It was not Charlie Chaplin but Harold Lloyd to enjoy huge success with films such as SAFETY LAST! (1923) and become an icon of American slapstick in the 1920s. In this late silent film dating to 1927, Lloyd portrays the gangly, underappreciated younger song of a sheriff from a small backwater town. He must compensate for his lack of muscle with ingenuity and agility in order to defend himself against his two boorish big brothers and other enemies. Harold is yanked out of his daily routine when he meets Mary. The attractive dancer is part of a traveling show that doesn’t arrive in town without problems. The corrupt operators steal the community’s cash reserves with which Harold’s father is entrusted. And the sheriff is of course accused of being the thief himself. He sends off both his well-muscled sons to find the culprit. But they return without any findings. It is a fortunate coincidence when Harold ultimately discovers the thieves’ hiding place on a ship wreck and manages to outsmart them with courage and luck, restoring the family honor when he delivers the money to his father, who has already been arrested. And so Mary and Harold can live happily ever after without anyone standing in the way—the American dream becomes a reality.

Lloyd skillfully links complexly structured comical scenes with the characters and the plot, revealing a sensitive grasp of atmospheric values and lyrical moments. The omnipresent chases in other slapstick films rather take the background in THE KID BROTHER. Lloyd dedicates much more time to a detailed presentation of Harold’s sensitive personality and his relationship with Mary. Lloyd was never more appealing than in this film, fleshing out the main character’s quick cunning personality in the face of his brutal external surroundings.