Kid Boots

Fired from his job in a tailor's shop, comic Eddie Cantor (as Samuel "Kid" Boots) becomes companion to handsome millionaire Lawrence Gray (as Thomas "Tom" Sterling). The men find work as golf instructor and caddy at a country club, while Mr. Gray waits for his divorce to become final. There, Mr. Cantor re-encounters pretty swimming instructor Clara Bow (as Clara McCoy), from the opening skit, which he played out with her burly boyfriend Malcolm Waite (as "Big" Boyle).

At the club, Cantor goes crazy for Ms. Bow while Gray romances beautiful Billie Dove (as Eleanor Belmore), the boss' daughter. Meanwhile, Gray's leggy wife Natalie Kingston (as Carmen Mendoza) checks into the room next to her husband, to cause trouble. She proceeds to "vamp" Cantor aside, in order to spend the night alone with Gray; if she is able to do this, their divorce won't become final, and she can partake of his inherited millions. Cantor must save Gray and win Bow.

This was a successful film debut for stage star Cantor, who might have joined Chaplin, Keaton, and Lloyd if this had been released a decade earlier. As a film, "Kid Boots" may not equal the best of those other comedians' works, but you can see Cantor had the silent stuff. Most impressive is the film's exciting end, which features a very impressive cliff-hanging sequence. This is pure cinema, but Cantor includes great stage bits, too. How he makes Bow jealous, and scenes with Mr. Waite are highlights.

******** Kid Boots (10/4/26) Frank Tuttle ~ Eddie Cantor, Clara Bow, Malcolm Waite, Lawrence Gray