The Sin of Harold Diddlebock (1947)

Director:

Preston Sturges

Writer:

Preston Sturges (original screenplay)

Release Date:

4 April 1947 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Yes Sir! Wednesday was WILD! Wednesday was RUGGED! THE WILDEST WACKIEST MOST HILARIOUS AND COMPLETELY BOLLIXED-UP DAY YOU EVER HEARD OF! (original print ad - mostly caps)

Plot:

Twenty years after his triumphs as a freshman on the football field, Harold is a mild-mannered clerk...

Plot Keywords:

Writer Director | Sequel | Actor Shares First Name With Character | Character Name In Title

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Harold Lloyd	...	Harold Diddlebock
Jimmy Conlin	...	Wormy
Raymond Walburn	...	E.J. Waggleberry
Rudy Vallee	...	Lynn Sargent
Edgar Kennedy	...	Jake
Arline Judge	...	Manicurist
Franklin Pangborn	...	Formfit Franklin
Lionel Stander	...	Max
Margaret Hamilton	...	Flora
Jack Norton	...	James R. Smoke
Robert Dudley	...	Robert McDuffy
Arthur Hoyt	...	J.P. Blackstone
Julius Tannen	...	Nearsighted Banker
Al Bridge	...	Wild Bill Hickock
Robert Greig	...	Algernon McNiff

Also Known As:

Mad Wednesday (USA) (reissue title)

Runtime:

89 min | USA:76 min (1950 re-release) | USA:90 min (2005 DVD release)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Canada:G (Ontario) | West Germany:12 (nf) | Finland:S | USA:Approved (PCA #11970, General Audience) | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Samuel Goldwyn/Warner Hollywood Studios - 1041 N. Formosa Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

California Pictures

Trivia:

It was Howard Hughes, Preston Sturges' partner in California Pictures Corporation, who re-cut the film and retitled it "Mad Wednesday" - not Columbia Pictures chief Harry Cohn, as has long been believed.

Quotes:

Harold Diddlebock: As soon as I have a minute, I'll thank you for hours.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "American Masters: Harold Lloyd: The Third Genius" (1989)

Soundtrack:

Auld Lang Syne

A Sin Indeed, But Not Of Harold

My comment refers to THE SIN OF HAROLD DIDDLEBOCK, as I haven't seen the edited version Mad Wednesday-but I believe some cutting might do this film good. Too bad this movie is currently the most available Lloyd movie on the market. This great genius just shouldn't have ended his career with a movie like this-he certainly deserved a gracefully nostalgic summing-up like Chaplin with Limelight or Keaton with The Railrodder . Lloyd never starred in such a sloppy feature before. His idea of making a comedy just didn't go with that of Sturges. In this rowdy parade of lowest kind of slapstick, with unnatural puns and sayings as dialogue, there is little room for Lloyd to build up anything, neither gags, nor characterization. Too bad, for this film did have a good idea(what becomes of the go-getter who fails to achieve anything) to begin with, and a grand opening(highlight from The Freshman finale), and some terrific acting Lloyd delivered as a washed-up clerk who got fired after working for 20 years at the same position. All these look promising about 25 minutes, then the film just runs out of control. It even gives you an improvising feeling as it stumbles towards the end, when everybody has to shout their lines but nobody seems to know what is going on. . This film is so messy that resembles some low budget early talkie comedies, yet it was made in 1946! What a shame.