Acro-Batty (1942)
** 1/2 (out of 4)
Decent short from Pete Smith takes a look at some circus performers on their vacations. Of course, even on their vacations they must practice their stunts so we get to see various types of training that they do. This includes several high wire/bar acts, a trampoline act where they also jump rope, several high dive acts and various other dangerous stunts. If you're familiar with the work of Smith then you know that the majority of his shorts are part documentary and part satire as Smith also likes to add jokes with his narration. For the most part this is a mildly entertaining short thanks in large part to the dangerous stunts that we get to see performed. I'm not one who typically enjoys these circus acts but at just 9-minutes this here was worth sitting through. The majority of Smith's jokes didn't really work but he always has that great delivery that at least doesn't make them annoying.