For Heaven's Sake (1926 film)

1926 comedy silent film by Sam Taylor

For Heaven's Sake is a 1926 American silent comedy film directed by Sam Taylor and starring Harold Lloyd. It was one of Lloyd's most successful films and the 12th highest grossing film of the silent era, earning $2,600,000.

Millionaire J. Harold Manners finds himself in the poor part of town. When he accidentally sets fire to a charity pushcart dispensing free coffee owned by do gooder Brother Paul, he pulls out his checkbook to cover the damage. Brother Paul assumes that Manners wants to pay for a mission and asks him for $1,000. After Manners reads in the newspaper that he is sponsoring a mission, he goes there to dissociate himself from it. He is aghast to find it named the J. Harold Manners Mission. When he tears down the sign, he is scolded by Brother Paul's pretty daughter Hope, who does not know who he is, but he is smitten with her. When Brother Paul returns and invites him inside to tour the place, he readily accepts. Once she learns his identity, Hope apologizes. In order to build up attendance, Manners runs through town provoking people and a crowd chases him into the mission. Some of the men are in possession of the proceeds of a jewel robbery. Before they can beat Manners, the police arrive. The quick witted Manners takes up a "collection," the crooks deposit their loot in his hat while the police search everyone. This act earns him the friendship of the gang. Manners and the girl plan to be married at the mission. His highbrow friends decide to kidnap him, believing that they are saving him from a terrible mistake. As they drive away, one of them tells the wedding's "reception committee" that Manners is not going to marry Hope, and the disappointed committeemen get drunk. Their leader goes to Manner's club to confirm the news, and they free Manners and head back to the mission. Manners must tend to the five drunks, but finally brings them all there and marries Hope.

In the late 1920s, Lloyd alternated between making what he called "gag pictures" (such as For Heaven's Sake) and "character pictures." This was the first Lloyd film distributed by Paramount Pictures, and it was a difficult production for him and for his film company. Numerous scenes were filmed and later cut from the released version. Some of the cut elements, especially an underworld theme, were incorporated into Lloyd's 1928 film Speedy. Lloyd was disappointed in the final product and considered shelving the picture. However, it grossed over two million dollars upon release.