Une riche famille

The genius of Harold Lloyd's character was that he acted like he was an everyday person in today's world. Lloyd tapped into that normalcy, surviving in a world where occasionally an unlucky day crops up. Those circumstances are so surreal that most consider the day's a joke, providing hilarious fodder in relating the events later on. That was the world of Harold Lloyd, which made him one of the most successful silent movie comedians.

In October 1924's "Hot Water," Lloyd finds himself in an unusual situation as a happily married husband. A simple grocery errand, a leisurely ride in his new car, and a Freudian wish in a dream about getting rid of his dreaded mother-in-law, all make for one single day for Lloyd where he plays a spouse caught in a Kafka-like bizarro world.

Reminiscent to his earlier gag-heavy shorts, "Hot Water" is broken up into three segments, in which if separated could be standalone two-reeler shorts. A grocery list submitted by his adorning wife (Jobyna Ralston) turns out to be a handful for Lloyd after purchasing the goods. He seen shuffling a number of packages, compounded by a live turkey he won in a raffle, in a streetcar going home. When he finally arrives, his wife's in-laws, including her loafing brother and bratty kid brother, make their visit even more interesting.

This was just great! Since this wasn't one of the Harold Lloyd silent films that I had heard much about, compared to others, it was a wonderful surprise. I think it's right up there with "The Freshman" and his other hit movies.

Except with the early "turkey" scene on the trolley which I think went on too long, the rest of the gags were hilarious and very entertaining. Of lot of that was due not just to Lloyd but Josephine Crowell, who played the mother-in-law. She reminded of the brutish Anne Ramsey in "Throw Mama Off The Train." Crowell plays the stereotypical mother-in-law: a big, gruff, mean-looking woman who makes life miserable for poor newly-wed Harold. She is joined by a no-good brother-in-law and a mean little kid. The three of them come over to visit Harold and "wifey."

The film really is three long comedy segments: the trolley scene, a ride in an automobile and Lloyd thinking he killed his wife's mom after chloroforming her.

After showing up at the newlyweds, the whole group all goes for a ride in Lloyd's brand new fancy car and by the time the trip's over, the automobile is demolished. When they get back home, Harold, a little peeved by now, chloroforms the mother-in-law and then thinks he overdid it and killed her. All kinds of haunted house-type sight gags occur which help convince him she is dead, and he is going to be arrested and charged with murder.Many of jokes in this "skit" are extremely funny.

This is one solid hour of laughs and entertainment.

The jingle which went with TV showings of Lloyd's films in the 1980s still stays with me "a pair of glasses and a smile", and that was the time I first saw 'Hot Water'.

It is a short film where Harold struggles with parcels and a live turkey on public transport, and shows off his new car to the battleaxe mother-in-law. Of course there are high-risk stunts, of course the car gets destroyed, and all the usual stuff, making a short but brilliant silent classic. Jobyna Ralston plays Harold's love interest and we just sit back and laugh as silly things happen to him.

I do like Lloyd and along with Chaplin and Keaton he really is the yardstick by which all film comedians after should be judged. My personal favourite of his is 'Girl Shy' but this hour-long treasure comes close.

The Harold Lloyd movies I've seen (The Kid Brother, Safety Last) tend to depend on Harold's brilliant ability to hang hilarious gags on a rather flimsy plot, and this film is no different. It has some very funny moments (Harold and the turkey; Harold and the battleaxe mother-in-law) and a superb opening scene in which he falls in love at first sight, but the later assaults on his in-laws aren't very well motivated. One feels sympathy for his wife's Wagnerian mother;she even cries in one scene. The very handsome Lloyd is much more intersting as a young swain. For obnoxious in-law comedy that really works try W.C. Fields' "It's a Gift" and "The Man on the Flying Trapeze," the latter containing some elements similar to Lloyd's film.

Harold (Harold Lloyd) crashes into a girl on the way to his friend's wedding. The couple gets married and has many misadventures. One involves a turkey. There is the annoying mother in-law. Harold gets drunk which leads to a chloroform incident.

This is Harold Lloyd doing his character with his style of comedy. There are some fun physical comedy. There are stunts but none of the highflying ones. It's good clean fun.