TCM celebrated Harold Lloyd’s birthday. I was able to watch my favorite film Girl Shy before work (instead of taking a morning walk). I wasn’t sure what to write about. Then I realized that Lloyd had really long climatic chase scenes. This could have been an entire short on its own. The following is the very long scene to get to his love.
Set up
Harold finds out that the rich girl he loves is going to marry someone else that day. A woman comes in to the taylor shop and sees the article. She breaks down and shows Harold the watch and states that he is her husband. Harold takes the watch to stop the wedding.
Chase (against time)
Harold gets to the train station, but is stuttering and can’t get himself understood to get a ticket. The train leaves and he runs after the train as he just reaches it a woman’s scarf falls on his head and he stops to take it off and the train leaves him in the dust. He tries to flag down a ride in a truck and almost gets hit by a car. He moves to the side of the road to try to get a ride and is startled by a little boy on a tricycle. He sees a paper bag on the ground, blows it up and when a car comes by he pops it. The car stops and the driver looks at all the tires. Harold approaches him, still stuttering and the driver pushes him off. The driver continues on and Harold jumps on the running board. The car pulls up a few driveways and then pulls in the garage. Harold tries again. A man is teaching a woman how to drive. She goes forward, backwards and stops several times. Each time Harold thinks that he is going to get a ride. He ends up jumping on the back. The woman does circles in the street and ends up hitting a pole and Harold falls off. He then finds a car and drives off. A couple are picnicking on the other side of the car. He comes to a road closed sign with a detour and takes that route. It is a hilly unpaved route that he and the car go up and down. (Cut to the very unhappy bride in her room.)
Harold is back on the main paved road but the car and Harold are still going up and down. He can’t take it any more and gets out of the running car and it goes off to the side of the road. He walks and comes up to man putting a box of flowers in the back seat. As Harold comes up to he man he runs away. Harold gets in the car and drives off. Two men follow. As Harold drives a bottle explodes in the flower box. Harold gets out of the car to check the tires and another bottle pops. Harold gets back in the car. The two men are police officers and they commandeer a car and shoot at Harold. Harold does not realize he is being shot at until a hole in the windshield appears. He gabs for bottles in the box and throws them behind him. The car ends up with flat tires. The police commandeer another car. Harold a narrow road where he meets another car. Neither want to back up so Harold states lets switch cars. The car that Harold is driving is a modern fast car and the other car is an old jalopy. Harold cranks the car and the car slides down the hill. He is holding the crank in his hand and throws it down to the car. Harold starts walking again. He sees a car and this time not taking any chances jumps in the backseat. The policeman is in the car. He is standing with his hands up. As they pass a tree he jumps up grabs a branch and then jumps onto a horse and keeps going. He can’t keep in the saddle. (Cut to the wedding getting started.)
The horse falls and Harold hit’s the ground. Harold and the horse get back up but he decides to go on another way. He sees a car and gets in. The car starts to go backwards. It is being towed away. He sees a cable car. He is still stuttering so he can’t get the conductor to go. He gets on starts driving the cable car. He is going very fast on the track through the city. The cable comes off the track and the car stops. Harold climbs up to the roof and connects the cable to the line. Off the car goes with Harold still on top. The car is going very fast and Harold is barely staying on he top. He then pulls the wire off the track and ends up over the side of the car. He ends up right over a car and drops into the car right through the roof. He gets the man to drive faster by putting his foot over the drivers. They end up sideswiping a motorcycle police officer. He chases them down. As the officer stops the driver, Harold gets out of the car and takes the motorcycle. (Cut to the bride and bridesmaids gettng ready.)
He drives the motorcycle through a farmers market, a ditch full of men that scramble to get out of the way. He grounds the motorcycle and jumps into the drivers seat of a horse truck. (Cut to the bride coming down the aisle.)
Horses going faster than the cars and cable cars throughout the city. (Cut to the ceremony.)
Harold driving the horses at a fast necked pace. (Cut to bride and groom stating “I do.”.)
Carriage looses a wheel. He unhooks the carriage and jumps on the back of one of the horses. The horse and Harold fall but get back up and keep going. Finally he reaches her house. He breaks a glass door to get in he house. A servant tries to stop him but he gets loose. He gets down the steps just as the minister states “I now pronounce you…” He is still stuttering and can’t get out the words. He puts the bride over his shoulder and carries her out the way he came in the house and out into the street. In the street Harold gives her the watch.
Conclusion
Harold will only stop stuttering by a whistle blow. The girl sees a mailman and they chase him down. She blows the whistle. The girl asks “what where you going to ask me?”. Will you marry me? YES she replies as they hug.
The End.
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