Reviews

This is an excellent comedy and consistently funny. Lloyd learns that his girlfriend, who works for a doctor, is about to be laid off because business is poor. So he goes out and creates some chaos to ensure a steady stream of patients. Then, when he mistakenly thinks his girlfriend is going to marry someone else, he tries to commit suicide - the operative word being "tries." Each attempt ends in failure, with each attempt funnier than the previous one. The climactic scene has him dangling on a steel girders; if you're like me and can't stand heights, these scenes are extremely effective. One laugh after another - don't miss this one.

Peter Lane lives by himself in an old houseboat. During a storm one night, a woman and her small son Buddy seek shelter with Lane. The woman dies the next day from exposure, and when the attending physician assumes the woman and Buddy are Lane's wife and son, Lane does not correct him. One day, a tramp named Booge tries to take off on the boat while Lane is looking for food. Lane stops him, then decides to take on Booge if he helps with the chores. Together, the two men take care of Buddy. Lane uses his jack-knife to carve wooden animals for Buddy, while Booge amuses the boy with songs and woodwork. Complications ensue when the town's Justice of the Peace, Briggles, tries to take Buddy away from Lane.

This is a sweet film, and highly recommended. It is unfortunate the print on YouTube is mediocre, but the film is still watchable. The acting is solid across the board. Kelso is very cute. All the main performers were in their 40s, 50s and, in the case of Lane, 60s, and yet this seems like a film to be enjoyed by all ages. King Vidor's wife Florence has a small but pivotal role near the end of the film.

There is also an amusing subplot involving the Widow Potter (well-played by Lillian Leighton) and her attempts to hook Lane. An unforeseen twist late in the film makes the final scene at fadeout very poignant and bittersweet.

Mary McGuire works as a hat-check girl, but she is canned when her boss sees her dancing with a customer's coat. Mary sees an ad for a hostess/dancer at the Peach Tree Inn, and applies for the job. She convinces the manager she is really Gloria Du Moine, a famous dancer who has been involved in scandal with the Duke de Sauterne. At the Inn, she meets Jimmie Calhoun, son of a rich Wall Street bigwig. Jimmie's father thinks Mary is a gold-digger, and sets out to prove it. Meanwhile, the Duke shows up and Mary finds herself in a mess. Will true love win out?

This is a fun film, smartly directed and acted, and moves along at a great pace. Murray is a terrific physical comedienne, and Valentino (looking like he is barely out of high school) shows a good flair for comedy. The supporting cast is quite good, and the conclusion is hilarious. While there are no belly laughs, this is a pleasant film and a good way to kill an hour.

Prudence Cole is a shy Quaker, dominated by her two old crone aunts. Prudence feels some affection for rich Henry Garrison. Garrison strings her alone for his own amusement, inviting her to a party at his estate.

There, Prudence meets artist Cheyne Rovein, who offers to help Prudence impress Garrison. Rovein designs some costumes for Prudence, then engages the party-goers in a game of charades, highlighted by skits in which Prudence, dressed in various outfits, suggests clues. Suddenly Garrison becomes more interested, but will Prudence end up with him or Rovein?

This film has so many bad things going for it, it's hard to know where to start. Boring pretty much describes it. The charade skits are really stupid, and painful to sit through - I actually started hitting the fast forward button.

Hallam Cooley, as Garrison, looks repulsive, so it's hard to imagine any dame falling for him, even if they wanted his dough. He spends most of the film playing Davies, but then the skits get his manly fluids going - and the same goes for every other guy in the crowd.

Apparently just seeing Davies not wearing her Quaker outfit is the equivalent of taking Viagra. Davies is fair in her acting, Stanley better. June Elvidge, as a woman interested in Cooley, gives a nice performance. Lydia Titus and Thomas Jefferson (not the President) are supporting characters who could easily have been cut from the movie. In fact, a lot of this movie should have been cut. If Davies really wanted to impress Cooley, she should have just had sex with him, which would have taken about five minutes, and the film would have been mercifully over that quickly.

"Burn 'Em Up" Barnes is the son of a rich automobile magnate. When his car breaks down, he is mugged and tossed aboard a freight train. There, he befriends a hobo named King Cole. The pair end up in the town of Westwood, PA, where they get mixed up in various situations. Barnes falls for a local girl named Madge. Barnes and Cole are later falsely accused of kidnapping, and jailed. When the bank is robbed, Barnes' father and Madge help him escape from jail, whereby he enters the local auto race and speeds after the crooks.

This film got better as it went along. The early scenes were okay, but didn't seem to interest me too much. The action then picked up and things seemed to move along faster. I particularly liked the relationship between Hines and Breese; they create some funny sight gags, and Breese lends some dignity to the role of hobo. There is also some funny byplay between Barnes and Harry Frazer, who plays Carpenter's effeminate fiancé. The action scenes are well-staged, especially the rescue of a baby boy wandering along railroad tracks ahead of an oncoming train.

