The Harold Lloyd Collection (DVD)

ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR SCREEN COMEDIANS OF ALL TIME SEVEN HILARIOUS SHORTS AND A FEATURE

A standout contributor to the art of silent film comedy, Harold Lloyd (1893-1971) offers new generations a body of film work that is as fresh and entertaining as in its day. His roots were simple, born in rural Nebraska, product of a broken home, and initially destined for the legitimate stage, yet by the 1920s, Lloyd was, both at the box office and in the polls, the most popular comic actor in the world.

His appeal was simple, yet legendary: through his Glass Character, which formed the basis of roles from 1917-1947, Lloyd struck gold with a screen persona that forged new ground. The Boy, as he was most often called, had one trademark--lens-less horn-rimmed glasses--yet was able to reach audiences as no contemporary could. He is regarded as the man who most greatly influenced eyeglass-wearing in America, and this single facet of Lloyd inspired youth worldwide. His screen normalcy in look and demeanor allowed moviegoers to relate to the Glass Character no matter what his label. Rich or poor, cowardly or flip, from film to film, Lloyd was a different Boy, and was able to create a cinematic legacy that remains both diverse and uniformly thrilling.

Harold Lloyd might just be the funniest actor you’ve never seen--a silent screen comedian so often placed in the shadow of Chaplin and Keaton -- but he continues to shine in some of the most enduring short- and feature-length comedies ever offered to audiences. Included in this Kino collection are:

• Are Crooks Dishonest?
  1918 14 Min.
  Trickery abounds in this one-reel romp, involving jewel thievery and soothsaying. Harold and Snub deal in gems, while Bebe assists her seer father in crystal. When the three hook up, it’s the equation for mayhem!
• Just Neighbors
  1919 14 Min.
  Domesticity turns to squabble-city, as the tranquil friendship of neighbors Lloyd and Pollard turns sour when Snub’s chickens get loose in Bebe’s garden. The barbs are fast and furious, Bumping Into Broadway
  1919 23 Min.
  Harold Lloyd’s first Glass Character two-reeler, Bumping Into Broadway stars Lloyd and Daniels as theatrical hopefuls--he as a playwright, she as a chorus girl. The action is fierce, as Harold attempts to save Bebe from a wicked society chap, and gets into lots of trouble in the process. Look for Our Gang favorite Gus Leonard in a most unique cameo: as a love-starved woman!
• An Eastern Westerner
  1920 23 Min.
  Rural comedy abounds in this romp, as young upstart Harold is shipped to his uncle’s ranch out West. There, he meets Mildred, assists her in staving off the unwanted affections of rogue Young, and after a wild altercation with a gang of bandits, single-handedly saves the town from the Masked Angels.
• Number, Please?
  1920 25 Min.
  Arguably one of Lloyd’s best two-reel comedies, Number, Please? takes place at a Los Angeles amusement park. It’s an unusual day: Mildred is with another man, Harold is desperate to find her lost dog, and Harold and Roy vie to take Mildred for a balloon ride. In the midst of the hilarity are two classic sequences, one involving a phone call gone awry, the other a little boy named Sunshine Sammy and a large coat!
• His Royal Slyness
  1920 25 Min.
  A special opportunity to see the Lloyd brothers Harold and Gaylord work together. Harold, a book agent, bears an uncanny resemblance to the Prince of Razzamatazz (Gaylord). The two switch persons, and Harold travels to Thermosa, where he falls in love with a princess (Davis) and manages to lead the peasants’ revolution to victory. His Royal Slyness marks Pollard’s final film with Lloyd.
• I DO
  1921 22 Min.
  Originally in three reels, Lloyd cut a whole reel after previews went poorly. The two-reel result is classic domestic comedy, with Harold as a henpecked hubby babysitting his two young nephews. See a jug of bootleg liquor masquerade as a baby in a carriage; watch Harold try to walk into his slippers which have been hammered to the floor; witness a little boy buying fireworks in a corner store!
• Grandma’s Boy
  1922 61 Min.
  One of Lloyd’s personal favorites of his films, Grandma’s Boy is a beautiful tale of self-discovery, with a bounty of comic overtones. Sonny is a self-professed coward who balks at the sight of the town tramp (Sutherland). Armed with a lucky charm given to him by his grandmother (Townsend), he defeats the tramp and the town bully (Stevenson), learning a very valuable lesson about himself in the process.