User Reviews

Although Harold Lloyd because the biggest film comedian in the 1920s, before that he was a completely different sort of actor. While a leading man in these Hal Roach shorts, the emphasis was on cheap laughs and Lloyd hadn't yet fully developed his nice-guy persona. He did sport the glasses and hat, but his earlier character was more of a jerk and less of the sweet young man...and this is very obvious when you watch "Spring Fever".

Like many of his early films, it co-stars Snub Pollard, though in this one Pollard doesn't have a lot to do. Instead, it's mostly Harold's antics as he slaps innocent people around, cheats a guy in a restaurant and acts totally unlike the nice guy in his later movies. Is it funny? Yes, but in a very broad sort of way...the way small children would more appreciate.

The plot is very simple. Harold is a book keeper who plays hooky from his job to enjoy the great outdoors. There he creates all sorts of chaos as well as finds a cute looking girl....none of which has any sophistication or charm. An interesting curio...but not much more.

Spring Fever (1919)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

A bookkeeper (Harold Lloyd) grows tired of sitting inside on a beautiful day so he eventually runs away from work and catches spring fever, which causes him to pretty much start a fight with everyone in encounters in a park. The one exception is a beautiful young woman (Bebe Daniels) who he falls for. SPRING FEVER isn't quite as funny as some of the better titles in the Rolin library but it does manage to be entertaining enough to where fans of the star will want to check it out. There are a few memorable scenes here but I think the real highlight is just the way the thing floats from one situation to the next. IMDb lists Hal Roach as being the director and I must say that I was impressed with the flow of the picture. I thought the way Lloyd's character pretty much floated from one bad situation to the next was quite good and certainly helped keep the picture moving. There aren't as many funny moments here during the first half of the picture but this changes towards the end when Lloyd takes Daniels into an ice cream shop and ends up picking up the check when he has no money. The little trick to get the cash is quite funny as is the scene that follows him Lloyd trying to sneak out. As you'd expect, Lloyd is in fine form here as is Daniels who is quite charming.

In the BBC2 versions of the repackaged Harold Lloyd shorts, this film is much more interesting to watch. It has a commentary during the story as well as incidental jazz music in the background. It's like Chaplin's re-issue of 'The Gold Rush' in 1941 with commentary.