The title cards contains plenty of puns and wisecracks.

This was a pleasant surprise. I didn't think I would buy Walthall as a leading man (he is much older than Starke, and pretty short), but he managed to pull it off, and gives an appealing performance. Starke is the real star though, and shows plenty of chutzpah, letting herself be filmed in a dangerous canoe ride, and scrambling up a mountainside to light a tree on fire.

In fact, the acting across the board is quite good, and refreshingly absent of histrionics. The outdoor scenes are gorgeous, and there is enough action to keep the audience interested. The Indians are dealt with sympathetically, which is a welcome change. The print I saw was in fairly good shape, although it showed brief deterioration in a few spots. Also, some footage seemed to be missing. At one point, we see Jeanne and Pierre being attacked by Thorpe's men, with Jeanne being abducted, but next we see Jeanne riding in a canoe with Whittemore. Other than that, the film holds together well, and deserves an updating with English subtitles.

The members of a secret society vote on condemning a man to death. Two members of the society, Farralone and Forrest, are in love with the only female member, Lilith. Lilith deals cards to the members, and Forrest gets the ace of hearts, which means he has the "honor" to kill the victim the next day. Lilith agrees to marry Forrest that night, and then tries to convince him not to go through with the murder. But Forrest feels duty bound to carry out the deed. Lilith tries to get Farralone to intercede, but he offers her a bargain instead. Circumstances prevent Forrest from committing the murder, which causes the other members to condemn him to death. Farralone gets the ace of hearts. But he has another plan in mind. He begins to laugh ...

I've seen this twice, and upon further review, I can say it's an interesting story, but it's almost done in by some overacting by the three leads.

There are also plenty of holes in the film. I wanted to know how this society was formed, why it only has one female member, why Chaney has a George Washington haircut, why everyone except Bowers and Joy looks to be in their 50s or 60s, why they chose their victim (referring to him as "the man who lived too long"), etc. If you can ignore all this, you'll probably like the film.

Lulu Bett and her mother live with Lulu's sister Ina and her husband Dwight Deacon, along with the Deacon's two daughters. Lulu cooks, cleans, and is treated like a doormat by the family. When Deacon's brother Ninian arrives in town, he takes an interest in Lulu. Dwight, Ina, Lulu and Ninian go out for a night on the town, during which Lulu and Ninian jokingly exchange wedding vows over dinner. But Dwight, being a Justice of the Peace, tells them that their civil ceremony is legal, and that they are indeed married. The couple decide to try out marriage, but Lulu soon discovers Ninian was married before, and his wife ran off. She returns home, and again is treated as a second-class citizen. Neil Cornish, the town's schoolteacher, begins to fall for her. Lulu talks her young niece out of eloping. In so doing, Lulu slowly begins to assert herself.

This is a simple but engaging film, with a charming performance by Wilson. In the early scenes, she appears plain, unattractive, and timid. You keep waiting for her to explode at all the ingrates around here. As the film progresses, she blossoms, and by the climax, it is a hoot watching her manhandle Theodore Roberts:

Speaking of Roberts, he chomps his ever-present cigar, which makes me think the only film in which he doesn't do this is "The Ten Commandments" ... unless I missed that scene on Mt. Sinai where Moses has a smoke. Sills isn't in the film very much, and the final scene with him and Wilson is extremely corny.

The film was based upon a novel of the same name, by Zona Gale. Gale adapted her novel into a play, earning her the 1921 Pulitzer Prize for drama, the first woman to receive such an award. The film follows the novel pretty faithfully, although in the book, Neil Cornish is a piano salesman and not a teacher. Also, the novel's ending is more true to life, and not the silly ending displayed in the film.

In contemporary Ireland, Sir Fergus Cassidy is in love with Aileen Barrett, although he is considerably older than she. Aileen enjoys reading the poetry of Bulmer Meade, and when the young author comes to her village, she falls for him. But Aileen soon discovers that Meade is a womanizer. Will she stay with him, or return Cassidy's affections?

This is a fairly routine romance, with a predictable ending. But unlike "Enchantment," at least this film is more entertaining. Davies is quite good, especially in the scene where she realizes she has been strung along.

Standing is acceptable as the older lover, but I found Miller to be a bit bland as the poet. The opening credits only list Davies, and she is also referred to in one of the title cards. Oddly, neither Standing nor Miller are acknowledged in any of the title cards.

The film's title comes from a ceremony performed at the wedding, in which the bride goes around to each of the men and asks "Are you the one I love the most?" in which case only the groom (hopefully) answers "yes." There is a flashback to 800 years ago, showing Davies (as Enid of Cashell) in an arranged marriage to a nobleman, then rejecting him after the ceremony, and taking off with her lover.

