Synopsis

No main title. Mutt and Jeff stand outside a tent advertising `PROF FEEP CRYSTAL GAZER REVEALS PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE.' After arguing, Jeff uses a pin to select `past'. Inside the tent, they gaze into the crystal ball with Feep and a notice appears: `EMPEROR MUTT PROCLAIMS A CHAMPIONSHIP CHARIOT RACE BETWEEN HIS FAVORITE ALI THE BARBER AND LITTLE JEFF' (65). A Roman arena filled with an excited crowd. The Emperor bows to the crowd from his box. Ali and his chariot enter the arena to cheers. The Emperor points to him: "Remember, I am betting my empire on you! YOU MUST WIN!" (100). Little Jeff arrives and falls out of his chariot, causing merriment. Ali flexes his muscles. Jeff flexes his much smaller muscles, and Ali unties Jeff's horses from his chariot while his back is turned. The Emperor fires a gun and starts the race: "THEY'RE OFF" (163). Jeff's horses set off without him and his chariot. He pulls the chariot himself and runs after them. Ali yawns and reclines in his chariot. One of Jeff's horses gesticulates with a hoof to Jeff to catch up, which he succeeds in doing, and harnesses the horses back to his chariot. He produces a cannon from inside the chariot, lights the fuse, and the force of the cannon propels the chariot and it catches up with Ali. Ali stretches out his arm in front of Jeff's horses and pushes them back. This is repeated twice (279). Ali stretches out his arms to either side. Jeff splits his chariot lengthwise, and each horse pulls half the chariot under Ali's outstretched arm. The crowd cheers (293). Jeff races ahead, but Ali draws aside him and whips him. Jeff leans over and pulls Ali's mustache, which stretches. Ali whips Jeff again, and Jeff catches the end of the whip, fixes it to his chariot walks across it like a tightrope, and punches Ali. In the ensuing tussle, Jeff disappears and emerges from the top of Ali's trousers. Jeff pulls Ali's mustache, stretching it out and tying him up with it, pushes him out of his chariot, and then jumps back into his own. Emperor Mutt is distraught and jumps from his box into Ali's empty carriage. He catches up with Jeff and uses his whip to pull off one of the wheels of Jeff's chariots. Mutt overtakes Jeff, laughing. Jeff takes the place of the missing wheel and runs after Mutt. He falls behind, but finds his wheel and replaces it. He unfurls a sail above his chariot, pumps some bellows, and his chariot flies above Mutt, landing in front of him. Mutt tries to cut in front of Ali and there is a crash (495). The chariots are smashed and one lands on top of Mutt, while Jeff floats to the ground using his tunic as a parachute. He puts his injured (or dead) horses into his chariot and pulls it off to the cheers of the crowd. He bows. Mutt lurches up and Jeff laughs at him. Mutt and Jeff fade back into the tent of the crystal gazer. Mutt throws the crystal ball at Jeff, knocking him over and stars rise from his head (561ft). (Shotlist)