Series: All Stars w/ Harry Langdon Director: Charley Rogers Producer: Hal Roach Story editor: H.M. Walker Photography: George Stevens Editor: Richard C. Currier Sound: Elmer Raguse Stars: Harry Langdon, Thelma Todd, Eddie Dunn Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Released: 05 October 1929 Length: 2 reels Production No.: S-25 Filming dates: July 16-22, 1929 Rating: 6/10

Sky Boy

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A light aircraft crash lands on an iceberg, leaving pilot Eddie Dunn and his passenger Thelma Todd seemingly stranded. Eddie uses the stroke of good fortune to sexually harass Thelma, who resists his advances until a stowaway (Harry Langdon) appears at the tail of the plane (which is sticking up in the air) and asks when they will be getting going again? When Eddie begins 'chasing' Thelma around trying to rape her Harry jumps down from the plane (which looks like it was made out of balsa wood) and tries to stop him. Harry sees paw prints in the snow and thinks it is a monkey and then threatens Eddie that he ought not to touch the lady. His warning is ignored and Harry is smacked to the ground for his troubles. Eddie assumes the role of leader and the three of them set up camp in the snow (don't ask where they suddenly found all the materials). Later, Thelma declares that she has seen a ship on the horizon but it turns out to be a whale. Poor Harry feels dejected and sits down but is comforted by the caring Thelma who tries to encourage him into feeling better. So Harry starts to sing but Eddie shouts him down and tells him to stop. Harry then finds that a fishing line they had set up in a crack in the ice has a bite. He reels the fish in but it's too big for him to deal with and it eventually slinks back into the water, taking the tent with it as Harry throws objects into the water in a vain attempt to kill it. Harry partially slips into the water himself and loses a boot and when he sees his leg he thinks the fish has bitten off his entire foot before finally realising his foot is still intact.

Harry delivers a pot of heated water which has been cooking so that Eddie can use it to shave, while Harry picks out the icicles that have formed on his foot. Eddie asks for Harry to shave him so Harry prepares a chair, a head rest and towel for his face. Eddie is hoping that Thelma might go for him after he is clean shaven and tells Harry to go and ask her. Thelma, understandably isn't at all interested but when she asks if Harry is intending to shave Eddie, she makes a motion to him of slicing his throat. So Harry returns to shave the pilot and finds the face covering frozen with ice (after Harry knocks the water onto him previously). Harry also lies to Eddie and tells him Thelma said she would like him more if he was shaved. A very clever gag happens here as Harry is holding a cut throat razor in his hand while the same arm has a rope which is attached to the fish, which pulls him as he attempts to shave Eddie. Bit by bit as the fish tugs on Harry's arm, Harry swipes the razor at Eddie, slicing off bits of the face towel (if you look closely you can see the towel is attached to a bit of string which pulls it away as Harry swings the razor towards it). Another slice from the razor cuts away Eddie's jacket, followed by the top of Harry's hat, then his trousers. When a bear disturbs some snow from above it falls through a crack (the snow, not the bear) and lands on Eddie's face. The bear then enters the enclosure and when Harry sees it he panics and causes the whole structure to collapse on them all. Harry tries to escape from the bear but he is pulled into the water by the fish. Just then an airship spots them and lowers down a rope ladder. All three of them climb onto it but Harry cuts the ladder so that he and the pilot fall back onto the iceburg. Harry manages to scramble back on and is hoisted away, leaving the pilot on the iceburg by himself.

Favourite bit The best gag of the film is actually really good - when Harry is attempting to shave Eddie with a rope attached to his arm, which is pulled by the fish, causing Harry to slice Eddie up with the razor.

Trivia • Copyrighted August 26, 1929. • This was the second of eight films that Harry Langdon made for Hal Roach. Each of them were released under Roach's 'All Star' banner. • The film made its DVD debut in 2020 thanks to Kit Parker, but it is missing the soundtrack, which has been substituted with a piano accompaniment provided by Andrew Earle Simpson. • Eddie Dunn surely must be the slowest runner in the world. • Once again Harry Langdon plays his character as somebody whose lights are on (albeit flickering) but nobody is at home. I grant you, it's unique, but it's also very irritating at the same time. • I think it's incredible that Harry can get his foot right up to his mouth! • Given that Harry's character is already far away on a different planet to most other normal human beings, do you really think it wise to give him a cut throat razor? I mean, the guy stuck a firework in his mouth and lit the fuse in his last film! Questionable sanity being displayed there! My opinion • After a relatively slow opening, the film definitely picks up in the second half with several decent gags, with the fish line and the razor blade routine, the snow falling onto Eddie's face and Harry trying to catch it with a bag with a hole in the bottom of it! Thelma Todd has little to do here except be the subject of lust from the pervy pilot who attempts to sexually abuse her and then thinks he can win her over just by having a shave and expecting her to dismiss his earlier behaviour! One of the better films starring Langdon for Roach. But you can debate whether or not that is actually a compliment or not!

	Harry Langdon Harry
	Thelma Todd Thelma
	Eddie Dunn Pilot
	UNIDENTIFIED Rescue pilot #1
	UNIDENTIFIED Rescue pilot #2

CREDITS (click image to enlarge)

STILLS (click any image to enlarge)

Acknowledgements: Richard Finegan (4 stills) This page was last updated on: 05 May 2020