This sets up the climax of the film, although just about anyone should figure out how the movie will end. There is some pleasant scenery, and overall, the film moves at a decent pace. It's not a movie I would necessarily watch again, but it's not a bad way to kill 70 minutes.

Little Jackie Blair arrives at Ellis Island, his father having been killed in France and his mother having died during the voyage. He manages to elude immigration authorities, and befriends an old sea captain. But the captain is out of work and behind on his rent. Meanwhile, Jackie's rich grandmother is searching for the boy.

Very cute and sentimental story, with Coogan in top form. Not as emotional or sentimental as "The Kid," but still quite charming with plenty of funny moments. Coogan's antics are adorable and so natural one has to wonder if he ad-libbed some of his scenes. Claude Gillingwater, as the captain, lends fine support.

This is a little gem. With the basic plot in mind, I'd recommend watching any of the foreign language versions, since the prints appear to be better, and the conclusion is more satisfying.

Ethel Hoyt is a spoiled rich girl, who wraps men around her fingers. Fed up with this behavior, her father gets an idea when he takes the family to see "The Taming of the Shrew." He engages the lead actor, Eddie Eddison, to "tame" Ethel. Eddie will make Ethel fall for him, and then he will throw her over, which will teach her a lesson. Of course, things do not go according to plan.

This is a hum-drum romantic comedy, with no surprises, predictable developments, slight humor, decent acting, and interesting interior sets. The film plods along at a barely acceptable pace, but then comes to a complete stop when the two leads appear in a production of "Sleeping Beauty." Instead of cutting to the climax of the production, which brings the desired results between Davies and Stanley, we are subjected to the entire story of Sleeping Beauty - which will indeed put you to sleep. In fact, the only chuckle I had was when Davies and Stanley get passionate when Sleeping Beauty awakens, and the camera pans to the audience. Most of them seem aghast at the display of spontaneous affection, except for Mr. Hoyt (well-played by Tom Lewis), who is sound asleep.

Davies is cute, but her character is annoying, and her outfits are atrocious. Harvey is adequate as the romantic lead, but looks ridiculous in his Prince Charming outfit.

Edith Shayne, as Mrs. Hoyt, is very attractive at the outset of the film, and could easily have played a romantic lead herself:

Playboy Ramon Laredo heads to the docks to go sailing with his friends. Instead, he is given a mickey and shanghaied aboard a ship, commanded by Captain Kitchell. Ramon toughens up under the captain, and eventually starts to enjoy the life. Then, a ship named the Lady Letty catches fire. Kitchell's men board it, thinking it is a derelict. The only survivor is Moran, the tomboy daughter of the Letty's captain. Kitchell makes a play for her, but Ramon intercedes. Later, Kitchell delivers guns to outlaws. Ramon and the crew turn the tables on Kitchell.

This one didn't impress me a whole lot, probably because it was fairly predictable. Valentino does a good job in a more physically demanding role, and Walter Long, as Kitchell, makes an excellent rat. I was disappointed with Dalton, however. She is adequate, but that's about it. Of course, she spends most of the film wearing men's clothes, so that worked against her. She also didn't seem to have any chemistry with Valentino.

The film features early appearances by two actors on their way up. George O'Brien can be glimpsed in a few scenes, playing a sailor aboard the Lady Letty. William Boyd (with a moustache) plays Valentino's society friend near the end of the film.

The film was based upon a novel of the same name, written by Frank Norris. The first half of the film is a fairly faithful adaptation of the book, but the second half bears almost no resemblance. I found the novel, which had an unexpected ending, to be better than the film.

Buster inadvertently wanders onto Indian land, chasing butterflies. What he doesn't know is that the tribe has vowed to kill the first white man who shows up, since they have just been cheated out of their land. Buster frustrates every attempt at his demise, including fashioning asbestos underwear so he cannot be burned at the stake. The tribe make him an honorary member, and then he fights to get their land back. When Buster threatens to scalp one of the swindlers, the man offers up his toupee instead.

There are plenty of funny and incredible stunts, which leaves me wondering if there was anything Keaton would not attempt.

Shamrock O'Day is a laundress whose family works for wealthy Richard Prentiss. Tom McGuire is Shamrock's neighbor, and chauffeur to wealthy Iris Van Suydam. Shamrock and Tom each wish for the good life, while Richard and Iris yearn for the simple life. Richard and Iris have an arrangement to be married. But fate intervenes, and Richard finds himself falling for Shamrock, while Iris falls for Tom. Both couples marry, but their relationships take rocky turns as class differences come to the forefront.

At first, I thought this film would be a dud, but it did entertain me. It was interesting to see how each spouse got on the other's nerves, and how their relationships deteriorated. The situations ranged from comical to downright nasty. The leads all do good work, especially Edith Roberts. The supporting cast is also good, with Theodore Roberts as Joy's uncle, doing his cigar chomping, and Julia Faye, as Nagel's sister, acting the part of beyotch quite well. The climax has unnecessary melodrama, which I felt weakened the film, and also made the characters seem more reprehensible.

