The Sin of Harold Diddlebock – Retro Movie Review by Michael E **

Michael E’s Review:

Is there such a thing as a successful failure?

The Sin of Harold Diddlebock: Harold Diddlebock (Harold Lloyd) decides to have a drink or two, three, four with some uninspiring results.

The Sin of Harold Diddlebock (1947)-**
Runtime: 89 minutes
Rated: None
Director: Preston Sturges

What can I say about The Third Genius, Harold Lloyd? From his wonderful silent movies, “Bumping Into Broadway,” “Never Weaken,” “Speedy,” and my favorite, “Why Worry?,” he could do no wrong. His keen eye and acute timing rivaled the great Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, sometimes with better results. Ultimately, when the talkies came forth, he took a step back.
Lloyd plays Harold Diddlebock, a winner on the field of football, and now, twenty years later, a loser in life. He’s been stuck in the same job as a clerk, and his life is going nowhere. He has loved many women, but was always afraid to let them know. Frances Otis (Frances Ramsden), plays a clerk who works with Harold. Diddlebock’s affections for Frances are obvious, and just as he’s about to let her know, his boss fires him. He drinks himself into a stupor immediately afterwards. What follows is a silly string of moments that frankly, left me clamoring for the Lloyd of old.<p>&nbsp;</p>

Despite not really caring for Lloyd’s character, he still showed somewhat limited range in his final film. His voice was smooth and he zinged his lines quickly. I think if he would have made more talkies, the transition might have been easier. He got caught in the blizzard and couldn’t shovel his way out.

Harold Lloyd, you will always be considered one of my favorite comedians. Though some films didn’t connect, you still made a believer out of this critic. Stay tuned!


Michael’s rating system:
1/2 Terrible movie (Bomb)
Not a good movie, just missed being a bomb
*1/2 Bad movie
** Boring movie
*** Good, solid movie
***1/2 Great movie, just missed being a classic
****Classic movie

Movie Review by Michael E on Actors Reporter, a channel on the Actors Podcast Network, a Pepper Jay Production.