.
Horton is a civic-minded patsy who puts his own interests on the back
burner so that he can help out his neighbors. In the true spirit of "No
good deed goes unpunished," all Horton has to show for his efforts is a
wallful of paper citations and a mountain of debts. Realizing that he
has been taken advantage of by the less honest townsfolk, Horton does a
"worm turns" scene, though he continues to extend generosity for the
truly deserving.
.
Edward Everett Horton made a series of eight comic shorts in the late 1920s in which he played a
Charley Chase type of everyman. It's a little known fact that these were produced by
Harold Lloyd's production company. This one is especially charming. Horton plays the sweetheart of
Sharon Lynne, whose father (
Otis Harlan)
doesn't approve -- even though he's never met "Eddie," he's convinced
the young man is a lounge lizard. Sharon is determined to change her
dad's mind, and asks Eddie to come meet him. But before that happens,
Horton runs afoul of an ill-tempered man and, while shopping with his
sweetheart, he becomes a constant source of annoyance for a haughty old
battle ax (
Josephine Crowell).
When he finally shows up for his meeting, Dad is out in the garden and
his bodyguard turns out to be the ill-tempered man, who angrily chases
him away. Horton believes this is his girlfriend's father, and they
plan to elope. He sneaks onto the property and, mistaking Dad for the
gardener, asks for his help. Because Horton has offered some gardening
tips, and because he's so obviously in love with Sharon, Dad decides
that he's an all right guy and willingly helps him. The bodyguard
thinks the girl is being kidnapped and follows in hot pursuit.
Eventually everyone's identity is straightened out, and Eddie gets to
wed his girl.
