Harold Lloyd attempted to revisit the climax of "Safety Last" in his second sound film, "Feet First" (1930), with but a limited success. On this occasion, the sequence is not as effectively motivated. It also runs too long and is further undercut by the stupid stereotype played by Willie Best's janitor.
The movie's plot also takes it own sweet time to get underway yet (at least in the New Line excellent 10/10 print) doesn't bother to tell us that the story is actually set in Honolulu. There's no title to this effect. What's worse, the scenery and the people all look like they belong in Los Angeles.
It's not until the movie has been running no less than 30 minutes before we are told that the story is supposedly set in Hawaii! Fortunately, at that point, as soon as Lloyd settles down to stowaway on the ship, the movie improves dramatically. Even Lloyd's squeaky voice takes on a bit of character.
And what's more, the girl, soft-speaking Barbara Kent, is absolutely lovely – even though her attraction to an obvious misfit like Lloyd seems hard to fathom.
Fortunately, grumpy old Robert McWade keeps the paper-thin plot crackling along, assisted by Lillianne Leighton as his dumpy wife and Noah Young as a dopey sailor.
Unlike some of the critics, I love the skit where Lloyd is forced to hide all copies of a certain magazine and I really enjoyed the bit where he unintentionally hands McWade an exploding cigar.
All told, Well done, director Clyde Bruckman!
Incidentally, dialogue writer Paul Girard Smith appears on camera as a seasick passenger.
The movie's plot also takes it own sweet time to get underway yet (at least in the New Line excellent 10/10 print) doesn't bother to tell us that the story is actually set in Honolulu. There's no title to this effect. What's worse, the scenery and the people all look like they belong in Los Angeles.
It's not until the movie has been running no less than 30 minutes before we are told that the story is supposedly set in Hawaii! Fortunately, at that point, as soon as Lloyd settles down to stowaway on the ship, the movie improves dramatically. Even Lloyd's squeaky voice takes on a bit of character.
And what's more, the girl, soft-speaking Barbara Kent, is absolutely lovely – even though her attraction to an obvious misfit like Lloyd seems hard to fathom.
Fortunately, grumpy old Robert McWade keeps the paper-thin plot crackling along, assisted by Lillianne Leighton as his dumpy wife and Noah Young as a dopey sailor.
Unlike some of the critics, I love the skit where Lloyd is forced to hide all copies of a certain magazine and I really enjoyed the bit where he unintentionally hands McWade an exploding cigar.
All told, Well done, director Clyde Bruckman!
Incidentally, dialogue writer Paul Girard Smith appears on camera as a seasick passenger.