Jumpin' for Joby: Jobyna Ralston Watch-fest

[donnie]

Hey, guys, I just found an interesting little tidbit about the baby in the film! She was Tiny Doll, who was actually part of the Doll Family.

Yes, that is interesting and explains the mystery. I knew something unusual was up, there. So Tiny would have been about 13 when this was filmed, then. Good researching!

[Kitty]

Hey, guys, I just found an interesting little tidbit about the baby in the film! She was Tiny Doll, who was actually part of the Doll Family.

Yes, that is interesting and explains the mystery. I knew something unusual was up, there. So Tiny would have been about 13 when this was filmed, then. Good researching!

Thanks! I'm always very interested in children and animals in film. They're often very mysterious!

[BettyLouSpence]

Thanks for the trivia! I've seen members of the Doll family in Freaks.

[Kitty]

Have you guys watched The Freshman yet? I'm dying for your thoughts!

[donnie]

Have you guys watched The Freshmanyet? I'm dying for your thoughts!

I seen it multiple times but have not rewatched for this go-round yet. I will go ahead and say that, in my opinion, this one is definitely one of the comedic masterpieces of all time. I'd say it's probably Lloyd's best feature (though Safety Last comes pretty close to equaling it). And I think it's definitely Jobyna's best performance in any of the Lloyd features.

Have you watched it yet?

[Kitty]

Have you guys watched The Freshmanyet? I'm dying for your thoughts!

I seen it multiple times but have not rewatched for this go-round yet. I will go ahead and say that, in my opinion, this one is definitely one of the comedic masterpieces of all time. I'd say it's probably Lloyd's best feature (though Safety Last comes pretty close to equaling it). And I think it's definitely Jobyna's best performance in any of the Lloyd features.

Have you watched it yet?

viewtopic.php?p=13788#p13788

Yup! Follow this link for comments on the film. This was my first time watching it.

[donnie]

I watched The Freshman. My comments are going to be all over the place, because I'm thinking of things as they come to mind.

Sorry I didn't see your comments earlier. I saw the reviews (thanks for those!), but missed the "spoiler" up there.

► Show Spoiler

Wow. I'm really surprised by your dislike of the film. I thought this was probably one it would be hard for anyone not to like. But that's what makes doing these watchfests so enjoyable and interesting though, seeing different ideas and reactions. And you have some excellent points, many of which I'd not thought of.

Most of the people in the movie were idiots, and it is tiresome to me when near everything that happens in a show or movie is something that would never happen in real life. I think everyone else in the whole film is just so mean. He's not the only new guy at the school, and the film makes it appear as if he is. Where are all the other 'freshmen' in the school; surely not everyone in the whole school would think he's stupid? ...

Well, I think the basis for the plot comes from that long-standing tradition of upperclassmen giving a hard time to underclassmen, especially Freshmen. And then the Freshmen later got their turn to lord it over the underclassmen. I don't particularly like that tradition, but that was often what they did. You know human nature! And there are also coaches that care more about winning than about the players, too, unfortunately.

I think all of this is definitely exaggerated here—I doubt that college upperclassmen of that era were quite that evil (at least I hope not ). And yes, in a real school there would be other Freshmen there to pick on. But that's what movies do a lot of times—especially silent comedies—they exaggerate to create humorous conflict and sympathy in the viewer. You do tend to feel sorry for Harold and angry at the nincompoops, but all that makes both Jobyna's support of him and his final triumph all the more rewarding.

The one redeeming quality was Jobyna. She shines, especially in the part where Harold comes to the realization that everyone has been laughing at him the entire time. She portrays the adoring lover extremely well. Her acting actually brought tears to my eyes, and finally a human quality appears in the film.

Agreed! She was radiant in this. The chemistry between her and Harold is really something special in this film. It's kind of like these two together against the world. Her belief in Harold vs. the disregard of the others is what drives the plot. There are so many good moments there—the crossword scene, the buttoning scene, and most of all, the scene where she comforts him after the dance.

