Professor Beware

I recall that for many years this was the only one of Harold Lloyd's movies that occasionally turned up on screen in New York City. It is a passably funny film about an archaeologist who falls for the daughter of a tycoon and finds himself fighting the forces of Wall Street and fate itself to get the young lady. Lloyd's character is trying to fight an apparent curse from the tomb that he opened. The film literally goes to it's conclusion before the viewers learn if the curse will or will not work. Lloyd is ably supported in the film by Raymond Walburn, William Frawley, Lionel Stander, and Thurston Hall. Phyllis Welch was the young woman Lloyd pursues. She did nicely in the role, but not spectacularly. Her career soon faded from sight.

Of the sound films made by Lloyd, "Professor Beware" usually is near the bottom. It is better (in my opinion) than "Welcome Danger" or "Feet First", but it falls below the other four sound films. The problem with it is that it lacks any relationship to the type of film identified with Lloyd at his peak. It's situation comedy plot could have been done by most other comedians or leading men of the day. But it is not a total failure, and is worth watching.

Harold Lloyd was more popular than Buster Keaton in the 1920s. He was a decent actor and was successful in the sound era. This is his last film, before the one-shot comeback for Preston Sturges in the 1940s. Harold is maturing in this movie. He plays straight for character actors such as Bill Frawley, Lionel Stander, Sterling Holloway, and Raymond Walburn. It is basically a long chase film with Harold being accused by car theft. There are plenty of sight gags, which Lloyd still performs beautifully. In the dialogue scenes, he has become a very sharp straight man. Is this a great film? No. Is it as funny as "Safety Last" or "Speedy"? Certainly not! But it is no embarrassment! Lloyd could have continued making these affable little comedies. He was tired of the business and decided to become a producer. For years this film was difficult to see, but it is now part of the AMC package. It is pleasant and Lloyd's star still shines brightly.

During the 1920s, Harold Lloyd was box office gold. You might be surprised to hear that his comedies outdrew those of Keaton or Chaplin during that era and he was the most popular silent comedian on the planet. So, with this amazing reputation, it's quite surprising that several of his sound comedies were relative duds....pleasant enough to watch but far less well written than his earlier efforts. A few were really good ("Movie Crazy" is a great sound comedy) but most were contrived and difficult to love. "Mad Wednesday" and "Professor Beware" both are among the difficult to love movies.

The story is about Professor Dean Lambert (Lloyd), a world famous Egyptologist. One night, he comes upon a damsel in distress and unquestioningly helps her....but it really makes no sense. After all, she wants him to change clothes with a drunk guy and wait out in the car....for a woman he just met! Soon, the police arrive and see the Professor in his underwear and they arrest him! Suddenly, he finds himself in the newspapers...and without a job.

Later, the woman he helped returns. Now you'd THINK he'd take her to explain the situation to the judge or prosecutor. Instead, he runs to New York because he is about to go on an expedition to Egypt. So, in other words, he fleas the state and risks a very long prison sentence AND loss of his reputation instead of staying in California to straighten out the problems. And, to get to New York, he soon finds himself bumming rides and riding the rails!! Oh, and did I mention that the Professor just happens to think he is the reincarnation of a 3000 dead Egyptian...and the lady who asked for his help was his lover 3000 years ago?!

Does ANY of this make any sense? Of course not!! Is it funny...sometimes. But at least Lloyd is likable in this film...and there are a few cute moments here and there. But on balance, it's definitely a sub-par Lloyd outing....and this would explain why it was a decade later when he made his next (and final) film.

Comedian Harold Lloyd's output in movies slowed considerably when he made the transition to sound from silent films. His annual releases turned to every other year. With the premier of June 1938's "Professor Beware," Lloyd took a break from screen acting for the next nine years before he returned for one last hurrah in 1947.

"Professor Beware" was a departure from the hands-on writing, directing and editing Lloyd usually did for his films. Since signing on with Paramount Pictures, the studio took over all his tasks. Lloyd was limited to acting and as a partial producer. Critics noticed because of this new arrangement, the brilliance of Lloyd was lost in the shuffle. Film critic Leonard Maltin spoke for the multitude of reviewers when he noted, "One of Lloyd's last vehicles has good moments, but the tale of archeologist searching for rare tablet is thin."

Lloyd plays Professor Dean Lambert, an Egyptologist who reads a tablet on a royal who fell in love with the Pharaoh's daughter, only to die because of it. The archeologist possesses a similar face as the ancient Egyptian, which convinces him it's bad luck to be in love. Later, the professor meets and falls in love with aspiring actress Jane Van Buren (Phyllis MacDonald), who is in line to inherit a fortune. A bogus scandal gets Lambert fired, and the pair of lovers decide to join an Egyptian expedition leaving New York City in ten days. In their travels cross-country they have to elude the police.

"Professor Beware" was the only film for Phyllis MacDonald, 24. From 1935 she was a success on the Broadway stage and earned the New York Times Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress two years later for 'End of Summer.' Signing a 'no-marriage' clause with Paramount, MacDonald married Lloyd soon after filming ended, forcing an end to her short-lived film career. She continued acting in regional theater before passing away at 95 in September 2008.

A few modern day film critics are more forgiving on "Professor Beware," which was repeatedly on broadcast television for years. Its wacky madcap ending drew praise from reviewer Dan Stumpf, who noted the movie "wraps up with a full ten minutes of delightful sight gags, wonderfully conceived, and beautifully shot and edited as Harold storms a yacht and we get that wonderful feel of his Silent Movie days, that this guy can sweep a football field or climb a skyscraper and take us right along with him." It was almost a decade before Lloyd was be seen on the big screen one last time.

Professor, Beware is fun, funny, charming, heart-warming, and an all around great old film. More so, it is a great adventure like an original Indiana Jones movie. More so, it has some concepts that bear thinking about - more than most comedies. This is the kind of film that one gives a satisfied sigh afterwards and says: "They don't make em like that anymore".

Enjoy!