DOCTOR JACK (U.S.A. 1924) Starring HAROLD LLOYD & MILDRED DAVIS.
One of the earlier comedies made by Lloyd's own producing company, and co-starring his wife, Mildred Davis, DOCTOR JACK is an interesting combination of the small-town boy type of humour which characterised his previous "Lonesome Luke" films for Hal Roach, and the sheer slapstick of his later successes Safety Last, Welcome Danger and The Freshman. The slight plot presents Lloyd as a country doctor who feigns lunacy in order to frighten away a crooked specialist who is exploiting a rich girl patient by prolonging wrong treatment for big fees.
The development is, for the most part, along leisurely lines, although the traditional fast-action slapstick is well in evidence in the hearty knockabout climax. Apart from some rather obvious studio sets for interior scenes, the film wears quite well technically, although it will be appreciated that as one of Lloyd's earlier production efforts it was made on a somewhat limited budget. It has been cut slightly since its original release; the version you are to see today, with a musical score and sound effects added, was prepared in 1933, and today's screening is believed to be the first in almost 15 years.
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