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The Best of the Best
Harold Lloyd's treatment of the romantic comedy is, indeed, underappreciated, but if anything that makes enjoying his work even more appropriate.Girl Shy is my favorite of his, not only because of the fine acting and apparent originality, but also because it contains one of the most beautiful scores in film history - Robert Israel's music is superb.Of course, moods swing in this classic, ranging down to despair and up to the heights of ecstasy. Suspenseful hope, so lacking in many of today's pictures, is here as well, as he puts the pieces of the check together to discover just how many 0s it contains. Harold Lloyd's Poor Boy seeks the heart of a Rich Girl
"Girl Shy" is one of the most uneven of the featured films made by Harold Lloyd, the most forgotten of the great silent comedians.Lloyd plays Harold Meadows, The Poor Boy, who falls for Mary Buckingham, the Rich Girl, played by Jobyna Ralston.As usual Lloyd's character is extremely shy and bashful, but this time around he is also a stutterer, and for some reason the actor seems uncomfortable in the part.The film has one of Lloyd's best race sequences at the end and also an exquisitely tender and poignant scene when Harold is sitting in a rowboat, daydreaming of Mary, unaware that the reflection he sees in the water is really her, standing on a bridge thinking about him.But the fantasy scenes inspired by the book Harold is reading, "The Secret of Making Love," are definitely at odds with the overall tone of the film."My Vampire" and "My Flapper" are funny on their own terms, but are ironically too realistic given the rest of film.Still, the best parts of this film are classic Lloyd and more than make up for any perceived shortcomings.You know, only about half of Lloyd's silent comedies are currently available on videotape, when it is obvious every single one of them should be out where they can be seen by new generations of fans.

This is one of the best silent comedies I've ever seen.
Harold Lloyd made many great comedies, but "Girl Shy" is definitely one of the best. Not only is Harold painfully shy around girls, but he stutters when he gets nervous, and girls make him nervous. JobynaRalston is wonderful as Harold's true love, and the scene where he tries tomake her leave him because he's not worthy of her is a real tearjerker. Thescenes at the publisher where Harold tries to sell his book arehilarious--the office girls are so lively and it doesn't seem possible thatthis scene was shot more than 70 years ago. The final chase is aclassic--Harold uses horses, streetcars, trains, and anything else he canto rescue his girl from marrying a bigamist. A real treat to watch. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Feature Film-comedy   

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Mary Pickford won an Academy Award for her performance in Read more

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If You're Interested in Pickford, See Other Movies First
There ARE good things about this movie, but if you're looking for them and having to point them out then it's probably not worth it. Thus I can't disagree with other reviewers when they point out the good parts. When I finally watched it I decided to ignore all the ado (as well as the less-than-ethical means in which Pickford won her academy award for this) and see the movie for itself.
Pickford's hybrid talkie.
Despite the reviews this film has had and continues to have by reviewers who refuse to see it for what it is, Mary Pickford's first talkie, Coquette, is an engaging film. It should not be compared to the silents Pickford made when she was at her peak, as it is a distinctly different style of film. It was made at a time when Pickford's career was beginning to fade and should be viewed as a fading star's attempt to stay in competition with younger starlets.
Nothing Flirty About This Film
How odd it is that this movie is directed by Sam Taylor. Who knew he'd be able to direct a drama of this manner? Every film I've seen by him has been a comedy. He directed Harold Lloyd in "Safety Last" & "Hot Water" and Laurel & Hardy in "Nothing But Trouble". And now here he is directing "America's Sweetheart" Mary Pickford (Pollyanna).
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Subjects:  1. Feature Film-drama    2. Movie   

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In Read more

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Reviews (14)

