THE STRONG MAN

Can be purchased at MovieZyng.com by clicking the image above.

Directed by Frank Capra - 1926

Review by Roy Frumkes

In the hierarchy of Comedic Silent Film Royalty, Harry Langdon would be 4th in line for the throne, following Harold Lloyd, Buster Keaton, and Chaplin.  I read long ago that Langdon’s screen persona was aptly described as ‘an elderly baby’ and he got mucho mileage out of the character until hubris brought him down. Later, his comic career long gone, he was a gag man for Lauren & Hardy, and you can clearly feel Langdon’s presence in some of Stan Laurel’s business.

Langdon made a great many comedy shorts, but only three features worthy of memory, and the best of those three was THE STRONG MAN in 1926.  Always in search of better quality prints of films produced in the silent era, I pounced on this release, hoping for the best.

But my hopes went unrewarded, for an earlier and still available KINO VIDEO DVD release of his three best features in one box is far better.  Screenwriter/director Billy Wilder described the films of Ingmar Bergman as watching the Swedish director’s work through a handkerchief that someone had blown their nose in.  And while I don’t ascribe to Wilder’s characterization, I must say that the new release of THE STRONG MAN does fit the bill.  Generally in poor shape, even a few lovely gags are obliterated by damage to the negative material.