Le petit frère

Arguably Harold Lloyd's greatest film, made contemporaneously with Buster Keaton's equivalent, THE GENERAL (1927); interestingly, while the former was a box-office hit, the latter's reception was more lukewarm - its reputation having been cemented (indeed vindicated) with time; ultimately, while THE KID BROTHER may lack the scope of Keaton's masterwork, it's no less meticulously crafted or well filmed. Still, it's not quite as renowned as other Lloyds - such as SAFETY LAST! (1923) or THE FRESHMAN (1925) - which actually makes its discovery as an unequivocal gem, not only in the pantheon of comedy but among the finest productions of the Silent era, all the more sweeter!

The plot was admittedly borrowed from the famous Silent melodrama TOL'ABLE David (1921) - which I've never watched myself - but, like THE GENERAL, it seamlessly mingles dazzling comic invention with a serious (a sure indication of this is the fact that it dispenses entirely with Lloyd's typically sarcastic title cards), compelling and exciting plot line; in this case, Harold (again, like Keaton's rejected soldier) has to prove he's the equal of his stalwart family by standing up to the villain - a sinister-looking medicine-show strongman - and recover a cache of stolen money, thus righting a wrong done his father (largely at the instigation of his eternal rival - the long-lasting family feud had also been utilized by Keaton for one of his most beautiful films, OUR HOSPITALITY [1923]).

It's quite futile to mention individual gags from the film because it has a plethora of them, all being incredibly clever (apart from hilarious) and are milked for all they're worth - generally so as to play up to the resourcefulness of our hero. As a matter of fact, the film rarely pauses for breath between one set-piece and the next - while the last half-hour (largely confined to an offshore boat) is thrillingly packed with intense action and suspense, as it speeds towards a happy resolution of all its various plot strands. Jobyna Ralston is once again Lloyd's leading lady here; actually, this proved to be their last collaboration.

I've failed to mention before now the invaluable contribution which the scores by either Carl Davis or Robert Israel have contributed to these Silent films, but Davis' sterling work here (composed for Kevin Brownlow's Photoplay re-issue of 1990) is particularly effective. By the way, the film was started by Lewis Milestone but had to step down from the director's chair due to a contractual dispute; it was taken over by Ted Wilde but even he was replaced (by J.A. Howe) at some later point after he was struck by an illness; this led to the film's shooting schedule extending to a six-month period - but all these various calamities, thankfully, didn't affect the ultimate quality of THE KID BROTHER one bit!

P.S. The film was partly shot on the spot where Forest Lawn cemetery (where many a Hollywood star is buried) was eventually built - and which happens to be located near the Universal studio offices that host the New York Film Academy classes I attended last year!

I kept thinking how he deserves recognition as one of the great silent comedians alongside Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin--especially with his wonderful work in the well-crafted THE KID BROTHER.

The simple plot has him as the youngest and rather nerdy kid brother with his two strapping brothers towering over him as the apple of their father's eyes. Whenver something has to be done, he's left out of the picture while his father assigns his brothers to the task.

But the funniest scenes have to do with him trying to outwit and pull fast tricks on his brothers in a series of sight gags. They're perfectly willing to bully him whenever a show of muscle is involved--particularly when impressing a girl they all have a yen for.

There are too many sight gags to enumerate here and they all involve physical dexterity and timing of the highest order. A particularly demanding set of stunts are performed in the latter half of the story when our hero must board a ghost ship to retrieve money his father has been accused of stealing. The scenes involve a monkey in a sailor suit and a vicious villain out for the kill in keeping hold on stolen money.

All of it is photographed with great style and there's an emotional attachment to the romantic angle involving the girl (JOBYNA RALSTON) so that the hectic comedy is anchored by a story that keeps the comedy on firm ground.

Summing up: A delightful physical comedy, wonderfully photographed and played by an excellent cast, with Lloyd at his all-time best. In my opinion, this one tops SAFETY FIRST.

Even though I had enjoyed several of Lloyd's films, I never really looked at him as being on the same level as Keaton. That's changed after seeing "The Kid Brother." The last half hour is as entertaining as anything on film. Harold's resourcefulness while fighting is a thing to behold! And the monkey with the shoes? Fantastic!

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.

THE KID BROTHER should be the film Lloyd to be remembered by. No matter how many times you watch it, you can always find something you did not notice previously. The structure of the film is something to be marveled at. It is so delicately built that every frame, even every prop serves a purpose for either characterization or as link between gags, or both. Even the tilt of the abandoned ship serves toward the end of the movie. The film is so beautifully shot that it has an idyllic quality. It also has a really great plot and even greater sight gags. And Lloyd's acting is beyond praise. The film itself is a masterful blend of great comedy and sentiments. Definitely one of the best silent films ever made.