THE KID BROTHER
Starring Harold Lloyd and Jobyna Ralston
MOTION PICTURE CLASSIC
April, 1927
The penalty of setting a high standard of production exacts a terrific payment. When Harold Lloyd began branching out in Higher Celluloid, he established a dizzy pace. And to keep out in front necessitates the begoggled comedian's attending strictly to the business of watching his step. I would say he has been watching it very carefully. When he fashioned "Grandma's Boy" and "Safety Last," it was easy to say he can't keep it up. Yet here he bobs up again and extracts the huzzas from the spectators -- coming thru easily and convincingly in "The Kid Brother."
Superlatives can be overworked in many instances. But the critics invariably agree that the five-dollar words are in order when passing judgment on a Lloyd film. The new opus is a first cousin to "Grandma's Boy." Tho there is no similarity of plot. Where it reveals the same heart and corpuscles is in its characterization and the pathos engendered when the much-abused brother swallows his pride with a lump in his throat and resolves to make the best of a hard life.
Crammed with High-Pressure Gags
Harold Lloyd has an efficient bunch of boys in his camp -- boys
who know a gag when they see it and what to do with it. They've
injected some diaphragm laughs in the new number -- without declaring
a comic holiday. In other words, the story with its creditable
romance and sentiment is not forgotten in the bid for humor.
There isn't any apparent letdown in the glittering array of scenes. It is crammed with high-pressure gags and timely incident -- and these dominant high lights are neatly dovetailed with the serious moments when Harold carries on the sympathetic appeal.
The comedian is the youngest son of a smalltown sheriff. Abused by his elder brothers, he has to think fast to be himself. He swipes his dad's badge, signs a permit for a medicine show to appear on the village lot, falls in love with the daughter of the owner, and by capturing the bad hombres who have stolen the old man's trust fund, he wins complete vindication.
Now this sounds like an excursion into hokum pastures and dissected thoroly and trimmed of its colorful incident and gags it wouldn't pass as any great shakes. Which shows how the painstaking Lloyd operates. He injects his personality into it -- and because it is executed in compact, spontaneous fashion, the piece functions like a well-oiled machine.
The climax ushers in a fast and exciting chase -- the background being a dilapidated hulk. The most hilarious touch is found here. It is when Harold puts his shoes on the monkey's feet -- with the bad man chasing the monk all over the boat. Here is compact comedy at its best -- carried out with snap and precision. Lloyd's company is well selected as usual. Each member of the cast carries out the assignment with enthusiasm and conviction.
THE KID BROTHER
Starring Harold Lloyd and Jobyna Ralston
PICTURE PLAY
April, 1927
Harold Lloyd has done it again! He calls the picture "The Kid Brother" this time, but the name might well be "Another Big Hit for Harold." Is it as funny as "The Freshman," as rollicking as "For Heaven's Sake?" Those questions are on everyone's tongue. It is impossible for me to answer them because, for one thing, I enjoyed "The Kid Brother" more, and therefore am inclined to say it is best of all the Lloyd comedies. Perhaps it is less boisterous than "The Freshman" and Harold Hickory has not the pathos of Speedy, but the new picture is certainly more ingenious and smoother than the other two.
The story is simplicity itself, as it should be, but the development of it is an inspiration from start to finish.
Harold Hickory is the youngest of Sheriff John Hickory's three sons. He is just a kid who doesn't matter, except to do chores around the house. While the Sheriff and his two older sons are absent at a town meeting, Harold, in his father's regalia, is mistaken for the sheriff by "Flash" Farrell of a medicine show and is induced to sign a permit which brings the show into town, and also Mary Powers, who has inherited the outfit from her father. Farrell and Sandoni, the strong man, steal a large sum entrusted to the Sheriff, and when the future looks black for his father, Harold steps into the breach and heroically recovers the money.
That's all, so far as the bare story goes, but pages could
be written about what makes it absorbing, amusing, and a delight
every foot of the way. Jobyna Ralston is Mary.
THE KID BROTHER
Starring Harold Lloyd and Jobyna Ralston
PHOTOPLAY
March 1927
This newest of Harold Lloyd comedies takes its place among the popular comedian's best efforts. We place it well below "The Freshman," just back of "Grandma's Boy" and "Safety Last," and a thousand miles ahead of "For Heaven's Sake."
"The Kid Brother" is a bucolic comedy. Actually it is a comedy "Tol'able David." Harold plays Harold Hickory, youngest of the fighting Hickorys of Hickoryville. He is kicked about by the rest of the Hickorys until, like Tol'able, he proves himself. That all comes about after a pretty little girl of a traveling medicine show gets stranded in the hamlet. The strong man of the defunct troupe steals the village funds, the elder Hickory is suspected, but Harold recovers the coin and saves the family name.
"The Kid Brother" is full of snappy gags. Perhaps the best comes when Harold, hiding from the murderous strong man in a deserted boat hulk, puts his shoes on a little monkey belonging to the medicine show. The strong man chases the clattering boots all over the boat. There are scores of other good gags.
The bespectacled Lloyd gives a human, mellow comedy performance. He was never better than as the timid Hickory who saves the day. "The Kid Brother" marks the last appearance of Jobyna Ralston as Lloyd's leading woman. She does the medicine show girl with charm and appeal. Miss Ralston has been an excellent foil for Lloyd, and he isn't going to find it easy to get a successor.
Hand it to Harold! You'll want to see "The Kid Brother." Lloyd never mixed a pleasanter blend of laughter and pathos.
THE KID BROTHER
Starring Harold Lloyd and Jobyna Ralston
MOTION PICTURE MAGAZINE
April, 1927
Harold Lloyd's latest is not the good old side-splitting type of comedy, but it's marvelous entertainment. it is always delightful and works up a crescendo of laughs which are deeper and more satisfying than hysteria. As usual with Lloyd's pictures, it is very carefully and ingeniously conceived and worked out. Harold is surrounded by excellent artisans of every sort - with the possible exception of Jobyna Ralston, who , after all, has her curls. Harold effaces his ego completely, as usual, in his performance of the kid brother who is laughed and sneered into cowardice by his strong, silent father and brothers. Until the girl comes along to show him the way. And then how he does change! Harold has more guts - pardon us - and a greater capacity for man-eating regeneration than anyone we know of. We insist he would make the perfect "Tol'able David." The thing is crowded with gags, mostly new, tho based on old principles. It's full of color, and has a beautiful rural background. There's a medicine show, an absurd monkey, and any number of delights besides Harold himself. We can't think of a more excellent way to spend a couple of hours than laughing at this perfectly grand picture.