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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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!
When I finally got a chance to see this movie, I was just so STUNNED - Doug Fairbanks, our always realistic, down-to-earth (the title of another, QUITE different one of his early movies...) hero of westerns, comedies and swashbucklers, in a completely crazy 'scientific fantasy' that resembles the motion picture experiments of the great Georges Melies in the late 1890s and early 1900s...?! And yet, there he is, an unsuspecting 'guinea pig' for a mad and evil scientist, who provokes all kind of nightmares and mishaps for him, trying to drive him to commit suicide!! And WHAT special effects the expert crew employed for this really UNIQUE movie - making him 'walk' on the wall and the ceiling trying to escape his nightmares (a trick that's mostly remembered today for being performed by Fred Astaire in "Royal Wedding"; in 1951, more than 30 years later!); and of course, giving him the chance to employ ALL his huge acrobatic talent like he did in very few other films... and THAT'S certainly saying something!! Of course, the whole 'nightmare' turns into a pleasant, most enjoyable comedy in due course of time - but then, Doug Fairbanks' movies (almost) ALWAYS have got a happy ending! So this almost forgotten JEWEL of silent cinema, concerning performances as well as story and effects, shouldn't be missed by ANYONE who's even the slightest bit interested in early cinema - and even those who aren't yet are SURE to TURN fans of early cinema as soon as they'll get a glimpse of this masterpiece!
As our story opens, otherwise normal New York gadabout Douglas Fairbanks (as Daniel Boone Brown) has been unknowingly the "guinea pig" in a bizarre experiment. For three months, Mr. Fairbanks has been secretly the subject of possibly mad scientist Herbert Grimwood (as Ulrich Metz). "The power of suggestion can destroy both mind and body," Dr. Metz explains, "But first I weaken the power of resistance in my subject by implanting psychic germs of fear, worry, superstition and kindred annoyances." Fairbanks has become superstitious and frantic, but maintains his good nature..."When the Clouds Roll By" was a United Artists showcase for its box office star. The plot collapses as episodes lead to a revelation that doesn't exactly fit the (doctor's) introduction; we have been led astray. However, it doesn't matter if you take the story as a surreal fantasy from the opening credits. Also involved are Fairbanks' courtship of conveniently placed Kathleen Clifford (as Lucette "Lucy" Bancroft), plus business intrigue involving his uncle Ralph Lewis (as Curtis Brown) and oily rival Frank Campeau (as Mark Drake). Somehow, Fairbanks and Victor Fleming fit it all together.******** When the Clouds Roll By (12/28/19) Victor Fleming ~ Douglas Fairbanks, Kathleen Clifford, Frank Campeau, Herbert Grimwood
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.