Robert J. Maxwell
Lloyd is the kid brother of three tough older men. He's the wimp who washes dishes and does other household chores until fate places him in a position to save a large stash of the community's money that was stolen by itinerant goniffs.It's not a classic but it's amusing. Lloyd seems always to be pursued by others and many of the gags revolve around his various hiding places being uncovered -- sometimes by a very well-trained primate in the hands of a monkey wrangler.Jobyna Ralston is winsome and pretty. The final confrontation between Lloyd and the gargantuan Romanoff is successfully rendered. Lloyd winds up with the girl.It must take a different kind of skill -- an improved sense of the kinetic, overactive Golgi bodies, or something -- to make an effective silent comedy. Imagine -- none of the gags can depend on dialog.
tavm
Just watched this on disc 1 of The Harold Lloyd Comedy Collection: Vol. 2 which I ordered from Netflix. In summary, it's such a funny but also suspenseful and thrilling movie to watch that I not only laughed loudly at several places but also gasped in others when it looked like Harold might get hurt really bad. He's the youngest in his family which also includes his sheriff father and his two older burly brothers. When a medicine show arrives, a couple of the men in charge there take advantage of Harold's personality to get a license while his father is elsewhere. It's also in that show that a girl named Mary (Jobyna Ralston, her last as his leading lady) resides and he falls for her hard. I'll stop there and just say that I not only highly enjoyed the movie but also the commentary on it afterwards by his grandkids Suzanne and Annette and Rich Correll. And the music by Carl Davis was also perfectly scored for this version. So on that note, The Kid Brother comes highly recommended.
Boba_Fett1138
People purely seem to praise this movie for its comedy but if you start comparing the humor in this movie to other genre movies from the same period you must admit that this movie isn't among the best. However the movie does deserve all the praise for its sweet and great written story and its creativity, which is the reason why this movie is a '20's comedy must-see.This movie doesn't really distinct itself with its humor or timing but it does so through its solidly written comical story.I wasn't all taken by the movie its comedy. The timing and the slapstick elements aren't the best example of the particular time period and also most certainly so wasn't the directing, that was even below average in parts. There was lots of running and jumping but quite frankly it didn't all made really much sense at times. I prefer a Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton or Laurel & Hardy movie over this everyday. Thank goodness that in the end the movie still turns into a great and fun slapstick. Of course in between the movie also features some great, creative and fun moments.The story is just great and solid. Something that really wasn't common for '20's comedies. It's a sweet story that knows to create a balance between the silly humor and the romantic aspects of the movie. It are the romantic aspects that really makes this a sweet and irresistible movie to watch.I liked it, though for other reasons than its comedy.8/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
Snow Leopard
Even by Harold Lloyd's high standards, this is one of his most entertaining and most imaginative movies. It combines humor and melodrama very well, and it is particularly rich in sight gags, again even by Lloyd's standards. Lloyd has a character that is well suited to his style, and he adds some impressive stunts as well.As "The Kid Brother", Lloyd's character is the put-upon son of a tough sheriff, with two older, domineering brothers. The story has Harold involved romantically with Jobyna Ralston, who comes to town with a traveling medicine show that the sheriff is trying to shut down. There is also a large sum of money that has been collected for a new dam, and entrusted to the sheriff. There is a lot going on, and Lloyd's character faces challenges and difficulties both from his family and from the villains in the medicine show.The efforts of Lloyd's character to win the respect of his family give the plot some depth that complements the comedy and melodrama well. The action sequences often combine stunts, drama, and visual comedy at the same time, and there are just enough thoughtful moments to keep the important characters from becoming flat. Constantine Romanoff makes a memorable villain, and the lengthy showdown in the old abandoned ship is a wonderful set piece with lots of interesting details.It's well worth watching a number of times, in order to catch and enjoy everything that Lloyd and the rest of the cast and crew have packed into less than an hour and a half of running time. How fortunate it is that this and Lloyd's other gems have finally come out on DVD for all of us silent movie fans to enjoy.
AD
