A moderately funny Harold Lloyd silent short, at 35 min.. I recommend seeing the Lloyd film "Number Please" first........ 5 y..o. Dolly wants her nanny(Mildred) to tell her a bedtime story. Mildred tells about when she was a girl about Dolly's age, she met a boy named Harold, and soon they realized they loved each other. But, they were much too young to get married. Harold promised that he would return to her on her 18th birthday, which is tomorrow. So, she will take the train to her home so she will find out if he keeps his promise. Since Dolly's parents will be away tomorrow, Mildred decides to honor Dolly's request that she accompany Mildred........The screen play doesn't make sense in some ways. For example, Mildred meets Harold at the train station. So, why would she, as well as the others, get on the train to her home, Lloyd with no ticket(no money)., thus having to dodge the conductor? We wouldn't have much of a story if she had decided otherwise.......Evidently, Lloyd is speeding in his car to meet Mildred. He races through a tiny town, creating havoc, then knocks the hay off a hay wagon, part of which covers him so he can't see. He plows through a fence and barn, then offers to pay for the damage. Only trouble is the man isn't the farmer. He's a hobo, who takes his wallet and runs down the road. Lloyd runs after him, ignoring his car. and eventually reaches the railroad, where there is a waiting train. He finds the hobo sitting on the undercarriage of a car, and joins him. After the train starts up, he gets his wallet back, and counts the money. While counting, a blast of steam from a little pipe blows his money away, so he is again penniless. He has a time riding the rails. When, he gets into the station,, he spots a woman who reminds him of Mildred, and finds that it is, indeed, her. But she's with a small child. Mildred tells him to look after Dolly, while she tends to something. He sees her get on the train, so when it pulls out, he puts Dolly and himself on the train, Dolly, but not him, having a ticket. Eventually, they meet on the train. Mildred wants to stay away from Dolly, because she discovered Dolly's father on the train, and doesn't want him to know she brought Dooly without his permission. That means Lloyd will have to continue as Dolly's nursemaid until the father leaves. When it's time to go to sleep, Dolly asks Lloyd to undress her, and put her nightgown on. Luckily, Mildred comes by, to do this, as Lloyd felt embarrassed to do such. Then, Dolly wants him to sing her lullaby. He tries, but Dolly and the other passengers soon want him to stop. Then, she wants a glass of milk. Lloyd doesn't know where to get it., so he pulls the cord that stops the train. hops out and looks for a cow. He soon finds one, and manages to get a little milk out in a cup. But , when he gets back, amazingly, the train is still there, but Dolly is sound asleep. Thus, he gives the milk to a drunk who asks for a drink. "Poison", he mutters, when he tastes it.......Lloyd's attempt to dress Dolly, in the mourning, is only partially successful. He winds up with an extra garment which he stuff's in his pocket. He needed help to get her dress on, turning her upside down to do so! .......Remember that Lloyd has no ticket. So, when the conductor chases him, he climbs out a window onto the top of the car. He has quite a time staying on the car, with the wind and the blinding smoke. When the train goes through a tunnel, he hunkers down, but the smoke is so thick that he comes out looking like Al Jolson, singing "Mammy" . Nonetheless, Mildred accepts him when they find each other, with Dolly there, and her father approving of Dolly coming along.....See it at YouTube
Review of Now or Never
