Series: Harold Lloyd
Director: Hal Roach
Producer: Hal Roach
Titles: H.M. Walker
Photography: 
Editor: 
Stars: Harold Lloyd, Mildred Davis, Snub Pollard, Gus Leonard, Noah Young, Gaylord Lloyd, Marie Mosquini
Company: Pathé Exchange
Released: 08 February 1920
Length: 2 reels
Production No.: L-4
Filming dates: July 9 - August 23, 1919
Rating: -/10
His Royal Slyness
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Available on BLU-RAY & DVD:
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In the little kingdom of Thermosa, adjoining the Isle of Roquefort and the coast of Razzamatazz, the Prince of Razzamatazz (Gaylord Lloyd) arrives at the palace for an audience with Verona Vermuth (Marie Mosquini). She allows him to kiss her only after he gives her an expensive ring. The prince is then summoned by his father, the king (Gus Leonard), by virtue of a telegram delivered by his bodyguard (Noah Young) to attend the Royal Court of Thermosa as he is to be considered by the princess to be a potential suitor but naturally, the prince doesn't want to go as he is in love with Verona. "The American Boy" (Harold Lloyd) is a book agent who is desperately trying to sell his books to an uninterested client (Charles Stevenson) who kicks him out of his room. Across the hall Verona and Razzamatazz are smooching as Harold walks straight into their room and plonks himself between them and starts making his sales pitch. A similar likeness between him and the prince (that's because they are brothers in real life!) gives Verona the idea to send Harold to the palace in place of the prince. The prince offers that if Harold attend in his place then he would live the life of a prince and could marry the princess. He bribes the bodyguard, who then takes Harold to palace. The Prince of Roquefort (Snub Pollard) arrives at the palace and wastes little time in drinking and cavorting with the female guests. In walks Princess Florelle (Mildred Davis) who is immediately unimpressed with the company who are all getting steadily drunk around the table and gets up and leaves. |
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The carriage carrying the fake prince (Harold) stops in town. He is told to give the waiting crows a speech so he plugs his new book on the Bar Tender's Guide. A crazy man in the market (Sammy Brooks with fake beard) spews his ramblings forth as Harold sits on the ground looking confused. He is then chased through the town by the angry folk wielding rocks. Harold hears the cries of the princess who is concerned over a horseman cracking his whip over a mule's back, and so comes to 'rescue' her before he is escorted into the palace by the bodyguard. Harold makes his acquaintance with pretty much every female in the room until the bodyguard puts a stop to it. Meanwhile the Prince of Roquefort (Snub Pollard) tries his luck with the princess before she ignores his advances. Harold continues to flirt with the women, and one in particular who takes his fancy is Estelle Harrison, whom he walks away with (after crashing into a mirror - see "favourite bit") but once again his behaviour attracts the ire of the bodyguard. Eventually Harold meets the king and queen; sitting between them and flirting with the queen (Helen Gilmore, wow he must be desperate!) As the bodyguard stands on parade, Harold slowly and carelessly picks off the medals on his chest whilst observing the princess. She invites him to kiss her, and he takes full advantage. Then comes the moment the princess is asked to choose between the two suitors. Naturally, she brushes off Roquefort (Pollard) and chooses Harold. At that point the real prince (Gaylord Lloyd) shows up at the palace and the ruse is revealed and Harold is thrown out by the guards. Outside, Harold sits on a cannon and lights a match, inadvertently firing the cannon into the palace and winning the praise of his peers. The angry mob storm the palace and beat the crap out of all those inside, except for the princess whom Harold protects. He calls a halt to the riot when it is revealed the king and queen are among those getting their arses kicked. Harold slips the princess some tongue and everybody lives happily ever after... except for the king and queen who have a robe thrown over their heads when they object to the show of affection being dished out towards their daughter... |
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Favourite bit Harold Lloyd advances towards the flirting woman (Estelle Harrison) only to find that he is in fact looking at her reflection in a large mirror. I must confess I didn't see it either! What a delightful moment this is. For those watching the film for the first time, this is a gem of a scene. |
| Trivia • Copyrighted November 22, 1919. • The opening shot of Thermosa, as seen through the arch is the exact same shot that opens the Stan Laurel film, Under Two Jags (1923). • The telegram which is delivered to the Prince of Razzamatazz is dated September 25, 1919 (this would have been a Thursday). The film was wrapped in August 1919. • This is such a glaring mistake: when Harold Lloyd walks out of room 14, he walks across the hall and opens the door to room 17. As he closes the door you can clearly see it is room 16. |
UNIDENTIFIED CAST |
| CREDITS (click image to enlarge) | INTERTITLES (click image to enlarge) |
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| POSTER (click any image to enlarge) 
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| Acknowledgements: The Harold Lloyd Encyclopedia by Annette D'Agostino Lloyd (book) Tom Schober (help) Jesse Brisson (help and identification of Joe Hazleton, Bobbie West, Oscar Larson, Fred C. Newmeyer, Hal Berg, Estelle Harrison and Hazel Powell) This page was last updated on: 08 February 2023 |