Borrowing the name given to his “Glasses
Character” in one of his earlier classics, The
Freshman, Harold Lloyd returned to this role for his final silent
performance in Speedy (1928). As well
as showcasing some of the best gags in his career, Speedy gave audiences a ticket to the fast-paced lifestyle of New York City
Lloyd is often
left in the shadows of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, though his glasses
character has the type of optimistic ambition missing from his fellow silent
comedy stars’ on-screen personas. Chaplin’s ‘Little Tramp’ is a bumbling mess
who is often simultaneously helped and hindered by his strong sense of empathy
for his fellow man, and Keaton’s deadpan reactions played to the humor in the
absurdity of modern living, but Lloyd’s character was a depiction of the
relatable struggles of an average ambitious young man. Perhaps this is what
makes him such a suitable character for New
York
Speedy lives up to its name with the
breakneck speed, clearly a film more about gags than plot. A majority of the
situations setting up the films jokes involve public transportation, perfectly
suited to show the urgency of the big city lifestyle. Lloyd’s title character
is a good-natured everyday man whose biggest downfall is the eternal struggle
between ambition and amusement. Though he aspires to become successful in his
financial endeavors, keeping a job often interferes with his obsession with
baseball. The ultimate moment of these askew priorities comes when he is given
the opportunity to drive Babe Ruth to his game while working as a cab driver.
After being offered the opportunity to see the game, Speedy unluckily finds
himself seated directly behind his boss.
America’s favorite pastime is not his
only distraction, and even the news of another lost job is not enough to
prevent Speedy from taking his girlfriend (played by Ann Christy) on an
indulgent day trip to Coney Island, in a new suit destined to be comedically
tarnished. Interestingly, although Speedy seems to represent the ambition of
the modern man, he also becomes the savior for an older tradition of doing
things. After losing his job driving a taxi, Speedy focuses on helping his
girlfriend’s father keep the last of New
York
The Blu-ray release for Speedy offers
a new 4K digital restoration from the UCLA Film & Television Archive,
featuring a musical score by composer Carl Davis from 1992, restored for this
disc under his personal supervision. Special features on this disc include an
optional feature-film commentary track with the director of repertory
programming at New York
Entertainment Value:
8.5/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 8.5/10
Historical
Significance: 9.5/10
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