¡Ay, doctor!

Watched "Oh, Doctor!" (1925) with Reginald Denny, Mary Astor, Otis Harlan, William V. Mong, Tom Ricketts, Lucille Ward, Mike Donlin, Blanche Payson, Martha Mattox, and a couple of others. Absolutely stunning first fifteen minutes. HILARIOUS! Then downhill from there. It still has many funny, funny moments, but the story becomes just downright stupid. Before the three crazy guys - and, yes, that's how they're labeled in the movie! - and even before the entrance of Mary Astor, the film is off to the races. But with the entrance of these later characters the film is forced. Forced by the writing and the direction. Denny himself is never forced. He's a riot, from beginning to the end. The finale - on a flagpole - will remind most of watching a Keystone Kops sort of slapstick. It almost tries at Harold Lloyd, but it doesn't make it. I'd give the film 2 to 2½ stars out of 4. Some will think it better than that, at least 3. I think I'm generous. The plot revolves around the fact that Denny is a hypochondriac's hypochondriac. He's a wimp's wimp. His body language is nearly perfect in the part. If you're familiar with Denny at all, especially before this film, you'll know that he made the series called "The Leather Pushers" (1922), a set of two-reelers about a boxer. He was anything but a wimp. He was a fine actor who also happened to be a fine comedian. He's wonderful here, and the first part of the film - my version lasts 63 minutes - is supremely funny. It's past the twenty minute mark that the humor begins to be so routinely like filler two-reelers of the period that it lags. Mary Astor is serviceable at best. Best scene: Blanche Payson as the osteopath giving the works to Denny. Denny's body movements are a laugh riot! Payson's workout on Denny has to be seen to be believed. Great comedy! Truly classic stuff. If only the rest of the film could have been like this...

Reginald Denny, born and raised in England, had a hugely successful career in American silent films (in which his public-school English accent went unheard), playing brash young Americans who were firmly in the Harold Lloyd mould. 'Oh, Doctor!' brings Denny even farther into Lloyd's territory than usual, with a thrilling climax that seems clearly inspired by Lloyd's 'Safety Last'.

In the sound era, Denny's career tapered off into character roles and he is now utterly forgotten. During the Los Angeles riots of 1992, an entirely different man named Reginald Denny was prominently mentioned in the news. At the time, I was intrigued that absolutely none of the news media called attention to the coincidence of these men's mutual name ... solid evidence of how completely the silent comedian Reginald Denny has now been forgotten.

'Oh, Doctor!' is based on a novel by Harry Leon Wilson, who was at this time an extremely popular author of comic novels ... several of which have been filmed. I've read a few of his books, but I've not read this one, so I can't tell how closely the movie follows the book. It's possible that the climax of this story was originally in Wilson's novel, even though it does seem to be borrowed from a Harold Lloyd movie.

Denny plays Rufus Billings, an orphan who was an incubator baby. (Which would have to have been at least 20 years before this movie was made, since he's now an adult. Did they actually have human incubators quite so far back?) He's been in frail health all his life, although it's clear to us that most of this is hypochondria. Rufus doesn't suspect that he's really in the pink ... and now, out of the blue, he learns that he's in the black (financially). His late father has bequeathed him $750,000 ... but he won't inherit for another three years yet. Unfortunately, Rufus is positive he won't live that long. He (thinks he) needs the constant attention of a nurse, but the one he's got -- nicknamed 'Death Watch Mary' -- is such a baleful influence, she seems likely to hasten his demise.

Along come Clinch, Peck and McIntosh, three shrewdies who offer to loan Rufus $100,000 providing he signs over his inheritance to them. (But then how can he repay the $100,000?) Rufus accepts the offer. Meanwhile, he's got a new nurse, the beauteous Dolores Hicks. (I think this name is meant to be a pun on 'dolorous sick'). Suddenly, Rufus has acquired a will to live as he develops a crush on Dolores.

The climax of the film is contrived but very thrilling and funny, as Rufus must climb to the top of a flagpole on a skyscraper's roof. Some of the plot makes little sense: Clinch, Peck and McIntosh are hopeful that Rufus will die ... but surely then his inheritance will be voided, and they can't collect it, yes? Still, the direction and pacing are efficient, and there are some very funny sight gags. Each of the three villains has a distinctive physical crotchet, and when all three are going at their respective tics in the same shot it's hilarious. There's also a funny sequence in which Denny falls into the hands of an osteopath. I'm not a fan of Mary Astor, but she's attractive and appealing here as nurse Dolores. I'll rate this movie 8 out of 10.

Oh, Doctor! Tells the story of a highly hipochondriac young man who, convinced that his life will be shortly ending and provided with an insurance, decides to take risks in life, to his new nurse's concern. The story is not bad, but the real point is in the acting. Reginald Denny is convincing and charming as a neurotic young man who gradually discovers life. His is a sober yet amusing manner, in the style which would be later followed by Cary Grant, so this is not a vaudevillian nor a slapstick comedy, but an elegant one, yet filled with great surprising gags. Mary Astor plays the nurse and her serious expression only makes it better. Denny played different types of roles and silent comedy is one of his less known accomplishments.

The Grapevine DVD image quality is fair enough for a Grapevine release, they don't use to be high standards. Part of the footage seems to be missing, as there are a couple of abrupt changes.

Highly enjoyable.