“The good American, still devoutly believed in during the 1920s, was two things: he was aggressive, and he was innocent…and then there was Harold Lloyd. A boy whom nothing could defeat.” — Walter Kerr, “The Silent Clowns”
Made famous by his stunningly athletic physical comedy and his “glasses” character — an ambitious go-getting Man of the Century, yet an everyman who resembled those in his audience — Harold Lloyd remains one of the era’s greatest comedians, alongside Chaplin and Keaton. Tonight’s first feature is For Heaven’s Sake (one of Lloyd’s best gags-for-gags’-sake films) in which he plays a wealthy man who falls for a homeless mission volunteer, is kidnapped by his friends offended by his breaching of class, and must escape their clutches to “make it to the church on time”. The ensuing escape on a double-decker bus remains one of Lloyd’s finest chase numbers. Next, in Why Worry?, Lloyd arrives on a South American island, to find himself caught up in the locals’ political revolution. The film benefits from a breathtaking abundance of non-stop gags, and the eye-catching presence of giant Johan Aasen as Lloyd’s sidekick. As well, Why Worry? marks the first appearance in a Lloyd film of Jobyna Ralston, who was to be his romantic foil in five subsequent features. Harold Lloyd’s granddaughter Suzanne Lloyd will be be here at the Cinefamily to introduce the show — and join us for birthday cake, as we celebrate Harold’s upcoming April birthday!
For Heaven’s Sake Dir. Sam Taylor, 1926, 35mm, 58 min.
Why Worry? Dirs. Fred Newmeyer & Sam Taylor, 1923, 35mm, 60 min.