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| Lloyd in a precarious situation |
Starring Harold Lloyd, Mildred Davis, Roy Brooks
Produced by Rolin Films
Harold is in love with the girl in the next office. He dangles an engagement ring from a string out his office window for her to slip on her finger. So when the girl's job in an osteopath's office is threatened due to a lack of business, Harold must step in to save his damsel in distress.
He employs the gymnast in the office across the hall to fake some slip-and-fall accidents so Harold can "cure" the man and hand out cards. It works too well until a policeman gets wise to the scheme.
A triumphant hero returns to his girl only to discover her in the arms of another man. Dejected, Harold returns to his office and plots his suicide, but cannot follow through. He rigs a gun to fire at his chest when his door opens and calls the janitor to come to his office. The blindfolded Harold thinks he has been shot, but really a bulb has fallen on the floor.
As he sits there feeling his life slip away, a girder from the construction site next door slides into the office lifting Harold chair and all out the window. Will Harold survive? And can he win the girl back? Does he even need to?
Okay, now I get Harold Lloyd.
His early stuff echoed a lot of the same themes as other, better comedians. But here is something truly original. The film is essentially three different scenarios. The first, with Harold attempting to find patients for his girlfriend's boss, is relatively mundane. The humor derives primarily from the gymnast's antics, though Harold gets a moment or two. Still, nothing incredibly creative.
The second bit with Harold attempting suicide is a wonderful bit of black comedy. He starts by trying to drink poison. He writes his suicide note, then makes a correction. Then checks the dictionary to make sure his spelling is correct. A fly lands on his nose and he gets distracted by that. He smells the potion and decides it needs more sugar. Ultimately, he knocks the glass over. He also attempts to stab, electrocute and shoot himself. He chickens out on each attempt. Dark stuff for a comedy, but I loved it.
The final third finds a blindfolded Harold awaiting the gunshot when a steel girder yanks him high into the air. He spends the next few minutes jumping from girder to girder and dodging hot rivets in an attempt to save himself. The ending manages to be both thrilling and funny.
Lloyd's comedy features thrills and laughs in a perfect blend here. The only piece I'd lose or shorten is the beginning. You really didn't need him drumming up patients for the doctor to get to the true gold here. This is the first of his shorts I've seen that I really liked. I cannot wait to see what his move to features holds.
**** out of *****
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