Chaplin had City Lights. Buster Keaton had The General. Though Safety Last may be more iconic (indeed one of the most iconic movies of all time), I think The Kid Brother (1927) is the best expression of Harold Lloyd's brand of silent comedy: warm, peppy, and breathless in pace.
This has to be one of the most tightly constructed movies ever. Other commenters have brought up how every shot, gag, and character is woven into the plot. There is not an extraneous shot in TKB. The gags are also uniformly excellent, not a dud in the bunch. More than his other features, Lloyd and his collaborators balance comedy and drama with seemingly effortless grace. Even when the story has brushes with dark material (ex. lynchings, stalking), it does not feel jarring.
The character types who appear again and again in Lloyd's comic universe are here perhaps in their purest form: Jobyna Ralston as the love interest is at her most sweet and charming (in her last appearance opposite Lloyd), Walter James (who appeared as the intimidating father of Buster Keaton's love interest in Battling Butler the year before) is gruff but noble as Lloyd's estranged father, and the villains-- by God, the villains are terrifying here! The climactic chase/fight in the sunken ship succeeds not only due to the great choreography and Lloyd's physicality, but also Constantine Romanoff as the brutish Sardoni. When he throws Harold across the room, you can practically feel the bruises forming before he even lands!
TKB also showcases Lloyd not only as a comedian, but as a performer in general. As an actor, he is the polar opposite of the reserved Buster Keaton; not to say Keaton is inexpressive (he was anything but), but Lloyd plays far more extroverted types, go-getters. Some say he mugs, but I think his expressions are among his best traits, a little exaggerated but hilarious. He oozes screen charm, all jaunty youthful energy so perfect for the optimism of the 1920s. Despite being in his thirties when this movie was made, Lloyd could still play eighteen and does it so well, channeling the insecurities that come from feeling you don't measure up to everyone else, trying to find yourself. He plays the emotional scenes well; nothing as powerful as the weeping scene in The Freshman, but still impressive.
Overall, this is a masterpiece. Tight, funny, and with a happy ending which may or may not have you crying a little. What else could you want from a comedy?
This has to be one of the most tightly constructed movies ever. Other commenters have brought up how every shot, gag, and character is woven into the plot. There is not an extraneous shot in TKB. The gags are also uniformly excellent, not a dud in the bunch. More than his other features, Lloyd and his collaborators balance comedy and drama with seemingly effortless grace. Even when the story has brushes with dark material (ex. lynchings, stalking), it does not feel jarring.
The character types who appear again and again in Lloyd's comic universe are here perhaps in their purest form: Jobyna Ralston as the love interest is at her most sweet and charming (in her last appearance opposite Lloyd), Walter James (who appeared as the intimidating father of Buster Keaton's love interest in Battling Butler the year before) is gruff but noble as Lloyd's estranged father, and the villains-- by God, the villains are terrifying here! The climactic chase/fight in the sunken ship succeeds not only due to the great choreography and Lloyd's physicality, but also Constantine Romanoff as the brutish Sardoni. When he throws Harold across the room, you can practically feel the bruises forming before he even lands!
TKB also showcases Lloyd not only as a comedian, but as a performer in general. As an actor, he is the polar opposite of the reserved Buster Keaton; not to say Keaton is inexpressive (he was anything but), but Lloyd plays far more extroverted types, go-getters. Some say he mugs, but I think his expressions are among his best traits, a little exaggerated but hilarious. He oozes screen charm, all jaunty youthful energy so perfect for the optimism of the 1920s. Despite being in his thirties when this movie was made, Lloyd could still play eighteen and does it so well, channeling the insecurities that come from feeling you don't measure up to everyone else, trying to find yourself. He plays the emotional scenes well; nothing as powerful as the weeping scene in The Freshman, but still impressive.
Overall, this is a masterpiece. Tight, funny, and with a happy ending which may or may not have you crying a little. What else could you want from a comedy?