The Hollywood Kid

"The Hollywood Kid" is a crazy movie....even by Mack Sennett standards! The film seems to hae EVERYTHING crammed into it....and it's hard to imagine that the film is less than 22 minutes long because there is so much happening in this weird but enjoyable comedy.

The story begins in Mack Sennett's office. Sennett himself is sitting calmly as a director (Vernon Dent) is pitching a new idea for a film. During this entire sequence, complete chaos is happening....guys running in and out of the office chasing each other with guns, bathing beauties lining up for inspection and even a lion! As for the lion, it was real and Sennett sat about a couple feet away...which is totally insane.

The scene changes and the director goes off to look for ideas. When he comes upon some kids playing baseball, he thinks one of the kids is a great talent and he wants to sign him up with the studio. But a spy from another studio (Andy Clyde) discovers the plan...and a frenetic chase ensues. It has all the goofiness you'd expect in a Sennett film!

Once the boy is signed up, you'd think the film would be over....but it has plenty more to go...including the boy's family running about the lot as well as a chimp, Ben Turpin, Billy Bevan and various bathing beauties!

The film is funny, frantic and seems to have nearly all the usual early 20s Sennett plot devices. However, compared to the earlier Sennett films, this one is not just more plot-driven but also funnier. All in all, a very clever comedy with just about everything for everyone! And, most importantly, it holds up quite well after 97 years!