Number, Please?

(1920) Number, Please?

SILENT COMEDY

Clocking between 23 and 25 minutes created by Hal Roach with a forgettable story line which conveniently centers around boy(Harold Lloyd) going to the fair/ amusement park then spotting the girl (Mildred Davis) he likes hanging around with her boyfriend with intentions to separate the two by first saving her dog and then return her hand bag which the boy didn't know it was hers. The title "Number, Please?" refers to the boy (Llyod) conversing and get through with phone company which if their is any reason to watch this, it would be to see the many amusing sight gags including Lloyd running away from cops, trying to discard the incriminating a lady's bag not knowing it belonged to the girl he is trying to impress, sitting at the end of a roller coastal ride with many wigs and hats flying to the back etc... It's just slightly outdated though but still entertaining. The eight of fifteen movies Harold Lloyd starred with actress Mildred Pierce.

A Hal Roach HAROLD LLOYD Comedy Short.

A young fellow desperately tries to win back the affections of his ex-girlfriend during a madcap day at a seaside pleasure pier.

Silent screen genius Harold Lloyd has a wonderful showcase for his comedic talents in this extremely funny little film. Among the difficulties confronting Harold are a couple of contrary canines, several suspicious cops, a grossly incompetent telephone operator and a rapacious goat. The sequences involving the crazy mirrors, the phone booths and the small black boy are absolute gems.

Mildred Davis--his future real-life wife--is the object of Harold's affections. Stout Roy Brooks plays the determined Rival.

Robert Israel has composed an excellent film score which perfectly complements Harold's antics on the screen.

This middling Harold Lloyd short is neatly divided into three sections: concerning romantic rivalry at an amusement park, it starts off with a dog chase (this early part also involving a distorted mirror gag); the mid-section is devoted to the inventive telephone antics which give the film its title; the last part, then, resolves itself into a rather overstretched sequence in which Lloyd, chased by the police, tries to get rid of an incriminating purse.

Still, perhaps the single funniest bit occurs at the very beginning - a succession of title cards categorizing how various lovesick men deal with their predicament.

This is a very good short comedy, with some good material and a fine job by Harold Lloyd as one of his slightly amoral but still sympathetic characters. Lloyd was as good as anyone was at taking a simple situation and building it up with as much comic material as he could fit into it without going too far. The telephone booth sequence here is a great example, and it is as impressive in its creativity as it is enjoyable to watch. The rest of "Number, Please" also works pretty well, and while there isn't much of a story to speak of, Lloyd is creative enough that you barely notice. Lloyd's style works well in this one, and it's a very entertaining feature.

Hijinks ensue at an amusement park when Harold Lloyd decides to compete with another for the affections of his true love. There are quite a few set pieces to earn giggles from its audience, and a couple to earn outright guffaws. There's some funny business with a carousel, but the funniest bit in the movie involves a stolen purse that both Lloyd and his rival desperately try not to get caught holding. As always, Lloyd is a delightful screen presence, and his silent comedy persona instantly makes you root for it.

I saw this as a double bill with Lloyd's "Grandma's Boy" at the Pickwick Theatre in Park Ridge, Illinois as part of a summer silent movie festival. Let's keep festivals like that alive.