Speedy (1928)

Director:

Ted Wilde

Writers:

John Grey (story) &
Lex Neal (story) ...

Release Date:

7 April 1928 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Family

Tagline:

LLOYD'S LATEST (original print ad - all caps)

Plot:

"Speedy" loses his job as a soda-jerk, then spends the day with his girl at Coney Island. He then becomes...

Plot Keywords:

Soda Jerk | Railroad | Trolley | Grandfather | Yankee Stadium New York City

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Harold Lloyd	...	Harold 'Speedy' Swift
Ann Christy	...	Jane Dillon
Bert Woodruff	...	Pop Dillon - Her Grand-daddy
Brooks Benedict	...	Steve Carter
Babe Ruth	...	George Herman Ruth

Runtime:

85 min (22 fps)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Certification:

Australia:G

Filming Locations:

Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

The Harold Lloyd Corporation

Trivia:

Lou Gehrig can be seen walking by as Babe Ruth gets out of the cab.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Pop first stops the horse car to let a passenger off, the window to his right is up. When he resumes his route, the window glass is suddenly gone.

Quotes:

Harold "Speedy" Swift: It smells like rain.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Airplane! (1980)

Soundtrack:

Speedy Boy

End Of An Era For Mr. Lloyd

A SPEEDY young fellow races against time to save an unscrupulous syndicate from destroying the horse car line belonging to his girlfriend's grandfather.

Harold Lloyd made his final silent screen appearance in this very funny movie, which solidifies his reputation as one of the greatest film stars of the era. His impeccable timing and elaborate stunts are abundantly on display and his athletic abilities, despite the severe accident suffered to his right hand some years earlier, are still honed to a razor sharpness. He makes comic mincemeat out of his stints as soda jerk & taxi driver, and whether rallying the neighborhood Civil War veterans to fight off a gang of hoodlums, or ending the film with another of his marvelous trademark chase scenes, Harold is never less than utterly hilarious.

His new leading lady is played by spunky Ann Christy; they share a glorious, extended Coney Island Sunday sequence full of sight gags, high jinks & sweet romance. Elderly Bert Woodruff plays her beloved grandfather, a grumpy old coot with a heart of gold. And, for a few splendid moments, the immortal Babe Ruth finds himself uncomfortably ensconced in the back seat of Harold's taxi for a madcap dash to Yankee Stadium.

Movie mavens will recognize an uncredited Josephine Crowell as the very nervous lady in a limousine who has a close encounter with Harold's runaway trolley.

Rear screen projection was thankfully very rare during the silent era. What was filmed was really happening. However, it's use can be seen encroaching on the sublime reality of Harold's final chase sequence in SPEEDY. Safety factors, among other considerations, had to be accommodated.

Carl Davis has composed an excellent film score which perfectly complements Harold's antics on the screen.