Directed by Ted Wilde and written by John Grey, Lex Neal, Howard Rogers, and Jay Howe, Speedy is the story of a man trying to save the last horse-drawn streetcar for his girlfriend’s grandfather in New York City while trying to get work in the city. The film is a slapstick/silent comedy that doesn’t just explore the frenzy of the modern world but a man trying to salvage of what is left of what near and dear in the old one as the titular character of Harold “Speedy“ Swift is played by Harold Lloyd. Also starring Ann Christy, Bert Woodruff, Brooks Benedict, and Babe Ruth as himself. Speedy is a sensational and witty film from Ted Wilde.
The film is the story of a man trying to find many jobs in New York City as he does whatever he can to help his girlfriend and her grandfather where the latter works and runs the last horse-drawn streetcar in New York City where a businessman wants to shut it down for good. It’s a simple story of a man trying to do whatever he can as his attempts to get and hold jobs are short-lived either through bumbling circumstances or by his own fault. Yet, it plays into someone trying to do whatever he can to be part of this modern world that is so chaotic and demanding. Even as he learns about what this businessman wants to do to stop the horse-drawn streetcar out for good prompting Speedy to do whatever he can to help his girlfriend and her grandfather.
Ted Wilde’s direction is definitely thrilling in terms of capturing life in late 1920s New York City in all of its craziness in the boom that it’s in before the Great Depression as well as that air of escapism. Many of Wilde’s compositions are quite dazzling to capture the craziness of the locations in New York City that include some unique chase scenes for the second and third act where Speedy is driving a cab in the former and the streetcar in the latter. The usage of the wide and medium shots would play into that craziness as well as the beauty of the sequence in Coney Island not just for the rides but also the lights set at night.
There’s a beauty to Wilde’s direction in those moments while his approach to setting up the gags are just as engaging as well as in the comical moments that occur such as a hilarious sequence where Speedy picks up Babe Ruth and drive him to Yankee Stadium for a game. Wilde’s direction also maintains a sense of energy and wit that is always entertaining in the way Speedy does whatever to help his girlfriend’s grandfather. Overall, Wilde creates an exhilarating film about a man helping out another old man through a series of misadventures.
Cinematographer Walter Lundin, with special effects photography by H. Kohler, does excellent work with the film‘s black-and-white photography from the way the lights of Coney Island look at night with such beauty to the daytime exteriors of the city with Kohler providing photography for some of the chase scenes. Editor Carl Himm does brilliant work with the editing as it is largely straightforward to play with the film‘s energy and humor as it includes some rhythmic cuts. Art director L.K. Vedder does superb work with the look of the streetcar that is used as well as the design of some of the shops where many of old men work at. The film’s music by Carl Davis, for its 1992 reissue, is amazing for its mixture of jazz and ragtime music to play into the period of the 1920s as it has an air of fun in the music.
The film’s fantastic cast include a hilarious cameo appearance from baseball legend Babe Ruth as himself as well as Brooks Benedict as the sleazy businessman Steve Carter who tries to buy out Pops Dillon. Bert Woodruff is excellent as Pop Dillon as the driver of a horse-drawn streetcar that is desperate to hold on to his business while he wonders why Speedy keeps losing his job. Ann Christy is wonderful as Speedy’s girlfriend Jane who is worried about her grandfather while pondering about the idea of a future with Speedy. Finally, there’s Harold Lloyd in an incredible performance as the titular character as this determined yet bumbling man who is trying to do what it takes to help Pops while he screw things up along with way as some of it is due to his love for the New York Yankees as it’s an iconic performance from Lloyd.
Speedy is a phenomenal film from Ted Wilde that features a great performance from Harold Lloyd. Featuring some dazzling visuals, hilarious gags, and some amazing sequences that is engaging and adventurous, it’s a film that manages to showcase what the idea of comedy could be and more. In the end, Speedy is a sensational film from Ted Wilde.
