The Kid Brother [Criterion Collection] [Blu-ray]

Harold Lloyd Director: Ted Wilde, Harold Lloyd, Lewis Milestone, J.A. Howe Ted Wilde

Overview

"Even taking into consideration such worthy candidates as Safety Last and The Freshman, many Harold Lloyd fans regard The Kid Brother as his finest film. A humorous variation on Tol'able David, the film stars Lloyd as Harold Hickory, the youngest member of the rural Hickory family. Though out-muscled by his sheriff father (Walter James) and brawny brothers (Olin Francis, Leo Willis), Harold is the cleverest of the Hickorys, industriously figuring out all sorts of clever devices to streamline his housekeeping chores. Still, his father and brothers treat him as the baby of the family, leaving him to mind the farm while they head for a town meeting. In his dad's absence, however, Harold is deputized to deliver a ""cease and desist"" summons to a travelling carnival which has pitched camp nearby. Upon arriving at the carnival, Harold discovers that its owner is the lovely Mary Powers (Jobyna Ralston), whom he'd met the day before. A fire breaks out in the tent, leaving Mary homeless, but Harold invites her to stay the night at his farm -- making certain that his roughneck brothers observe the proper social amenities. The next day, it is discovered that the money for an important dam project, left in the care of Harold's father, has been stolen. The elder Hickory is held responsible, but the real culprit is brutish carnival strongman Sandoni (Constantin Romanoff). Through a chain of incredible coincidences, Harold finds himself facing Sandoni on board a derelict boat. For a while, it looks as though Sandoni is going to mop the deck with Harold, but our hero gains the upper hand when he finds out that his behemoth opponent can't swim! Just as his father is about to be lynched by the angry mob, Harold delivers the unconscious Sandoni to the doorstep of the jail. Proudly, Harold's father declares ""Son, you're a true Hickory!"" -- but the story isn't quite over yet, since Harold still has to propose to Mary, and to clean the clock of the local bully who's been annoying him all through the picture. Beautifully photographed and expertly directed (Lewis Milestone, though uncredited, helmed many of the important scenes), The Kid Brother is everything a good silent comedy should be, and an enduring testament to the brilliance of Harold Lloyd. Best bit: That eye-popping crane shot as Harold shinnies up a tree to bid several fond farewells to the departing Mary."

Product Details

Release Date:	03/12/2019
UPC:	0715515227414
Original Release:	1927
Rating:	NR
Source:	Criterion Collection
Region Code:	A
Presentation:	[B&W]
Sound:	[silent]
Language:	English
Time:	1:22:00
Sales rank:	12,348

Special Features

New 4k digital restoration ; Orchestral score by composer Carl Davis from 1989; Alternate archival organ score performed by Gaylord Carter; Audio Commentary from 2005 featuring filmmaker and Harold Lloyd, and Harold Lloyd's granddaughter Suzanne Lloyd; Harold's Leading Ladies, a new conversation between author Cari Beauchamp and Suzanne Lloyd; Anatomy of a Gag: Monkeyshoes, a new video essay by critic and filmmaker David Cairns; Behind-the-scenes stills gallery curated by Harold Lloyd archivist Richard Simonton Jr. ; Close to Home, a new video essay on the film's shooting locations by author John Bengston; Dutch television interview wiht Lloyd from 1962; Featurette from 2005 about Greenacres, Lloyd's estate, hosted by Suzanne Lloyd; Two restored rare early Lloyd shorts: Over the Fence (1917) and That's Him (1918), with new Wurlitzer theater pipe organ scores and a discussion of their early film formats by archivist Dino Everett; New tour of the Wurlitzer organ with Composer Nathan Barr and organist Mark Herman; Plus: An essay by critic Carrie Rickey

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Harold Lloyd	Harold Hickory
Jobyna Ralston	Mary Powers
Walter James	Jim Hickory
Leo Willis	Leo Hickory
Olin Francis	Olin Hickory
Constantine Romanoff	Sandoni(as C. Romanoff)
Frank Lanning	Sam Hooper
Ralph Yearsley	Hank Hooper

Technical Credits

Ted Wilde

Howard Green

John Grey

Lex Neal

Ted Wilde	Director,Screenwriter
Harold Lloyd	Director,Producer
Lewis Milestone	Director
J.A. Howe	Director
Suzanne Lloyd Hayes	Executive Producer
Howard Green	Screenwriter
Kevin Brownlow	Producer
David Gill	Producer
John Grey	Screenwriter
Jesse L. Lasky	Producer,Producer
Lex Neal	Screenwriter
Jeffrey Vance	Producer
Adolph Zukor	Producer

Editorial Reviews

One of the "problems" with Harold Lloyd's best movies is picking out a "best" among them -- there's an embarrassment of riches to be found in at least half-a-dozen (and this writer would add The Milky Way to the usual list of silent candidates). But The Kid Brother may just stand out in front of the others, with its mix of action sequences and drama amid the comedy. It's got a knowing wit about it, as a "rural drama" at a time when such works were already an object of parody, that adds an additional humorous edge to its impressive array of gags, stunts, and cliffhanger plot elements. Obviously, much of the credit for the movie's success resides with Lloyd himself, and also the presence of Jobyna Ralston as his leading lady, but some recognition must be given to Lewis Milestone, whose career as a comedic director was reaching its peak in 1927 (he would win his first Oscar for Two Arabian Nights, made that same year). In those days -- as distinct from later on, when he slowed down as a director -- he knew how to move a story along, and on The Kid Brother Milestone (one of three directors here) does just that, incorporating a huge amount of plot in 83 minutes. Not that the plot ever gets in the way, or slows down the comedy....