The Sin of Harold Diddlebock
| The Sin of Harold Diddlebock | |
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Original theatrical poster
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| Directed by | Preston Sturges |
| Produced by | Preston Sturges Howard Hughes (both uncredited) |
| Written by | Preston Sturges |
| Starring | Harold Lloyd |
| Music by |
Werner R. Heymann Harry Rosenthal (uncredited) |
| Cinematography | Robert Pittack Curtis Courant (uncredited) |
| Edited by | Thomas Neff Stuart Gilmore (re-rel.) |
| Distributed by |
United Artists RKO (re-release) |
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Release date
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Running time
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89 minutes 76 minutes (re-release) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1,712,959 (est.) or $2.4 million |
The Sin of Harold Diddlebock is a 1947 comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges, starring the silent film comic icon Harold Lloyd, and featuring a supporting cast including Jimmy Conlin, Raymond Walburn, Rudy Vallee, Arline Judge, Edgar Kennedy, Franklin Pangborn, J. Farrell MacDonald, Robert Dudley, Robert Greig, Lionel Stander and Jackie the Lion. The film's story is a continuation of The Freshman, one of Lloyd's most successful movies.
The Sin of Harold Diddlebock was Sturges' first project after leaving Paramount Pictures, where he had made his best and most popular films, but the film was not successful in its initial release. It was quickly pulled from distribution by producer Howard Hughes who took almost four years to re-shoot some scenes and re-edit the film, finally re-releasing it in 1950 as Mad Wednesday – but the reception by the general public was no better the second time around. A few critics consider this film a masterpiece of comedy.
Lloyd was never to star in another film, turning instead to production, and releasing compilation films featuring his earlier silent film work.
In 1945, twenty-three years after scoring the winning touchdown for his Tate College football team (as told in The Freshman), mild-mannered Harold Diddlebock (Harold Lloyd), who has been stuck in a dull, dead-end book-keeping job for years, is let go by his pompous boss, advertising tycoon J.E. Waggleberry (Raymond Walburn). He is given an 18 karat Swiss watch that is 'properly inscribed "with gratitude and love and kisses for 20 years devoted services"' and a check for $2,946.12, the remains of his company investment plan. He bids farewell to Miss Otis (Frances Ramsden), who works at an artist's desk down the aisle, giving her the paid for engagement ring that he had, having planned to marry each of her six older sisters (Hortense, Irma, Harriet, Margie, Claire, and Rosemary) when they had worked there before her. He wanders out, aimlessly through the streets, his life's savings in his trouser pocket.
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Wikipedia