© thevoid99 2016
Directed by Fred C. Newmeyer and Sam Taylor and written by Taylor, John Grey, Tim Whelan, and Ted Wilde, The Freshman is the story of a newly-arrived college freshman who decides to join the school’s football team in order to win the heart of a young woman and the admiration of the school. The film plays into a young man’s desire to be cool in a new world only to bumble his way as the titular character is played by Harold Lloyd. Also starring Jobyna Ralston, Brooks Benedict, James Anderson, Hazel Keener, Joseph Harrington, and Pat Harmon. The Freshman is a hilarious and entertaining film from Fred C. Newmeyer and Sam Taylor.
The film explores a naïve young man who arrives into college hoping to become the big man on campus unaware that some of his attempts are played for laughs by the campus who see him as a joke. It’s a film that explores college life where Harold Lamb (Harold Lloyd) arrives to the fictional Tate University thinking he would win people over by imitating the antics of movie character he saw in the hopes that he will be liked and be the popular guy like the school’s top dog in Chet (James Anderson). Harold’s attempts which only makes him a joke does get the attention of a hatcheck girl named Peggy (Jobyna Ralston) who is aware of what the school is doing to Harold. The film’s screenplay definitely plays into Harold’s desire to be popular in the world of college but everything he’s learned about through films and books prove nothing where he becomes this easy target though the team’s football coach (Pat Harmon) sees he’s got spirit to be in the team but not the physique or mentality to be part of that team.
The film’s direction by Fred C. Newmeyer and Sam Taylor is truly exhilarating in the way it plays into Harold’s sense of excitement upon his arrival into Tate University to the trials and tribulations he would face during that time. Much of it would play into the kind of gags where Harold takes part in not knowing that he’s the joke as it would include some very funny sequences where he is unknowingly humiliated. Much of the compositions in the film are straightforward with its use of medium and wide shots as the latter is very evident in a party scene as well as the climatic football game where there’s a few dolly-tracking shots that play into the intensity of the game. Some of which involve some inventive gags and inspired moments in the comedy that includes some amazing elements of physical comedy that add punch to the humor. Overall, Newmeyer and Taylor create a very fun and whimsical film about a young freshman trying to be the most popular guy on campus.
Cinematographer Walter Lundin does brilliant work with the film‘s black-and-white photography to play into the look of excitement and exuberance in the daytime scenes while using a few filters for some key moments in the film. Editor Allen McNeil does excellent moments with the editing to create some unique rhythmic cuts to capture the energy of the humor as well as fade-outs to play into the film‘s structure. Art director Liell K. Vedder does fantastic work with the set pieces from the hall where the college party is at to the small room where Harold would stay in. The film’s music by Robert Israel (from its 2002 restored edition) is amazing for its very playful orchestral score that plays to the atmosphere of college as well as the gags that Harold would be a part of.
The film’s phenomenal cast includes notable small roles from Joseph Harrington as a tailor trying to stitch up Harold’s suit for the party, Hazel Keener as a college belle who flirts with Harold as a way to play a joke on him, Pat Harmon as the football coach who is angry that his team can’t tackle, James Anderson as the college hero Chet who takes part in the pranks to humiliate Harold, and Brooks Benedict as the college cad who would lead the way to humiliate Harold every way he can. Jobyna Ralston is wonderful as Peggy as the landlord’s daughter who sees Harold as a good guy that is unaware that he’s being humiliated as she would give this great speech about what he should be. Finally, there’s Harold Lloyd in a remarkable performance as Harold Lamb as this college freshman who arrives to Tate University only to be part of a prank as Lloyd’s approach to physical comedy and winning charm is key to the film’s success.
The Freshman is a sensational film from Fred C. Newmeyer and Sam Taylor that features an incredible performance from Harold Lloyd. The film isn’t just one of the finest films in the era of silent comedies but also a comedy that manages to be very exciting with a climax that engages the audience. In the end, The Freshman is a tremendously wild and fun film from Fred C. Newmeyer and Sam Taylor.
