The Italian Straw Hat (1927) - Rene Clair 

Well I said I'd get to it, so I got to it. Not all of Clair's silent films are available but from this picture its clear to see him setting up what would become his trademark style in the early sound era. Clair works in the realm of farce and here he constructs his silly plot to be nothing more than an excuse for bizarre situations that rely on more and more complex misunderstandings. This is the type of comedy that became the staple for most sitcoms and Clair would have been right at home directing for TV. The story concerns a groom whose horse eats a woman's rare and expensive Italian straw hat while on the way to his wedding. Her military suitor is enraged and does everything he can to threaten the groom, so he has to find a replacement. Well it becomes quite costly and nearly impossible to find the hat and well much chaos ensues. Clair flourished best with this independent sound musical comedies and this film does feel like its missing that extra element.