Life — May 15, 1924 — page 32: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“Girl Shy” of these days, Gilbert Seldes is going to happen into a movie thea- tre and discover Harold Lloyd. It is inevitable. Lloyd has been progressing at such a terrific pace during the past few years that he is bound to come to Mr. Seldes’s attention before very long Mr, Seldes, you should know, is the author of “The Seven Lively Arts” and the greatest discoverer since Columbus. It was he who dug Irving Berlin, Al Jolson, Rube ldberg, Paul White- n, Charlie Chaplin and ma thers from the obscurity in which they had previously reclined, and placed them triumphantly before the art-loving: pub- lic. He has literally made these boys what they are to-day. He holds a unique position as a patronizer of the arts. N the case of Harold Lloyd, talent will finally compel recognition, With his last five pictures he has promoted a thunderstorm of laughter, which has reverberated through every conceivable section of the globe. And now he has produced a new one, “Girl Shy,” which is immeasurably the best of the series. One might well say that it is the most furiously funny comedy in history in fact, I think I'll be the one to say it. “Girl Shy” is a perfect example of comedy construction. Its gags are built’ carefully and scientifically, and are never permitted to outlive their use- fulness The final three reels of the picture are devoted a chase, exactly similar in conception and in form to those which concluded all the Keyst: come- dies of blessed memory. But Lloyd has gone far, far beyond the wildest dreams Mack Sennett. He has devised a chase which utilizes every known form of vehicle, and which sweeps through the harassed City of Los Angeles with the devastating power of a tornado. the course of it, Lloyd performs variot feats of incredible daring and acrobat skill. (And please don't write in to tell me that a double was used in these scenes, because my answer will b “What of it? Personally, I have enough of the Merton Gill in my sys- tem to scoff at the idea that Harold Lloyd would ever descend to the em- ployment of a double, That's just how easy Iam.) GIRL SHY” is not entirely reliant on whirlwind chases and acre hatic tricks, There are subtler qu: ties, equally dificult of performance and equally effective. The role which HAROLD LLOYD IN “GIRL SHY” Harold Lloyd enacts is that of a timid author, creator of a tome on “How to Make Love.” .For all his liter cynicism, he is painfully bashful, his amorous style is cramped consider- ably by his tendency to stutter. When- ever he starts to gasp out a sentenc his powers of articulation become para lyzed, and speech may only be restored hy the sound of a violent whistle. You can picture the possibilities for yourself Lloyd manages this admirably. Diffi- cult as it is to convey a semblance of stuttering on the silent screen, Lloyd gets it over skilfully and surely, and a series of good old-fashioned belly-laughs at every attempt Yes, “Girl Shy” is great stuff. It can be seen many times, and will be—as as the official eyes of this depart- ment hold out. “The Confidence Man” TOMA MEIGHAN’S latest ef- fort, “The Confidence Man,” marks a slight decline from the high avera which he has maintained through recent seasons. It has moments of humor and keen observation, but it is allowed to lag, and its interest peters out Mr. Meighan is good, as always, and he is given more than adequate support particularly from Laurence Wheat and Virginia Valli, It is the continuity writer who lets them down. The sub-titles are by George Ade, and for the most part worthy of him. Still, it seems incredible that he should try to get away with that de- crepit wheeze about the village skin- flint who opened his purse and three r all I know, Mr. Ade may have ori; ted it—but even that wouldn't excuse its present use, moths flew out. George Ade doesn't have to dip into the files for his nifties Robert E, Sherwood. comicbooks.com