From Hand to Mouth

By 1919, the year From Hand to Mouth was released, producer Hal Roach and his top comedian Harold Lloyd had both come a long way. The two men had been working as extras prior to 1915 when the former received an inheritance. Seizing the moment, the husky former mule skinner began a modest production company installing Lloyd as his ace comic. Their first creation, "Lonesome Luke," was successful enough, but, like so many other screen comedies at that time, borrowed much from Charlie Chaplin's "Little Tramp" character. This particularly irked young Lloyd, who didn't relish being an imitator of anyone, even the great Chaplin. So, in 1917, Lloyd donned a pair of spectacles and became the all-American boy, an hilarious personification of post-War Jazz Age Yankee pluck. But the Chaplin influence was hard to shake, and this became especially noticeable in From Hand to Mouth. The picture contained a liberal dose of pathos a la Police (1916), A Dog's Life (1918) and other "Little Tramp" escapades. In From Hand to Mouth, Harold gets mixed up in a counterfeiting scheme but his intentions are purely innocent; he is merely trying to feed himself and a small child. Yet this plot point is merely the hook for a swiftly paced two reeler, which involves nefarious relatives, kidnapping, last minute rescues and romance - all executed with a balletic perfection and split second timing (key elements of Lloyd's comedies, which would peak in 1923's Safety Last, the first of the comedian's legendary thrill comedies). But there are other reasons which make From Hand to Mouth unique in the star's filmography, particularly in the interest of romance. Prior to this short's production, Lloyd had been teamed with the vivacious and perky Bebe Daniels; they had made an excellent pair, exhibiting the necessary chemistry, charm and physical skills needed for slapstick comedy. It wasn't difficult to see that Daniels - with her beauty, acting talent and comic abilities - would eventually be courted by rival studios for bigger and better things. Indeed in 1919, Daniels would co- star with Gloria Swanson (another actress who got her start in silent comedy shorts) in Male and Female, directed by none other than Cecil B. DeMille. It would be a turning point for the gifted comedienne, who now in a features-only contract would skyrocket to greater popularity, starring in a series of energetic flapper-fueled comedies at Paramount. But back to 1919 and From Hand to Mouth. Roach was in a quandary, having built up the Lloyd-Daniels duo, and Harold also wondered who could ever top Bebe's contribution to their unit. Enter an aspiring, gorgeous young ingenue named Mildred Davis. Roach had first seen the teenager in a 1916 Bryant Washburn comedy, Marriage a la Carte. Although he thought her extremely inexperienced, he saw "something." He ran the Washburn picture for Lloyd, who agreed with his producer and heartily endorsed Davis. It was a decision Harold would never regret. Davis' poise, good nature, stunning looks and sense of humor were evident when the first rushes were previewed in the Roach screening room. Davis and Lloyd clicked like they were made for each other. And the chemistry extended off-screen as well. In 1923, Lloyd and Davis tied the knot, and remained together for over 40 years (till the actress' passing in 1969) - one of Hollywood's most celebrated happy marriages! Producer: Hal Roach Director: Alfred J. Goulding, Hal Roach Cast: Mildred Davis, Harold Lloyd (The Boy), Peggy Cartwright BW-25m. by Mel Neuhaus