The Film Daily (1920)

Sunday, February 8, 1920 sM^ DAILV Another Automobile Comedy; Worthy of Its Title Wallace Reid in "DOUBLE SPEED" Paramount-Artcraft DIRECTOR Sam Wood AUTHOR J. Stewart Woodhouse SCENARIO BY Clara G. Kennedy CAMERAMAN Alfred Gilks AS A WHOLE. . . .Good breezy light comedy showing off star to advantage as comedian. STORY Strikes a pretty fast pace throughout and maintains interest well through capable treatment of novel comedy idea. DIRECTION Very good; seems to have derived the utmost from material provided. PHOTOGRAPHY Excellent LIGHTINGS Plain and good CAMERA WORK Very good; automobile stuff handled evenly and advantageously. STAR Is in his element here both in comedy and romantic sequences. SUPPORT Wanda Hawley makes hit; great comedy between Theodore Roberts and TuUy Marshall. EXTERIORS Pretty country and Los Angeles stuff. INTERIORS All that could be desired DETAIL All right CHARACTER OF STORY Hero, mistaken for tramp, afterwards impersonates himself and concludes the romance and plot happily. LENGTH OF PRODUCTION 4,144 feet "Double Speed" is a corking g-ood comedy and fits Wallace Reid with a role entirely suited to his capabilities as a romantic actor and a light comedian. The plot is rather thin in spots but they certainly have kept the action at double speed throughout the picture and what with the rather original story idea and the comedy-thrill provided by the automobile chase dur ing which the lovers are married, the subject stands as one to be spoken of only in terms of praise. The star appears as "Speed" Carr, motoring across the continent, to attend to his estate which is in charge of his uncle in Los Angeles. Camping out one night tramps are attracted to his fire and the next day when "Speed" comes to he 'finds his car, tent, clothes and money all gone. The climax of this sequence is good for a great big laugh as they show "Speed" stretched on his cot the only thing left him by the marauders. He doesn't discover his loss until he awakes. "Speed" gets a lift to Los Angeles and borrows some clothes, but the bank of which his uncle is vice-president refuses to recognize him. As uncle is out of town things look black for "Speed." However he finally gets a job as chauffeur to Sallie McPherson, daughter of the president of the bank, driving his own car that the tramps had sold to her. McPherson is anxious to locate "Speed" and entertain him before his uncle returns as he is dickering with some investments with uncle that will be helped by such action. At length when uncle is due back in town and no "Speed" has appeared, McPherson persuades the chauffeur to pose as "Speed," as his uncle hasn't seen him for many years. Thus "Speed" poses as himself, wins Sallie's love, marries her and then finally reveals his true identity. There is some fine comedy play between Theodore Roberts and Tully Marshall, as the uncle and bank president respectively, and there are innumerable touches throughout that go to show that the fellows who made it certainly had their comedy senses about them. This is all the more praiseworthy as "Double Speed" is the first feature work of author, scenarist, director and cameraman. Wanda Hawley appears opposite the star while others are Lucien Littlefield and Guy Oliver. A Good Comedy That Ought To Make Good Anywhere Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor This is a comedy that should please generally. It's fast, clean, full of pep and written around an original idea. While it may not measure up to "The Roaring Road" in exciting values, still the laughs come thick and fast, and all in all it fills the feature bill nicely. If you were one of the lucky ones that played "The Roaring Road," "Double Speed'' ought to attract all the better. For mention that it is another "automobile, romantic comedy," similar to "The Roaring Road" will attract many of the people who enjoyed the previous release. Reid is exceedingly popular as a comedian and in the present instance he is very well supported. Most crowds know the names of Wanda Hawley, Theodore Roberts and Tully Marshall. Use them. A good publicity angle lies in the fact that "Double Speed" is the initial feature work of director, author, scenarist and cameraman.