I'm always surprised to hear the chorus of spectators claiming "The top Three Great Comedians of the Silent Screen - Chaplin, Keaton and Lloyd". This is an excellent film, please don't get me wrong, and it is truly quite funny, but it has very little original material. It doesn't "invent" as much as it invests from previous ideas from the world of silent comedy. There isn't anything as sophisticated or beautifully choreographed as in Chaplin's work and nothing as awe-inspiring as Keaton's genius for pure comic invention. I certainly wouldn't put Lloyd in Harry Langdon's league (termed by some as the fourth "great" comic genius of his time) and the gags and situations are extremely good but this is the work of a very talented man rather than a genius. We float that word around too easily. I enjoyed the movie very much but somehow I don't feel any urge to discuss it at the end with friends who love movies...Keaton or Chaplin, yes, but Lloyd?
Review of The Freshman