There are some nice bits in the film, particularly between Joy and Mower. When Joy moves into his apartment, she sits down at what seems to be a piano, only to discover it's a hide-a-bed. She draws a bath for Mower, who has just come home from work, and he asks why, noting that it's only Tuesday. When his friends drop over unexpectedly, he invites them to stay for dinner, and they turn out to be boors. Then, Joy lights up in front of everyone, which makes Mower shoot daggers at her.

These mini-spats are far and away the best parts of the movie.

Pre-World War I, an Argentinian rancher's two daughters marry a Frenchman named Desnoyers and a German named von Hartrott. Desnoyers' son Julio grows up to be a playboy, and moves to Paris to become a painter. Von Hartrott's sons go to Germany and serve the Fatherland. Julio begins an affair with a married woman, Marguerite Laurier. With the outbreak of war in France, Julio feels no responsibility to enlist, while von Hartrott's sons join the German army. Marguerite becomes a nurse for the Red Cross, and, ironically, tends to her injured husband, who was blinded in combat. Julio finally sees the light and joins the French army, and in the climax, comes face to face with one of his German cousins.

Ultimately, this is a depressing film, and somewhat emotionally draining, but it is impressive in so many ways. The cinematography is excellent, and the few battle scenes are realistic and well-staged. The biblical Four Horsemen make several appearances, with some clever trick photography. The romantic leads are fine (Terry is particularly lovely). But what made the film for me was the outstanding supporting cast, many of whom are not remembered today. Although there were so many characters it was sometimes hard to keep track of who was who, each one had an interesting storyline. Josef Swickard, as Julio's father, may well be the most pathetic character in the film. He has to suffer the humiliation of discovering his son is carrying on with a married woman. Later, his French home is virtually ransacked by the Germans. He is initially overjoyed to find that one of his nephews is a German officer, thinking this will spare him any atrocities. Fat chance. In one scene, weird even by today's standards, one of the Germans puts on a dress during a wild celebration in the house, while another officer (Wallace Beery) attempts to molest a young woman.

Alan Hale, as the senior von Hartrott, is gung-ho on having his boys serve Germany, but at the end, he is a broken man, regretting that his family ever left Argentina.

Nigel De Brulier plays a mystical character who seems to foretell what is to happen.

John St. Polis, who could easily have been cast as a villainous character, emerges as a sympathetic hero, and his later scenes with Alice Terry are quite touching.

Lady Diana Mayo is intrigued by The Sheik, so she dons an Arabic costume and sneaks into a "members only" club to catch a glimpse. The Sheik is also intrigued, but escorts her out. Later, when Diana is touring the desert, The Sheik snatches her. He is about to have his way with her when his conscience gets the better of him. When Diana is captured by a rival, The Sheik heads to the rescue.

This film moves along at a good pace. There is some good action near the end which helps. Valentino's leering and ogling at Ayres borders on comedy, and some of their romantic scenes almost descend into self-parody. Still, there is no denying Valentino's charm and sex appeal. I also have to give him a lot of credit. He wears a huge knife tucked into his cummerbund and a sword which curves behind his rear end, yet still manages to ride a horse with no discomfort. What a man! Ayres, while attractive, does not seem the type that would drive a sheik wild, but there is no accounting for taste. Adolphe Menjou, as Valentino's friend, looks quite svelte here. Walter Long, as Valentino's rival, doesn't get enough screen time.

Ben Trego and his twin boys are making their way through Indian territory. When Trego spies Indians about to attack, he sends his sons to safety, and then, surrounded, blows up his wagon and himself. The two boys grow up and follow different paths, unknown to each other. One takes the name Bill Brand, and becomes a rancher. The other takes the name Paul Marsden and becomes governor of Utah. Brand's partner, Barton, is accused of murder by a rival who is anxious to get a water rights bill passed by the Governor, which will put Brand's ranch out of business. Meanwhile, Brand falls for Barton's sister Ethel, who thinks he is a bully. The twins will eventually cross paths as Brand impersonates his brother, seeks to kill the bill, and clear his partner.

This is a solid yarn, and very entertaining. There is not much gunplay, nor is it needed, since the story is enough to keep you interested. There is some welcome humor, such as when Brand poses as Marsden; Marsden's girlfriend mistakes Brand for Marsden and Brand sweats it out, not wanting to give away his identity. Hart does well playing the father and the two grown men. Novak makes a very attractive heroine, but is underused.

There are a few scenes showing Brand and Marsden simultaneously, and they are convincing.

I recommend this film. Incidentally, the title refers to Brand using three words for most of his replies, like "I love you" and "Go to hell."