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The Sin of Harold Diddlebock

Play trailer Poster for The Sin of Harold Diddlebock G 1947 1h 30m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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89% Tomatometer 9 Reviews 57% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Two decades after a game-winning touchdown and praise as a college football hero, the once hopeful Harold Diddlebock (Harold Lloyd) has been beaten down by the drudgery of office life. When Harold is fired by his egotistical boss, E.J. Waggleberry (Raymond Walburn), he wanders into a bar and orders a drink -- the first of his life. After the kindly bartender (Edgar Kennedy) invents a cocktail just for him, Harold goes on a wild binge, and his luck starts to change.

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The Sin of Harold Diddlebock

Critics Reviews

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Variety Staff Variety 11/13/2007
Abetted by some excellent dialog from Sturges' pen, Lloyd handles his role in his usual funny fashion. Go to Full Review
Tom Milne Time Out 06/24/2006
The film is studded with gems, many of them contributed verbally by the Sturges stock company. Go to Full Review
Dave Kehr Chicago Reader 01/01/2000
Sturges's restored original version is a major rediscovery: a loving and gentle essay on Lloyd's screen character, laced with poignant observations about middle age. Go to Full Review
Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews 08/20/2006
B-
... it's saved by a few inspired flashes of comedy sprinkled throughout. Go to Full Review
Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 09/25/2005
3/5
Steve Crum Kansas City Kansan 10/19/2004
3/5
Flat later Harold Lloyd who is really out on a ledge here Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Blobbo X 05/17/2024 Blobbo laugh, experience entertainment. See more steve d 07/22/2020 Mild entertainment at best. See more s r @ScottR 09/23/2017 A rambunctious trip that at times reminded me of the Marx brothers. That suit, hat, tie and lion were epic. See more 03/26/2016 Good innocent fun with some great dialog See more 11/24/2012 A delightfully inventive and utterly bonkers attempt on the part of Sturges to try and revive Lloyd's career. It's far from Sturges' or Lloyd's best work (in fact, there are long stretches, especially in the second half, that feel utterly disastrous), but there are flashes of brilliance and scenes of exquisite, delirious Sturges madness (Harold's declaration of love is the highlight--besides, of course, the extended prologue from "The Freshman"), and it's hard not to at least admire the effort and appreciate the oddity of the piece. See more 10/07/2011 Two versions of this film exist, the 90-minute Preston Sturges original, and the Howard Hughes 77-minute re-cut called "Mad Wednesday", neither of which are highlights of Lloyd or Sturges' brilliant comedy careers. Ostensibly, Sturges coaxes Lloyd out of acting retirement to play a middle-aged version of his silent persona, who inadvertently buys a circus while high on a lethal alcoholic drink. Lots of slapstick between Lloyd and Sturges regular Jimmy Conlin, including a "Safety Last" type high wire act on the ledge of a tall downtown building (complete with circus lion), but nothing here comes close to 1925 Lloyd or 1942 Sturges. See more Read all reviews
The Sin of Harold Diddlebock

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Movie Info

Synopsis Two decades after a game-winning touchdown and praise as a college football hero, the once hopeful Harold Diddlebock (Harold Lloyd) has been beaten down by the drudgery of office life. When Harold is fired by his egotistical boss, E.J. Waggleberry (Raymond Walburn), he wanders into a bar and orders a drink -- the first of his life. After the kindly bartender (Edgar Kennedy) invents a cocktail just for him, Harold goes on a wild binge, and his luck starts to change.
Director
Preston Sturges
Producer
Preston Sturges, Howard Hughes
Screenwriter
Preston Sturges
Distributor
RKO Radio Pictures, United Artists
Production Co
California Pictures
Rating
G
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 14, 1947, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 9, 2017
Runtime
1h 30m
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