When the Clouds Roll By (1919)
Daniel Boone Brown is a pleasure-seeking playboy carousing around New York City without a care in the world -- that is, until he becomes the unwitting subject of a series of experiments at the hands of a sadistic psychiatrist. Through various means of control, the mad scientist drives Daniel to think he's losing his mind, but ultimately introduces him to the lovely Lucette.
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Fantastic!
everything you have heard about this movie is true.
Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.
I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.
The Mystery of the Leaping Fish (1916) presents Douglas Fairbanks in a character role as a dope-drilled detective. Despite this two-reeler's reputation as a cult classic, I found its humor laborious rather than witty, its direction ponderous and its players wasted. Fortunately, the main feature on this Grapevine disc is the superbly entertaining "When the Clouds Roll By" (1919) directed with pace and style by former ace cameraman, Victor Fleming (this seems to be his first credited film as a director - at least in studio publicity), and very charismatically acted by zesty Fairbanks, heroine Kathleen Clifford, shifty Frank Campeau and villainous Herbert Grimwood. The story is highly original. Despite its clever interweaving of comedy, drama and weird special effects, it has never been re-made (or even hinted at). In fact, this movie is a real treat and it's available with "The Mystery of the Leaping Fish" on an 8/10 Grapevine DVD!
Monday June 2, 7:00pm The Paramount, Seattle"Never despair, folks, everything will be Jake .. .. when the clouds roll by."Youthful enthusiasm, show-stopping feats of athletic lunacy and hilarious, eye-catching gimmicks were Douglas Fairbanks' stock-in-trade. When the Clouds Roll by (1919) opens cleverly with film of the crew as their names appear on screen.A psychologist treating Daniel Boone Brown (Fairbanks) secretly plans to drive him insane in the name of science. After a prescribed bedtime supper of onions, lobster and mince pie, Daniel is chased through his stomach and across the countryside by his bizarre meal, in a brilliant surrealist nightmare.Perpetually late for work, Daniel gets the sack, then wanders around until he literally bumps into Lucette (Kathleen Clifford), a girl as nutty as himself, and the two are instantly smitten. "Are you superstitious?" "Terribly so " Needles!" "Pins!" Her hayseed fiancé arrives just in time to spoil their plans. A frantic chase by boat and train concludes with a storm, a colossal flood and finally, true love.
Some spoilers herein.Yes, it's true, this is one of the weirdest movies ever put before acamera. Let's see, it starts with a maniacal doctor informing hisstudents that he is going to kill a man in the interest of science.Then we meet his intended victim, the dashing but horriblysuperstitious and paranoid Douglas Fairbanks, who eats fordinner onion, lobster and mince meat pie, only to have thesedishes dance about in his stomach, causing a stomach ache.Doug then goes to bed and has a strange dream where he ischased by the same food he just ate. During the dream, hefore-runs Fred Astair's antics in Royal Wedding by walking up awall and then across a ceiling, and quite convincingly.So, from there, the craziness only increases. Doug leaps overdining tables, hangs from cross-beams by his feet, climbs up theside of his apartment building because a black cat crosses hispath and ends up impersonating an insane asylum official.There's a huge deal made about an opal ring, a pretty blonde, aclimactic flood and did we mention that it's a musical? Well, it'snot actually a musical. But it does have everything else. And it'shard to find, too. Go look for it.
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.