Summary
In the tumultuous silent-era comedy "The Aggravatin' Kid," we witness the relentless disruption caused by young Buddy, whose sole mission appears to be sabotaging his older sister's impending marriage. Her union, a desperate bid for stability, would cut off Buddy's financial spigot, inciting him to a series of escalating, vase-throwing attacks. Her rotund suitor, Hilliard Karr, attempts a perilous five-story rescue via an extension ladder, only to be repeatedly dislodged by Buddy's projectiles. The chaos culminates in a bizarre car chase where Buddy, with the suitor clinging to the ladder's apex, inadvertently facilitates the sister's dramatic window-leap into her beloved's arms. A fortuitous car stall outside a parsonage leads to an impromptu wedding, but the 'aggravatin' kid' reappears, stowed away in their luggage, continuing his disruptive presence in their Florida honeymoon. The newlyweds then embark on an elaborate charade to impress an uncle with a $30,000 inheritance, with the husband posing as a butler in a ritzy rental, only for Buddy's antics and a landlord's unexpected demand to threaten their fragile deception, leading to a frantic, closet-bound climax that surprisingly secures their financial future.
Synopsis
Buddy bounces vases and pillows off his sister's head because she is determined to marry and stop his source of support. Her fat sweetie dashes to the rescue in his auto and puts an extension ladder against the window, five stories high. Sister ducks a huge vase and it hits her sweetie, knocking him off his perilous perch. He climbs back and is knocked off again. Then he places the ladder in his car and climbs up again. Buddy dashes out, driving off with his sister's beau dizzily hanging onto the ladder's top. Driving past his house, his sister leaps out of the window, catching hold of her sweetie. Buddy continues to drive, until the car stalls in front of a parson's window. The latter marries them and they depart for their honeymoon. Arriving in Florida they discover Buddy in one of their hand-bags. Her uncle writes that he will pay them a visit and give her $30,000 of her forthcoming inheritance if her husband is a successful business man. Hubby poses as the butler and they take Ritzy quarters. Hubby is kept dizzy until Uncle leaves. Just then the owner enters and demands a year's rent in advance. Hubby hides her in a clothes closet. She screams just as Uncle signs the check. He opens the closet and discovers the "victim" to be his sweetie. He forgives hubby and gives them the check.
Review Excerpt
"Is This Film Worth Watching Today?
Is 'The Aggravatin' Kid' a film you should seek out in an era saturated with cinematic marvels? Short answer: yes, but with significant caveats. This 1917 silent slapstick is less a polished narrative and more a vibrant, chaotic artifact, offering a fascinating, if sometimes bewildering, window into the raw energy of early comedic filmmaking. It’s a film for the cinephile, the historian, and anyone with a deep appreciation for the foundational absurdities of th..."