When You Gotta Pick a Pickford Flick...
This is the Pickford Flick to Pick!
Pickford's best film
There are those films that I would recommend to people who like that genre (EG "for those who like silent films, they would like this one"), but on a rare occasion I will recommend one to anyone.
For Pickford fans especially
Mind you, I like silent films, but---if you are not particularly clued-in herein---you should be aware that many silents have a reputation that just cannot be second-guessed.Almost all, if not all, reviews of silents deemed to be classics are raved about.I'm inclined to this view owing to the fact that it appears only silent film fans remain interested in this genre.If you have seen at least a dozen such films you are in a minority.Most folks, I'd reckon, have either seen dozens, zero, or but a handful.It's rather understandable, consequently, who would be inclined to take the time to write a review & this goes a long way in explaining the almost universially positive responses.My Best Girl, staring Mary Pickford, is not one of the greatest films you're likely to come across.Neither is it one of the great romantic comedies of all time.Rather, it is an amusing film generally, with a few stand-out scenes.For its time it can be a host of things, but viewed non-historically, it's a simple film.Pickford meets a guy in her place of work.She takes a liking to himas she tries to show him the ropes of her department.Little does she know that he is simply trying to prove something to his father by working---under an assumed name, of course---in his father's store.He is already engaged to a ritzy gal, but nevertheless begins to fall for Pickford.The two gals bump into one another; Pickford runs off in a huff.He chases after her. Her employer/the man's father then attempts to bribe her with $10,000 if she'll turn her back on the supposed man of her dreams.Then follows the worst scene in this film as she marquerades in her kitchen, trying to make her guy believe her affections were all a put-on; ie., that she knew all along who he really was & that she was, and remains, a gold-digger.Then she collapses into his arms from exhaustion, not being able to effect this lie with any success.End of story for Cinderella and her prince.That's what many say about this film---that it's a wonderful Cinderella story.You would, however, be much better served---and entertained---were you simply to watch the real Cinderella; or so would be my advice.Long live the silents, I say.But let's be realistic too---not every effort by Pickford, Chaplin, Lillian Gish, Harold Lloyd, Keaton, Gilbert, et al can stand the test of time...even though I would term them artistic geniuses, generally.Cheers! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Classics (Silents/Avant Garde)    2. Comedies    3. Movie   

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Reviews (7)

Who Cares that its Shakespeare?
Shakespeare is always difficult to watch for most people, especially when it is left in any of the original dialogue. It seems inaccessible and silly for the most part. This version of the Taming of the Shrew retains some of the original dialogue although much has been changed while remaining similar. However, it is acted well and with comprehension which helps the reader to understand the motives behind the words even if the words are not heard absolutely clearly or if they are not completely understood. This is thanks to their training on the stage and the silent screen. One-sided in the performances, but still great
The credit for this movie's wonderful cheer goes to Sam Taylor and Douglas Fairbanks. It was not a good Pickford performance (it would be much better if Kate was played by, say, Mae West), which cost the film most of the best interaction between Kate and Petruchio found in the play. Nevertheless, it was Fairbanks's best performance. We see less of the athletic, stunt-oriented Fairbanks of the silent era, and more of a brilliant comic actor who must have made William Powell proud.
Two Superstars in "Shrew"
Doug and Mary were legends of the silent screen -- the power couple of their day.This short version (66 minutes) of "The Taming of the Shrew" was Mr. Fairbanks first talking picture (let's not count the two brief talking scenes in "Iron Mask," filmed months before this one) and Ms. Pickford's second (her first being "Coquette" with the same director -- Sam Taylor -- directing Mary to an Oscar.)
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Editorial Review

The best-remembered film by the great silent comic Harold Lloyd is still a hair-raiser. The bespectacled Mr. Lloyd plays an earnest young chap who goes to the city to make his fortune, although $15 a week from a department store is the best he can muster. After a string of ingenious visual gags, the movie climaxes with a wild sequence in which Harold, trying to win a prize by drumming up publicity for the store, arranges for an agile friend to climb up the side of the building. Natch, the friend can't do it, so Harold ascends, inch by white-knuckle inch. The stunt is still one of the great coups in movies (this was before rear-projection or digitally erased safety ropes, remember), and Lloyd beautifully wrings every possible complication out of it. That was Lloyd's approach:a simple character, and endless complications. Read more

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The Boy, The Girl, The Pal, The Law
Anyone who knows anything about cinematic history knows that the payoff in SAFETY LAST is Harold Lloyd's harrowing and comedic exploits hanging from the hands of a clock on the side of a building high above the city streets. As many times as I had seen excerpts from that sequence in various places, I had never seen the movie in its entirety until now.
Of course.....
...since it's the best of Harold Lloyd AND since it's no longer available in VHS, that makes sense (for the studios who are deeply in love with releasing trash by the hundreds, if not the thousands) it is not yet released on DVD. Are they really so few people liking good movies?????????

Harold Lloyd dangles
Harold Lloyd is "The Boy", the typical character that Harold Lloyd played: spectacled, eager, fresh-faced, and up against the world.Mildred Davis plays his dopey, but utterly loveable girlfriend.SAFETY NOW encompasses much of what I now associate with Harold Lloyd films.The stunt work is exciting and breathtaking, while the storytelling is funny, and sweet without being schmaltzy.Read more

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I Like It
I rather like this one.Stan and Ollie's bond with King Christopher is very touching.Mary Boland is quite memorable too.Ollie seemed to be less aggresive with Stan than usual.The scene at the zoo is a riot.My favourite part would probably be where Stan and Ollie hang onto the window ledge with Stan screaming his head off in terror.And I like how the openning and closing credits for most of their 40s films feature little cartoon figures of the duo themselves.

