DR. JACK (1922)

For a variety of reasons (foreign competition, popular demand, artistic growth, financial return), the great silent-film comedians segued in the early ‘20s from two-reel shorts (20+ minutes, yet often the main draw on the bill) to five-reel/one-hour features (or longer).  A move sanctified by Chaplin in THE KID/’21, then seconded by Harold Lloyd in GRANDMA’S BOY/’22, both enormous hits.  (Buster Keaton’s THE SAPHEAD/’20, a remake of Douglas Fairbanks’ debut pic, THE LAMB/’15, was actor-for-hire work; his real first feature the astonishingly assured OUR HOSPITALITY/’23.*)  That makes DR. JACK Lloyd’s second long-form effort.  And if its last section evinces sophomore slump, the first three reels are enchantingly sweet & funny, a tribute to producer Hal Roach & directors Fred Newmeyer & Sam Taylor as well as Lloyd.  A sharply drawn prologue has Mildred Harris as a Sick-Little-Well-Girl (think Mary Pickford Poor-Little-Rich-Girl), invalided for years by a quack doctor milking her rich father.  Cut to Dr. Jack (Harold), the essential man in his little country town, rarely charging for his good works, working community wonders on recalcitrant school kids, aged mothers & a stubborn flivver.  The very essence of silent comedy apparent in even the smallest bits, as when Harold races in his car (that’s the ‘flivver’) to a patient and needs to clear cows off the road.  He lets the car drive itself slowly straight ahead while jumping out, racing in front, shooing said cattle, then jumping back in to continue on his way.  Done for real in a single shot, without fuss, without telling us he’s about to do something hard & funny, or congratulating himself; twenty times harder than he makes it look.  (Compare to a fraud like Jerry Lewis drawing attention to himself every moment while faking every move with separate shots.)  Here, we don’t just watch it; we are witness to it.  Unfortunately, the writers can’t quite maintain this level, and a big chase finale (silliness about an escaped lunatic exciting Mildred toward health while exposing the fake doc) is unworthy of the earlier parts.  Not bad enough to sour what’s come before; but uninspired.  Inspiration that would come aplenty over the rest of the decade.  And reaching a peak on THE KID BROTHER/’27, one of the great film masterpieces in any genre.

SCREWY THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Chaplin & Keaton were, of course, geniuses whereas Lloyd was not.  Which makes his achievement all the more remarkable.

ATTENTION MUST BE PAID/DOUBLE-BILL/LINK: In a way, Mildred Harris has the more typical Lloyd role in this one; the underachiever who comes thru in the end while Lloyd plays life-coach.  You’ll find Lloyd back in his usual spot right thru SPEEDY/’29, his final silent pic.  https://maksquibs.blogspot.com/2016/02/speedy-1928.html

CONTEST: *Keaton steals a sight gag from here for OUR HOSPITALITY.  Name it to win a MAKSQUIBS WriteUp on a film of your choice.  (Assuming I can find it streaming somewhere!)