Harold chez les pirates

This Harold Lloyd two-reeler is well worth seeing for all of the imaginative material that it contains, ranging from romantic problems, future mother-in-law gags, and a morning-after sequence, to a ship full of female pirates. The technique has some rough edges much of the time, so that not everything works as well as it might have, but more than enough comes off to make it interesting and entertaining.

The story starts with Lloyd and Bebe Daniels having their engagement broken off by the tyrannical mother of Daniels's character. From there, it leads the characters (including Snub Pollard as Lloyd's valet), to the high seas, where they encounter some unpredictable and amusing adventures. Besides the creative scenario, there are some good individual gags, with one of the better ones being Lloyd on the phone listening to the mother-in-law as she chastises him for his faults.

The pirate ship sequence is set up as the centerpiece, and it gets pretty elaborate. There was enough material for a somewhat longer movie, which makes it seem a bit rushed at just over 20 minutes of screen time. But with Hal Roach in charge, Lloyd's unflagging energy, and Daniels as the love interest, there are many good moments.

When Helen Gilmore finds out about the wild bachelor party that Harold Lloyd threw, she forbids the wedding between Harold and her daughter, Bebe Daniels, and takes her to the Canary Islands. Harold and his valet, Snub Pollard, follow, but they fall overboard and are picked up by a pirate ship with an all-girl crew!

When Lloyd switched to his "Glasses" character in 1917, he spent a year and more making a single-reel comedy every week, all packed with lots of slapstick gags. As they gradually grew more popular, he increased their length and issued them less frequently -- just as hectic a schedule, but movies that actually had a story, more than "Harold goes to the beach" or "Harold goes to a picnic". Now he was making three-reel comedies, with a bit of story, and some acting, but just as much slapstick as ever. That's where the money was for the moment. However, soon Chaplin would begin making features and Lloyd would follow suit.

(1919) Captain Kidd's Kids SILENT COMEDY

It has (Harry Pollard) cleaning up after a bachelor party, and then upon him going to the bedroom, he then tries to wake up the bachelor (Harold Lloyd) up while he is passed out on a large drawer. By the time he is fully waken up, and goes into the bathroom, he is then interrupted with a phone call by his fiance (Bebe Daniels) who is overheard she is being taken on a cruise to someplace else. (Harold Lloyd) then orders his valet to help him pack to see her there, and while he is on the cruise ship, he then falls into the ocean with no one to save him than a ship of female pirates.

Although the gags at the opening are outdated, I thought it gets better as soon as the male pirates were coming after him by knocking them down into the bottom deck. I also thought that was a nice touch that the pirate scenario was all a dream since at some point it looked like it was real.

After The Boy (Harold Lloyd) threw a big party, his big apartment is a mess. He's a rich kid and it's his wedding day to The Girl (Bebe Daniels). Her mother found out about the party and has canceled the wedding. Instead, the mother takes her on a cruise to the Canary Islands to be followed by The Boy.

The Boy is a bit of an entitled rich brat. The all-female pirate ship is ridiculous fun. I do wonder if there is something more he could do for the comedy. Sex comedy doesn't seem to be Harold Lloyd's strong suit. Despite the different issues, I do still like Harold Lloyd. His charms are undeniable.

Captain Kidd's Kids (1919)

** (out of 4)

Lesser Harold Lloyd comedy has him playing The Boy whose lovely girlfriend (Bebe Daniels) is taken away by her mother. The mother forces her to the Canary Islands so The Boy follows and eventually dreams that the mother is a pirate and he must save his love. CAPTAIN KIDD'S KIDS has a nice title but that's pretty much it and in the end this here is certainly one of the weaker shorts from Lloyd. There are a few decent moments scattered throughout this two-reeler but just not enough to keep the thing entertaining throughout its 20-minutes. I think the best sequence happens early on and involves 'Snub' Pollard falling into a large bathtub and then having to have the water drained from him. The second half of the story takes place on a boat where we get your typical sea sick jokes as well as the pirate stuff once it happens. I really didn't find anything in the second act to be funny and even that typical Lloyd slapstick is missing. Both Lloyd and Daniels have been much better in other roles so neither one really gets to shine here. Pollard has a couple good scenes and Helen Gilmore is good as the wicked mother.