Image copyright © by Marcus Trahan

The Kid Brother

(1927)

Harold Lloyd’s next-to-last silent movie. I’d have to say it’s a routine entry in his canon, but as always there are some bits worth seeing. He’s the youngest and weakest of three brothers and their he-man father. They all treat him with contempt but, of course, he’s also the smartest, and brains win out in the end. He ends up saving the day and getting the girl, as he always does. The highlight is a chase through a grounded, listing shipwreck, pursued by a wild-eyed murderer. Comedy films would soon get a lot more sophisticated than this, but the knockabout humor still works.