Le royaume de Tulipatan

His Royal Slyness (1920)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Harold Lloyd plays an American boy who is asked by a lookalike Prince to pretend to be him and marry the Princess (Mildred Davis). Lloyd agrees to do this but once in the new place he finds himself under attack by the locals who believe him to be the real Prince. HIS ROYAL SLYNESS has a couple funny scenes, which makes it worth watching to Lloyd fans but there's still no question that this is far from the actor's best work. I think the best scenes actually happen early on when we see the real Prince trying to make the moves on his mistress. The first sequence where the Prince meets the American contained some simple but effective laughs. The second portion of the film isn't nearly as strong as the American finds himself in a new land, trying to impress a girl and then of course coming under attack by the local people. Lloyd at least gets to show off some of his comic timing and especially during a sequence where he pretends to be a hunchback but the only problem is that the hunch keeps moving places. I think the story itself has enough cuteness to it and especially the story dealing with the Prince and the Princess. Again, this is certainly far from great material but it's worth watching.

(1920) His Royal Slyness SILENT COMEDY

Clocking in at 27 minutes, it has a prince (Gaylord Lloyd) already romancing with one flame while a salesman (Harold Lloyd) is in another room trying to make a sale selling encyclopedias. And while the prince is romancing, the prince's count (Noah Young) then comes in to inform him he is subjected and ordered to marry the Princess Florelle of Thermosa. And by the time the book salesman was done, he then enters into the room of the prince romancing his current flame to which the prince notices both of them look almost identical. And then instead of him going to marry he then sends (Harold Lloyd) in his place. Some of the gags also includes some guardsmen unknowingly walking into the decoration water fountain; mistaken identity, and when he is chased by the guardsman. The second of 15 movies, Harold Lloyd starred with Mildred Davis. Actor Harry Pollard plays Harold Lloyd's rival for the princess hands.

An American book salesman (Harold Lloyd) is persuaded to go to the kingdom of Thermosa to impersonate the Prince. He is greeted by a peasants' revolt before the real prince shows up to claim his throne and princess (Mildred Davis).

Harold Lloyd has always played second (or third) fiddle to Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, probably even more today (2015) than in his own time. Few today have probably seen any of his films, and many may never have even heard his name. And among his films, this is not amongst the better known (certainly not as much as "Safety Last" or "The Freshman").

But there are some pretty funny moments in this short (which seems to be inspired by "Prince and the Pauper"), particularly coming from Prince Roquefort and his drinking -- he declares a victory for him will cause so much wine to be drank that the corks will block traffic. Wow! Much like Keaton, Lloyd's best comedy is in his physical action... and we get relatively little of that here.

The film was remade in 1927 as "Long Fliv the King", which featured Oliver Hardy, and may be even less well known.

Probably the most famous political satire from the inter-war era is the Marx Brothers' "Duck Soup". However, Harold Lloyd had starred in one a decade earlier. "His Royal Slyness" casts him as an ordinary guy who just happens to resemble the visiting prince of a foreign country. When the prince doesn't want to return home, Lloyd's character goes in his stead. Because the country has an incompetent, self-serving government, and the peasants are rising up against it, that doesn't make things any easier for poor Harold!

This movie doesn't go for the jugular the way that "Duck Soup" did, but still sympathizes with the peasants (who wouldn't after seeing the worthless people who dominate the government?). It's no masterpiece but still a fun look at politics and the people's discontents therewith (which continue to this day).

From the early comedy pros...harold lloyd and hal roach... a twenty two minute short. The cards along the way tell us much of the story, but two princes are vying for the hand of the eligible princess. When one of the prince's doesn't want to compete, he sends someone in his place. It's all very tongue in cheek! Harold lloyd situational humor, look-a-likes, ridiculous outfits, and even sillier wallpaper. The princess is played by millie davis, who lloyd had used in so many of his bits. And who he married in 1923. They were together until her death in 1969. The prince's double was played by Lloyd's older brother! It's quite well done! And fun. And just the right length. Good stuff. Currently showing on max and hulu!