Behind the Counter 1928
Edward Everett Horton stars as Eddie, a meticulous department-store clerk who finds himself trapped inside after hours, only to face a night of chaos when a gang of thieves breaks in to plunder the cash registers.
Director: J.A. Howe
Cast
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Behind the Counter (1928) about?
The film follows Eddie, a fastidious store clerk who gets accidentally locked inside his department store overnight. When a gang of burglars breaks in, Eddie must use every trick in the retail playbook—from hiding in display cases to dodging through stockrooms—to outwit the thieves before dawn.
Who directed Behind the Counter?
J.A. Howe directed this short silent comedy, grounding the zany escapades in a lighthearted yet disciplined visual style.
Who stars in Behind the Counter?
The film features Edward Everett Horton as Eddie, alongside Wally Howe, S.D. Wilcox, Dorothy Dwan, John Steppling, and Nigel Barrie in key roles.
Is Behind the Counter (1928) worth watching?
If you enjoy silent-era comedies with snappy timing and Horton's trademark expressive antics, this 21-minute short is a delightful relic worth your time. Its blend of farce and vintage retail nostalgia makes it a quirky pick for fans of early cinema.
How long is Behind the Counter?
The runtime of Behind the Counter is 21 minutes.
Behind the Counter (1928) — A Silent-Era Comedy of Locked-In Mayhem
Edward Everett Horton stars as Eddie, a meticulous department-store clerk who finds himself trapped inside after hours, only to face a night of chaos when a gang of thieves breaks in to plunder the cash registers. In this slapstick gem from 1928, the prim salesman's orderly world collides with the mayhem of burglary, leading to a frantic game of hide-and-seek through aisles of men's suits and household goods. Directed by J.A. Howe, the short comedy thrives on Horton's expressive physicality and the surreal contrast between sterile retail routine and rowdy crime, all wrapped in the breezy charm of silent-era farce.
Behind the Counter (1928) shines as a time capsule of 1920s retail life, where the humdrum becomes hilarious under Horton's glare and the plot twists like a rollercoaster through stockrooms and display windows. With nimble pacing and no shortage of pratfalls, the film delivers vintage laughs that feel as fresh today as they must have in the era of flapper dresses and nickelodeon screens.