distressing plight of a young man who, dissatisfied with the food his wife serves him, eats horse meat, develops various equine mannerisms, and eventually lands in the hospital. (imdb)

Bill is dead broke, and his hard-hearted creditors gather round like carrion crows. In vain he tries his wily arts and blandishments upon them. It is quite evident that he will either have to go to America and there get married or go to work. Bill sallies forth in search of employment or a rich widow, not particularly which in his despair, and chances upon a stray bear. Bruin decides to go into partnership with William and they soon scare away all the creditors.

Paul Bertho sees a beautiful woman entering a carriage and is struck dumb with love -- which, considering this is a silent movie, is no impediment. Her husband, however, is definitely an obstacle in this split-reel Patouillard comedy.

Paul Berthos' doctor tells him he needs to get some exercise, and hands him some of those rubbery strings with handles. We had them around the house when I was a kid, sold by Jack Lalane and other exercise gurus. You could pull them apart, or attach them to a wall and get your whole body involved. As you might expect, Bertho attaches them to things that he should not.

Paul Berthos can use some money, so he gets a job as a news boy; you know, those kids who would stand about street corners in old movies, brandishing a newspaper, shouting "Wuxtry! Wuxtry!" and waiting for a car to run them over.

Despite the severity of his weekly adventures recently, little Bill is here to cheer us once more with his frolicsome escapades. We see him seated tete-a-tete with a very pretty girl, indulging in the luxury of a particularly magnificent lobster for dinner. It is, of course, quite inconceivable that Bill should do anything without its having some astonishing consequence, and the effect of the succulent crustacean is in nowise disappointing. Immediately he finishes his repast.

A Billesque, showing the amusing efforts of "Merry William" to win the affections of his ladylove. She shuns him. He seeks the magic spell, and through the misuse of same brings the affections of nearly every other lady tumbling around his little heart. The magic spell consists of burning a lock of the lady's hair. Well, how was a poor, innocent little male thing like Bill to know that a lady's hair is not always "Home-Grown?"

Bill sets out to buy a bottle of champagne. The transaction being satisfactorily accomplished, he remembers that he does not possess a corkscrew, and consequently he request the wine merchant to remove the cork for him. This done, Bill places his finger to the mouth of the bottle and departs upon his homeward way.

Funnicus has made a futile endeavor all day to be cheerful, but conditions will not permit. Seeking forgetfulness, he took his despondent way towards Luna Park, and started to "do" the place thoroughly. An overplump dame was giving tense ear to the whispered warnings of a Gypsy sooth-sayer. An opportunity. Funnicus crossed the swarthy female's palm with much silver, and promptly slipped into her wrappings and place.

Paul Bertho keeps a lion in his artist's studio, for the apparent purpose of eating his sofa, easel, canvas and hat. People come in to look at the artists work or sit for a portrait, but react to the lion.... much as I would, I imagine. Bertho seems to be mostly annoyed by it.

Funnicus is hunting, while at his home many of his friends await his return very impatiently. Suddenly he makes his appearance, his game-bag full, of newspapers. He tells his friends that he actually disdains small game, and to illustrate the story of his wondrous adventures, turns the house topsy-turvy. His wife, alarmed, advises him to go to bed and calm his excited brain. Nightmares disturb his sleep. He finds himself in Africa, traveling on camel, accompanied by many guides.

Gavroche lives by his wit, so when he reads an ad, which tells that a rich American girl will marry the man who can cause her to experience the greatest thrill or sensation, he puts his mental ingenuity working, and he conceives a plan to win. He calls at her address and sees two suitors try and fail. He then goes to a menagerie, where he buys two lions. With these he returns and enters the office where the contract is to be signed if he should prove the victor.

Lucien Bataille (Casimir) and Paul Bertho (Gavroche) live in neighboring flats. They both like the young woman who delivers bottles of milk to them, so naturally they must fight. Each takes boxing lessons and to keep in practice when they are not at the gymnasium, each has a lion they battle with when at home.

Gavroche tries to become an umbrella salesman. He follows a man to his house in attempt to sell his first umbrella. However, the umbrella is too wide to fit through the doorway. Instead, he devises a plan to reach the man's balcony above. Setting some rags on fire, he uses the hot air produced to make his umbrella fly. Gavroche crashes through a window, and into the room where the man and his wife are talking, Finally, he make his last attempt at selling the umbrella.

Bill leaves his charming wife and goes for a stroll on the promenade. He meets a friend who invites him to go for a ride in his car and also introduces him to a charming lady. Bill's missus becomes very jealous and disguises herself as a man. When Bill is confronted later in the day by an enraged gentleman he discreetly takes to his heels, thinking that he has encountered a raving lunatic. The adventures of Bill and the missus are highly amusing.

Bill and his little bear are employed to track burglars. They succeed in tracking them to a river where bruin spends a lively quarter of an hour fishing them out one by one. The bear quite enjoys his unexpected bath, and succeeds in obtaining free board and lodging tor several little burglars.

To fool his uncle, he has his friends dress up as sculptures in his studio.

Gavroche and his date have a rowdy night out.