When the Clouds Roll by

What a miracle this film is! Designed as a "cheer 'em up film" following the dark days of World War 1, this is a wildly energetic and fanciful comedy, that is truly life-affirming.

Doug is his usual cheerful self, performing some amazing stunts, and lighting up the screen with his ebullient personality. Under the sure direction of Victor Fleming - making his debut as a director - the film never misses a beat, and is full of surprises.

There are a couple of moments of pure fantasy, including an insane dream sequence, and scenes set in Doug's brain and in his stomach! And the whole thing comes to a wild special effects climax when a dam bursts!

This gem is truly a neglected classic and deserves to be restored and released on DVD, so that we may all enjoy the cyclone of energy that was Douglas Fairbanks. 10 out of 10.

Victor Fleming's resume as a director is one of the most stellar in Hollywood history. In 1939 alone, he directed two of the top classics in all of cinema, 'The Wizard of Oz' and 'Gone With The Wind.' As a cinematographer in Tinseltown after his World War One photography service, Fleming rose through the ranks until he earned the head director position in a Douglas Fairbanks vehicle. His talents behind the camera is readily seen in his debut movie, December 1919's comedy "When Clouds Go By." Cited as one of Fairbanks' best early farces, the movie contains a brilliant fantasy-ridden nightmare sequence using all the latest technological tricks up to that time, including the actor walking on walls, floors and ceilings of a room. Fred Astaire's similar trick in 1951's 'Royal Wedding' wowed audiences not familiar with Fairbanks' same trick 32 years before.

"When Clouds Roll By" is a satire on human experiments where a doctor wants to drive Fairbanks so insane he would end his life, verifying his hypothesis that stress, bad eating habits and romantic jealousies put people over the edge. Fairbanks' character unknowingly is a perfect candidate since he's one of the most superstitious individuals in the world--except for the gal he meets in a park, who's just the same. Film historians claim this is one of Fairbanks' most intelligent, funniest comedies in his body of work.

"Executed at a breathless pace, 'When the Clouds Roll By' is a masterful showpiece for the whirling cyclone of energy that was Douglas Fairbanks," wrote the actor's biographer, Jeffrey Vance.

"When Clouds Roll By" had been nominated in American Film Institute's 100 Most Passionate Films Ever Made. This was Fairbanks' second movie released by United Artist Corp., formed earlier in the year by cinema's four top movie makers, Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin and D. W. Griffith.

Fairbanks was the first of the four to actual have UA money produce and distribute the corporation's first movie, September 1919's "His Majesty, The American." (Griffith's 'Broken Blossom' was UA's first distributed movie earlier in the summer.)The actor displays his athletic prowess as he becomes mixed up in a small European country's political intrigue.

UA's first produced film also marked actor Boris Karloff's debut in a feature film, here as a spy. Known as William Pratt growing up in England, he journeyed to Canada in 1911 to pursue a stage acting career, changing his name to Boris Karloff. Working in theater throughout Canada and the United States, he became an extra and a small bit player in short and serial silent movies in 1918, before his largest role yet in the Fairbanks film.

As our story opens, otherwise normal New York gadabout Douglas Fairbanks (as Daniel Boone Brown) has been unknowingly the "guinea pig" in a bizarre experiment. For three months, Mr. Fairbanks has been secretly the subject of possibly mad scientist Herbert Grimwood (as Ulrich Metz). "The power of suggestion can destroy both mind and body," Dr. Metz explains, "But first I weaken the power of resistance in my subject by implanting psychic germs of fear, worry, superstition and kindred annoyances." Fairbanks has become superstitious and frantic, but maintains his good nature...

"When the Clouds Roll By" was a United Artists showcase for its box office star. The plot collapses as episodes lead to a revelation that doesn't exactly fit the (doctor's) introduction; we have been led astray. However, it doesn't matter if you take the story as a surreal fantasy from the opening credits. Also involved are Fairbanks' courtship of conveniently placed Kathleen Clifford (as Lucette "Lucy" Bancroft), plus business intrigue involving his uncle Ralph Lewis (as Curtis Brown) and oily rival Frank Campeau (as Mark Drake). Somehow, Fairbanks and Victor Fleming fit it all together.

******** When the Clouds Roll By (12/28/19) Victor Fleming ~ Douglas Fairbanks, Kathleen Clifford, Frank Campeau, Herbert Grimwood

Daniel Boone Brown, who works for his uncle's investment firm, is the unwitting subject of a psychological experiment by an unscrupulous doctor. Brown has nightmares, phobias, and generally is a nervous wreck. He meets a girl and falls in love, but the town's Mayor, who is also a rat, becomes his romantic rival. Eventually, the doctor's real identity is revealed, Daniel grows a pair, and all ends happily.

Fairbanks is in good form, performing plenty of stunts, including one in slow motion. It is a bit jarring to see him play an insecure character, when one is used to seeing him acting with bravado and confidence. But there are some very funny scenes and plenty of clever photographic effects. The climax involves a flood, which is convincingly filmed. However, the sequence actually seems unnecessary to the plot, except to suggest the film's title and also Fairbanks' recovery from his insecurities.

This was the second film Fairbanks made under the "Big Four" banner (the forerunner of United Artists).

A superstitious young man does not realize his shrink is trying to drive him to suicide as part of an experiment. This sounds like it could be made into some oddball indie comedy today, but it's the plot of a Douglas Fairbanks vehicle from 1919! That's insane! This movie is as close as Fairbanks got to dabbling in surrealism. The comedy is dark and the visuals get strange-- truly something to be seen to be believed. The best scene is a dream sequence in which the editing blatantly evokes the changing scenery of dreams (touches of the later Sherlock Jr).