484 - Harold Lloyd in Girl Shy, United States, 1924. Dir. Fred C. Newmeyer and Sam Taylor.

Sunday, April 29, 2018

484 - Harold Lloyd in Girl Shy, United States, 1924.  Dir. Fred C. Newmeyer and Sam Taylor.

The Poor Boy
The Rich Girl
The Poor Man
The Rich Man

Harold Meadows is girl shy.  Whenever he tries to talk to a girl, he stutters.  He works for his uncle, a tailor, who gives him a whistle.  Harold blows it whenever he stutters.

They live in Little Bend, a town where little things happen.  Three little things: morning, noon, and night.

Well, they do pitch horseshoes.  And have an evening dance.

Harold stands on the sidewalk outside the tailor's shop, watching the dance from across the street.  He gets the steps up in him, up inside him, from his soles of his feet up into his legs.  He cannot help himself.  He has to dance!

He just never makes it over there to the dance itself.  He is girl shy.

Harold is writing a book in secret, The Secret of Making Love.  The secret to winning a woman's heart.  To help young men around the world woo women.  Because he is an expert.  Theoretically.  Like some experts you may have encountered.

Let us say it is a work of fiction.

We are shown two chapters, two "Love Affairs," with scenarios that portray them.

First, his Love Affair No. 15: The Vampire.  To capture the heart of a Vampire, he uses indifference.  In the fantasy scene Harold enters the boudoir of a vampirish woman and treats her indifferently.  She begs him for attention.  He cannot be bothered.  She pleads with him, begs him to stay.  He checks her off his list.

Back to reality.

Harold sits alone in his bare attic apartment.

Second, his Love Affair No. 16: The Flapper.  To capture the heart of a Flapper, he uses the Cave Man method.  In this fantasy he enters the room, seizes the woman, and plants a firm kiss on her lips.  She likes it.  He is strong, decisive, and powerful.  He checks her off his list.

Back to reality.

Harold falls asleep alone in his bare attic apartment.

But something is about to happen that will change his life forever.

He will take a train.

Just a rich woman, The Girl, takes the same train, secretly carrying her Pomeranian on board with her.  Because rich women carry small dogs in their purses.  It happened in 1924.

The rest of the film is quintessential Harold Lloyd.

He helps the girl.  He gets into trouble.  He wins the girl.  They escape the trouble.  They get separated.  He loses the girl.  She is going to marry someone else.  He spends the rest of his time trying to find her again, engaging in high-speed chases, stunts, visual puns, and madcap mayhem.

Harold Lloyd is one of the great film stars of all time.

His physicality puts many contemporary physical comedians to shame.

And he maintains his endearing little-guy bravado throughout.