Nothing But Mediocre
After a promising start, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy's 1944 effort plunges into a sea of MGM mediocrity with a ludicrous plot involving the attempted murder of a boy king. However, Chef Ollie's "Steak a la Oliver" is worth a few laughs.

not one of their best
this is one of the last films that laurel and hardy did and it makes me sad to give my favorite comedic duo only 3 stars.the thing i hate with their movies,as well as abbott and costello's,are that theres not enough of them in it.we always have to suffer through other peoples bad acting and bad singing,all of which always hamper how good these films deserved to be.of course this doesn't overshadow the comedic genius of laurel and hardy.this film is worthy for at least 2 scenes that i can think of.one is they forget to buy a steak for the dinner that they are making for their rich employer and instead decide to try to steal one from a lion.the other would have to be laurel and hardy trying to cut the steak that hardy just cooked.funny stuff indeed but these two deserved so much better. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Comedies    2. Comedy    3. Comedy Video    4. Feature Film-comedy    5. Movie   

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Editorial Review

The title character of Read more

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Reviews (3)

The Playful Brain
Dr. Jack (Harold Lloyd) is a friend to all the people in a small town. His methods aren't entirely traditional, but the people he is surrounded by aren't really average people. He deals with children trying to play hooky from school (Mickey Daniels), gamblers who tend to waste their paychecks on one game, and lonely old women. In the city, there is a girl (Mildred Davis, Lloyd's future wife) called the Sick Little Well Girl (obviously a playful jab at the Poor Little Rich Girl). Although it seems there is nothing wrong with her, her fancy doctor prescribes all sorts of remedies that make her miserable. That is, until Dr. Jack steps in.
The Doctor is in
As Leonard Maltin states, this is one of Harold Lloyd's lesser known features, and only slightly weaker than his more familiar fare.I'm sure the plot was well-suited for the "roaring 20s":out with the old stuffy shirts, in with the new, carefree way of thinking.The short, NUMBER, PLEASE and the feature are both Harold Lloyd Lite, but it's safe subject material for laughs.NUMBER, PLEASE is two long gags, one with a lost/stolen purse and one with a telephone booth, both of which are ingenious.A personal enjoyment, I love seeing old footage of amusement parks, so that was an added pleasure.The subject matter of DR. JACK lends itself to numerous gags, and after Lloyd milks every joke out of the "Good Doctor" and "Sick Little Well Girl" bits, he parades as an escaped convict to keep the fun going. Too Few Harold Lloyd films!!!!!!
Nobody should deny us the privilage of these classic Harold Lloyd Comedies:Read more

Subjects:  1. Classics    2. Comedy    3. Silent    4. Slapstick   

Editorial Review

The title character of Read more

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Reviews (3)

The Playful Brain
Dr. Jack (Harold Lloyd) is a friend to all the people in a small town. His methods aren't entirely traditional, but the people he is surrounded by aren't really average people. He deals with children trying to play hooky from school (Mickey Daniels), gamblers who tend to waste their paychecks on one game, and lonely old women. In the city, there is a girl (Mildred Davis, Lloyd's future wife) called the Sick Little Well Girl (obviously a playful jab at the Poor Little Rich Girl). Although it seems there is nothing wrong with her, her fancy doctor prescribes all sorts of remedies that make her miserable. That is, until Dr. Jack steps in.
The Doctor is in
As Leonard Maltin states, this is one of Harold Lloyd's lesser known features, and only slightly weaker than his more familiar fare.I'm sure the plot was well-suited for the "roaring 20s":out with the old stuffy shirts, in with the new, carefree way of thinking.The short, NUMBER, PLEASE and the feature are both Harold Lloyd Lite, but it's safe subject material for laughs.NUMBER, PLEASE is two long gags, one with a lost/stolen purse and one with a telephone booth, both of which are ingenious.A personal enjoyment, I love seeing old footage of amusement parks, so that was an added pleasure.The subject matter of DR. JACK lends itself to numerous gags, and after Lloyd milks every joke out of the "Good Doctor" and "Sick Little Well Girl" bits, he parades as an escaped convict to keep the fun going. Too Few Harold Lloyd films!!!!!!
Nobody should deny us the privilage of these classic Harold Lloyd Comedies:Read more

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