Grandma's Boy

This country comedy ('Ma wants some gasoline - she's scouring Pa's neck') contradicts the received wisdom about Lloyd being all gags and no character. The coward's redemption was a framework he often exploited, and it's remarkable how much conviction he puts into the scenes of humiliation, and how violent (and gag-free) is the climax, where Harold finally stands up to the bully. Parts of it are funny, though, notably the series of disasters when Harold goes courting, involving inappropriate dress, malevolent ornaments, importunate kittens and a pocketful of mothballs. Other delights include Mildred Davis, all dimples and ringlets, a stereotype from another age; and the rather poetic documentary going on in the background, as Harold makes his way across a patchwork of fields and building sites that was Hollywood 1922.