There was a line of laughing people at the parkade kiosk waiting to pay for their parking. There was something different about them, this wasn't the usual downtown paying for parking sort of mood. The attendant grinned bemusedly, confused, "Where have you all come from? Why does everyone look so happy?"

We'd come from the Silent Film Festival matinee, glowing with sweet joy. We'd just seen Girl Shy starring Harold Lloyd. Most of us had never seen or heard of Harold Lloyd before this afternoon and I admit earlier feeling a bit disappointed that the matinee wasn't Buster Keaton or Charlie Chaplin. I take this sentiment back with chagrin. I have been schooled thoroughly in the appeal of Harold Lloyd.



He plays a sweet, shy, stumbling young man who is terrified of girls, yet studies them and populates his dreams with ideas on how to win them over. In his dusty room he writes a book "The Secret of Making Love" and recounts his imaginary exploits. Meanwhile in real life, his kind heart and odd bravery win him the attention of a real girl.

The path to love does not run smoothly, and she's in danger of being trapped by a slime-ball cad and his dream of seeing his book published meets with derision.

It culminates in one wild, startling, over-the-top, freshly funny race to the altar that literally brought the audience to our feet.



Follow the link to a clip from Girl Shy and learn how you, too, can entrap the heart of a Vampire. You know you want to. It'll just take 3 minutes of your time :-).
http://www.doctormacro1.info/Film%20Clips/G/Girl%20Shy_01.wmv
This is just a taste of what seeing a live silent is like. But nothing really compares to the vitality of having an audience engaged in it and a great organist providing the soundtrack.