The Cinema
IlAnoLb LLOYD in Speedy at the Plaza has never played a more congenial part. Speedy is a charming, original, absent- minded young man with a passion for baseball and a gift for losing jobs on Saturdays and getting others on Mondays. He excels himself behind the counter in a restaurant : his ear to the telephone and his deft fingers manipulating ice- creain sodas, he yet contrives to signal the latest baseball scores in cakes to the chef across the room. He is " fired " eventually, but he and his girl have a rollicking day at Coney Island spending the week's wages. On Monday, as a taxi- driver, Harold Lloyd achieves undreamed-of extravagances— for one day.
The story of the film is slightly complicated. The worthy father of Speedy's girl is the proud owner of the last horse-tram in the city. An attempt is made by certain city magnates to buy this historic vehicle so that its place shall be taken by more modern modes of transport. Instigated by Speedy, the old man will not sell except at a prodigious price. So a plan is formulated to capture it : Speedy hears of this plot and courageously drives the tram himself. He is attacked by a band of toughs and a most amusing fight ensues. All the veterans of the district come to Speedy's assistance, armed with saucepans, brooms, rolling-pins, scissors (for cutting braces), hot irons, and wooden legs. Of course, Speedy and his comrades are victorious and the film ends happily. The sub-titles are natural and spontaneous —an unusual quality.
Wings, at the Carlton Theatre, is a daring film. For Magnificent photographic technique combined with astonishing skill and courage on the part of the cast, this Paramount picture is unsurpassed. The story around which Wings has been made is quite superfluous, since the interest of the film is not concerned with any personality but with the presentation of aerial warfare. It is an attempt to give a realistic picture of fighting in the air—an attempt which has succeeded almost too well—sometimes one could not look. Tense, and terrified, we watch the American air-squadron take off in formation, in search of enemy air-craft ; they engage with the famous Kellermann and with the German Gothas ; there are some terrific crashes and the air-fighting scenes are grim and terrific. There could be no better anti-war propaganda,
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