The football scene was weird. This film portrays college football as so chaotic. I'm hoping that this is just a "Hooray for Hollywood" type portrayal, and 1920s college football wasn't really like this.

Yeah, that is pretty strange. I'm sure they must have been more squared away than that. Of course I doubt it was the big-money science it is today. And one thing I will admit bothered me, is Harold's continually getting knocked down in the game (literally and figuratively) so much that you wonder when and if he's ever going to succeed. I think that went on a little too long with too many disappointments. Gee, the guy's been through enough. Let him make a touchdown.

Also, how'd he get that college yearbook if he hadn't attended yet? I liked the poster on his door for the fictional film College Hero. I'd like to know where that ended up. I noticed a picture of George Washington on his wall, too. Was this really a thing that people did back then? Put up pictures of dead presidents? I always think it's funny when I see this in the decor of old film.

Yes, those kinds of details are always interesting. You're a champ at spotting them. I never noticed the GW portrait. I know that was mainstay in schools of that era, but don't know how common it would have been on college students' walls.

The part with the dizzy tailor was especially strange. What was the reason that Harold decided to go to the tailor six minutes before the party? Aren't these things that you do a couple weeks in advance? He should have just been picking it up, not getting it sewed.

That's the funniest part of the movie, to me—maybe the funniest scene in any Lloyd movie. Yes, he should have gone to the tailor earlier. But then the hilarious scene wouldn't have happened.

I'm sorry you didn't enjoy this one. How do you feel about other Lloyd features you've seen? Any better?

[Kitty]

► Show Spoiler

I'm sorry you didn't enjoy this one. How do you feel about other Lloyd features you've seen? Any better?

It's not that I didn't enjoy the film. It just makes me really mad when almost everyone is mean to a main character in a film. Just yesterday we were watching this terrible tv show where everyone was being nasty to the main character and putting him down and I'm like um don't you guys have something better to do with your lives?

I usually love Harold Lloyd's films. This one was alright, but Joby's performance made it very memorable. I wish there was more of her in this, but it's really a Lloyd vehicle.

[donnie]

► Show Spoiler

It's not that I didn't enjoy the film. It just makes me really mad when almost everyone is mean to a main character in a film. Just yesterday we were watching this terrible tv show where everyone was being nasty to the main character and putting him down and I'm like um don't you guys have something better to do with your lives?

I usually love Harold Lloyd's films. This one was alright, but Joby's performance made it very memorable. I wish there was more of her in this, but it's really a Lloyd vehicle.

I get what you're saying. And I was just thinking, there are several Lloyd films where things revolve around his character's being made fun of or mistreated by others (though not to the degree here). Grandma's Kid, The Kid Brother, and Girl Shy are all that way (maybe others), so that must have been something they thought the character would work well in—kind of the underdog and the girl who believes in him type of thing.

I think that is one reason Jobyna worked with him so well in these types of films in that she seems to excel in that kind of role (more than Mildred Harris, I would say.)

[BettyLouSpence]

So... I've also already seen this film before, and I think I already posted my thoughts on it before? I did rewatch but noticed nothing new, so I'm not really sure what to say other than respond to some points made:

► Show Spoiler

Ok, I guess I'll emphasize that the bit at the beginning where Harold shouts "chop suey" as part of his school cheer practice and his ham radio enthusiast dad exclaims "I've got China!" is still hilarious to me I also liked his dorky little dance, as cringy as it came off to me when he performed it in front of the other students... I was thinking, "Noooo...!"

I loved Joby in this, and she's such a good friend. Her pep talk is meant for Harold but it still really speaks to me.

I get what you mean by the upperclassmen's treatment of Harold, though it was nice to have Jobyna balance out that negativity.

Donnie just posted what I was just about to say, anyway Good thing I hit 'preview'!