[Les Deux Timides] is only 66 minutes long, but they're 66 minutes of delight. It's hard to describe how a film which has all the elements of slapstick and general mayhem (fire-crackers, fake bandits, wife-beating, two court trials, and so forth) can at the same time be so guileless and tender. This tenderness, an integral part of Clair's style, will be recognized by those familiar with Le Million and A Nous La Liberté. It also derives from the spirit of Max Linder (rather than of Chaplin)…. The humor, at any rate, is uproarious, while devoid of that slightly sadistic turn inherent in so many comedies….

But what remains most impressive about the film is Clair's camera and editing. His split screen sequences are enormously effective. (p. 19)

I know people who claim not to like silent films. Les Deux Timides should be the ideal vehicle for converting them. (p. 20)

Harriet R...