One of the best and most consistent prime periods for any director in my mind belonged to Preston Sturges. From 1940 to 1944, he made seven films that ranged from very good to masterpiece, with them being 'The Great McGinty', 'Christmas in July', 'The Lady Eve', 'Sullivan's Travels', 'The Palm Beach Story', 'The Miracle of Morgan's Creek'and 'Hail the Conquering Hero', also loved 'Unfaithfully Yours'.
As one may have guessed, Sturges, with one of his last films, was the main reason for seeing 'The Sin of Harold Diddlebock'. Another interest point of the film was seeing immensely talented Harold Lloyd in his swan-song after coming out of retirement. Seeing it, 'The Sin of Harold Diddlebock' was pretty decent if rather strange. It is not near as good as any of the above, though in all fairness they are of such a high standard that it would be a tall order to reach their level, and as far as Sturges films go it is a lesser film of his to me. At the same time, it has just about enough to it to stop it from being in his top three worst, do consider it a superior film to 'The Great Moment', 'The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend' and 'The Diary of Major Thompson' (or 'The French, They are a Funny Race'), though neither of those three were unwatchable and had their moments. It is far from being one of Lloyd's best too, like Sturges this is far from his prime period but the film still makes the most of him.
Lloyd has and is great fun in his role, being very funny and endearing, with great comic timing and just as much in the physicality. The things that contributed towards his appeal is evident and hardly wasted here and enough of the humour played to his strengths. Not all silent film stars transitioned well into sound (including Buster Keaton, and this is being said with a heavy heart), Lloyd didn't fare too badly on this front though. The supporting cast also work very well, and Jackie the Lion comes very close to stealing the show. The costumes and sets are nice.
The first 20 minutes, with a corker of a beginning, especially is unmistakable Sturges in writing, with wit, sophistication, class and insight that were found in the films made in his prime and not found in his later films. The more physical humour is never awe-inspiring and not as daring as earlier Lloyd efforts, but they are still well staged and timed and play to Lloyd's strengths. Great to see reprises of some of his best work and there are a good deal of funny moments, it is agreed hard to forget the first alcoholic beverage scene with the first Conlin encounter not too far behind. The man losing his job aspect was done in a way that was unexpectedly poignant and sympathetic. There is thankfully not the sense that Sturges wasn't interested in the film, a feeling felt in 'The Diary of Major Thompson'.
Not everything is great though. There is some clunky exposition and contrived storytelling, while not all the pacing is there. A few draggy stretches that needed more energy and then in some of the latter parts of the film it loses control and gets too wildly over-the-top, far too broad and try-too-hard-like.
Especially towards the end before pretty much petering out. It's not one of the best-looking Sturges films either, with moments of choppy editing indicative that things were missing and the redone scenes look cheap. It could have done with more freshness and subtlety in general.
Summarising, decent but strange. Both Sturges and Lloyd have done far better, but they are not disgraced either. 6/10
As one may have guessed, Sturges, with one of his last films, was the main reason for seeing 'The Sin of Harold Diddlebock'. Another interest point of the film was seeing immensely talented Harold Lloyd in his swan-song after coming out of retirement. Seeing it, 'The Sin of Harold Diddlebock' was pretty decent if rather strange. It is not near as good as any of the above, though in all fairness they are of such a high standard that it would be a tall order to reach their level, and as far as Sturges films go it is a lesser film of his to me. At the same time, it has just about enough to it to stop it from being in his top three worst, do consider it a superior film to 'The Great Moment', 'The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend' and 'The Diary of Major Thompson' (or 'The French, They are a Funny Race'), though neither of those three were unwatchable and had their moments. It is far from being one of Lloyd's best too, like Sturges this is far from his prime period but the film still makes the most of him.
Lloyd has and is great fun in his role, being very funny and endearing, with great comic timing and just as much in the physicality. The things that contributed towards his appeal is evident and hardly wasted here and enough of the humour played to his strengths. Not all silent film stars transitioned well into sound (including Buster Keaton, and this is being said with a heavy heart), Lloyd didn't fare too badly on this front though. The supporting cast also work very well, and Jackie the Lion comes very close to stealing the show. The costumes and sets are nice.
The first 20 minutes, with a corker of a beginning, especially is unmistakable Sturges in writing, with wit, sophistication, class and insight that were found in the films made in his prime and not found in his later films. The more physical humour is never awe-inspiring and not as daring as earlier Lloyd efforts, but they are still well staged and timed and play to Lloyd's strengths. Great to see reprises of some of his best work and there are a good deal of funny moments, it is agreed hard to forget the first alcoholic beverage scene with the first Conlin encounter not too far behind. The man losing his job aspect was done in a way that was unexpectedly poignant and sympathetic. There is thankfully not the sense that Sturges wasn't interested in the film, a feeling felt in 'The Diary of Major Thompson'.
Not everything is great though. There is some clunky exposition and contrived storytelling, while not all the pacing is there. A few draggy stretches that needed more energy and then in some of the latter parts of the film it loses control and gets too wildly over-the-top, far too broad and try-too-hard-like.
Especially towards the end before pretty much petering out. It's not one of the best-looking Sturges films either, with moments of choppy editing indicative that things were missing and the redone scenes look cheap. It could have done with more freshness and subtlety in general.
Summarising, decent but strange. Both Sturges and Lloyd have done far better, but they are not disgraced either. 6/10