This weekend, I had the privilege to watch my first silent movie in over a decade. The movie, "Speedy" starring Harold Lloyd took place at the restored Portage Theater and was first in a series of the Silent Film Festival. I was pleasantly surprised how good the movie was. My exposure to slapstick has been limited to The Three Stooges and a couple Abbott and Costello movies. I've seen bits and pieces of a few Harold Lloyd movies and have been intrigued - now I am convinced that Harold Lloyd is the master. I especially enjoyed scenes of Speedy (played by Lloyd) at the local amusement park with his girlfriend as they wreck havoc in the park. Accompanying the film was a live organ player who added additional life to the experience. I was surprised at how much I laughed at the movie and happy to see the Portage filled. To see a sample of Harold Lloyd's antics click on the scene below...
