Dr. Jack

1922 romantic comedy

Rating: 14/20

Plot: A greedy doctor is taking advantage of a rich family and their "sick little well girl" until Dr. Jack comes along to "heal" her.

This is a cute if slight and not-entirely-original little Harold Lloyd romantic comedy. As always, Lloyd is a likable enough everyman, easy to root even as you know you don't really need to root for him because you know exactly how this is all going to turn out anyway. The first third of the movie sets up our conflict and paints the title character as a good-hearted hero. Then, the conflict is developed before a final act, which might be a little too long, shows off Lloyd's physical comedy gifts with the character tricking everybody into thinking there's an escaped lunatic in the house. That bit's got a handful of moments that'll make fans of silent comedy chortle. I like how mental disorder is pictured in 1920's movies. Apparently, lunatics bounce off walls and practice calisthenics while wearing capes and floppy hats. It sounds about right to me. The best part of Dr. Jack, however, is the brief scene with Josephine the Monkey, one of my favorite animal actors ever. In fact, Josephine might be at the top of my list of favorite animal actors. Should I make a list of favorite animal actors?

See? Josephine the Monkey! In case you don't remember, Josephine also acted with Chaplin and had a significant role in Keaton's The Cameraman. And she was with Lloyd in The Kid Brother, too. And by "act," I mean actually act. Josephine really is amazing. Lloyd's wife, Mildred Davis, played his love interest in this. She was in a few of his movies. I'm not sure what his relationship with Josephine the Monkey was, but I'd like to imagine he hit that. Or she hit that!