I viewed a 1919 silent starring Harold Lloyd:
It’s been awhile since a silent short and due to the combination of “I want to see something from Harold Lloyd” and “I did not have the time/inclination for something longer than 10 minutes,” Young Mr. Jazz was selected.
Lloyd romances Bebe Daniels but as her father (Bud Jamison of many Three Stooges shorts during the Curly era supporting player) disapproves, after a run-in at the beach, she sneaks out of the house to The Bowery Café, a place described as so tough, “sandpaper has to wait in line.” Snub Pollard-who appeared in a few Stooge shorts himself-runs the joint. The cops show up, dad flirts with one of the “female employees,” Pollard orders others to pickpocket Harold & Bebe… plenty happens in just 10 minutes.
It’s only at the end during a barroom brawl that Lloyd does most of his physical comedy & pratfalls. There are better Lloyd efforts, for sure; that said, it was an easy watch that still entertained me. The copy that can be streamed on the Criterion Channel (also available as an extra on the Safety Last Blu Criterion released, or so I’ve read) is of high quality and has an appropriate jazz score appropriate for 1919. I'll view at least another silent during the month of August.
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