© thevoid99 2015
Directed by Fred C. Newmeyer and Sam Taylor and written by Taylor, Hal Roach, and Tim Whelan, Safety Last! is the story of a small-town guy who goes to the city to make money for a new life with his girlfriend only to find difficulty in this new world. The film explores the world of ambition and desire to succeed in the city as its leading character is played by Harold Lloyd as the country bumpkin who is trying to succeed in this new world. Also starring Mildred Davis, Bill Strother, Noah Young, and Westcott B. Clarke. Safety Last! is an extraordinary comedy from Fred C. Newmeyer and Sam Taylor.
The film’s premise is very simple as it is about a small-town guy trying to impress his girlfriend by working in the city as he pretends to be the head of a department store when he’s really just a clerk. It’s a film that doesn’t require much plot as it does explore a man wanting to make promises to his beloved in the hopes they can get married but finds himself struggling with a world that is fast and chaotic. Especially when his girlfriend makes a surprise visit that complicates matters where he realizes the only way he can get a big payday and pay for the wedding is to climb the department store building so he can generate publicity for that building. Though his friend was supposed to do the stunt, more complications forces the film’s protagonist to do the stunt as it raises questions into why would he do these things for his girlfriend? It all plays to the idea of promises as well as a man’s foolishness to do these things when it doesn’t really matter since she does love him in the first place.
The direction of Fred C. Newmeyer and Sam Taylor is very extraordinary in not just the way they set up the comedy but also make it feel natural. Especially as much of the framing and compositions are very engaging for how much of the comedic moments are set-up with some wide shots of an office to showcase everything the film’s protagonist tries to do to impress his girlfriend. It also showcases the sense of craziness that goes on the city where everything is moving as it includes a sequence shot in a speeding ambulance where the film’s hero is trying to get to his job. That sense of craziness would heighten with the film’s most famous sequence in which the hero is climbing a 12-story building where he’s dangling on a clock. It’s a moment in the film that mixes all sorts of slapstick humor with suspense as it would be a moment that is just unforgettable. Overall, Newmeyer and Taylor create a very compelling and entertaining film about a guy trying to impress his lady through a crazy stunt.
Cinematographer Walter Lundin does amazing work with the film‘s black-and-white photography to play into the vast look of the city as well as the use of soft-lenses for close-ups. Editor T.J. Crizer does fantastic work in creating some nice rhythmic cuts for some of the film‘s suspenseful and comedic moments along with the sequence in the ambulance. The film’s music by Carl Davis, from its 1990 restoration, is brilliant for its jazz-inspired score to play into a lot of the film’s comedy as well as some orchestral pieces for the film’s suspenseful and somber moments.
The film’s cast is great as it features some notable performances from Westcott B. Clarke as the snooty floorwalker whom Harold Lloyd has to work for and Noah Young as a police officer that is always looking for Lloyd’s friend Limpy Bill over some antics that Bill and Lloyd caused. Bill Strother is terrific as Limpy Bill as Lloyd’s roommate who finds himself in trouble with a cop as he manages to escape his clutches by climbing up a building. Mildred Davis is wonderful as Mildred as the woman who surprises Harold by coming to the city as she is oblivious to the fact that he’s just a clerk at a department store. Finally, there’s Harold Lloyd in a magnificent performance as the boy who is trying to make it in the city as Lloyd’s approach to physical comedy and slapstick is just fun to watch as well as the crazy stunts he pulls to entertain an audience as it’s one of his defining performances.
Safety Last! is an outstanding film from Fred C. Newmeyer and Sam Taylor that features an unforgettable performance from Harold Lloyd. The film is without question one of the great silent comedies of the early 20th century as well an example into why Lloyd was a big star in those times. In the end, Safety Last! is a phenomenal film from Fred C. Newmeyer and Sam Taylor.
© thevoid99 2014
