Feet First
Encyclopedia
Feet First is a 1930 comedy film starring Harold Lloyd
, a very popular daredevil comedian during the 1920s and early 1930s. It was Lloyd's second & most popular sound ('talkie') feature. It is also one of his 'thrill' comedies, involving him climbing up a tall building. Harold Lloyd was one of very few actors who successfully adapted to sound. Others included Laurel and Hardy
and Buster Keaton
.
The rest of the film he spends hiding his true circumstances, in the store and later as an (accidental) stowaway on board a ship. Trying to deliver a letter, he becomes trapped in a mailbag, which is taken off the ship and falls off a delivery van onto a window cleaner's cradle, which is hoisted upwards. Escaping from the bag, he finds himself dangling high above the street. After several thwarted attempts to get inside the building, he climbs to the very top, only to slip off - unaware his foot is caught on the end of a rope, which rescues him inches from the ground.
, and the last occasion on which Lloyd would appear with the same leading lady.
(1923). Contrary to some Hollywood lore, this scene did not utilize special effects or back projection
. Before the scene in the 1962 compilation film
Harold Lloyd's World of Comedy (produced by Harold Lloyd himself), a title card reads:
The film was re-released again in segments as part of Time-Life
's Harold Lloyd's World of Comedy television series in the 1970s. However since the majority of the clips in the series came from silent films, the sound track was removed as if to imply that it too was a silent film. It has since been released on DVD
in its correct format.
, billed as "Sleep 'n' Eat". (Another African American actor of this era in Hollywood was known as Stepin Fetchit
.)
Harold Lloyd
Harold Clayton Lloyd, Sr. was an American film actor and producer, most famous for his silent comedies....
, a very popular daredevil comedian during the 1920s and early 1930s. It was Lloyd's second & most popular sound ('talkie') feature. It is also one of his 'thrill' comedies, involving him climbing up a tall building. Harold Lloyd was one of very few actors who successfully adapted to sound. Others included Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy were one of the most popular and critically acclaimed comedy double acts of the early Classical Hollywood era of American cinema...
and Buster Keaton
Buster Keaton
Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton was an American comic actor, filmmaker, producer and writer. He was best known for his silent films, in which his trademark was physical comedy with a consistently stoic, deadpan expression, earning him the nickname "The Great Stone Face".Keaton was recognized as the...
.
Plot
Harold Horne, an ambitious shoe salesman in Honolulu, unknowingly meets the boss' secretary (played by Barbara Kent) and tells her he is a millionaire leather tycoon.The rest of the film he spends hiding his true circumstances, in the store and later as an (accidental) stowaway on board a ship. Trying to deliver a letter, he becomes trapped in a mailbag, which is taken off the ship and falls off a delivery van onto a window cleaner's cradle, which is hoisted upwards. Escaping from the bag, he finds himself dangling high above the street. After several thwarted attempts to get inside the building, he climbs to the very top, only to slip off - unaware his foot is caught on the end of a rope, which rescues him inches from the ground.
Cast
- Harold LloydHarold LloydHarold Clayton Lloyd, Sr. was an American film actor and producer, most famous for his silent comedies....
as Harold Horne - Barbara KentBarbara KentBarbara Kent was a Canadian-born U.S.-based silent film actress. Following the death of Miriam Seegar, she was the last North American actor still alive to have achieved substantial fame during the silent film era as an adult.-Career:Born as Barbara Cloutman in Gadsby, Alberta, to Jullion Curtis...
as Barbara - Robert McWadeRobert McWadeRobert McWade , was an American stage and film actor. From 1903-1927, he appeared in at least 38 Broadway productions, his last being The Devil In The Cheese, with Bela Lugosi and Fredric March...
as John Quincy Tanner - Lillian LeightonLillian LeightonLillian Brown Leighton was an American silent film actress. She was signed in 1910 and starred in over 200 films before her retirement in 1940.-Selected filmography:-External links:...
as Mrs Tanner - Henry Hall as Endicott
- Noah YoungNoah YoungNoah Young Jr. was a former champion weightlifter who joined the Hal Roach studios as an actor, mainly playing comic villains. He appeared in several Laurel and Hardy comedies but was more notable as a foil for Harold Lloyd, whom he supported in over 50 films...
as Sailor - Alec B. FrancisAlec B. FrancisAlec B. Francis was an English actor, largely of the silent era. He appeared in 241 films between 1911 and 1934.He was born in London and died in Hollywood, California.-Selected filmography:...
as Mr Carson - Arthur HousmanArthur HousmanArthur Housman was an American actor in films during the Golden Age of Hollywood.-Career:Initially as a leading man, Housman later became known as Hollywood's most familiar comic drunkard in films of the 1930s, usually playing cameo parts in features but with better opportunities in short films...
as Drunken Clubman - Willie BestWillie BestWilliam "Willie" Best sometimes known as Sleep n' Eat was an American television and film actor....
as Janitor - Nick Copeland as Man Arguing With Friend
- James Finlayson as Painter
- Buster Phelps as Little Boy
- Leo WillisLeo WillisLeo Willis was an American actor in films from the silent days. He played mainly tough guys and comic villains, notably opposite Harold Lloyd, Charley Chase and Laurel and Hardy at the Hal Roach Studios.-Selected filmography:...
as Truck Driver
Co-star
This was the second film with Barbara KentBarbara Kent
Barbara Kent was a Canadian-born U.S.-based silent film actress. Following the death of Miriam Seegar, she was the last North American actor still alive to have achieved substantial fame during the silent film era as an adult.-Career:Born as Barbara Cloutman in Gadsby, Alberta, to Jullion Curtis...
, and the last occasion on which Lloyd would appear with the same leading lady.
Stunts
The "hanging outside of the skyscraper" sequence used techniques similar to those on Lloyd's most famous film, the silent Safety Last!Safety Last!
Safety Last! is a 1923 romantic comedy silent film starring Harold Lloyd. It includes one of the most famous images from the silent film era: Lloyd clutching the hands of a large clock as he dangles from the outside of a skyscraper above moving traffic. The film was highly successful and critically...
(1923). Contrary to some Hollywood lore, this scene did not utilize special effects or back projection
Compositing
Compositing is the combining of visual elements from separate sources into single images, often to create the illusion that all those elements are parts of the same scene. Live-action shooting for compositing is variously called "chroma key", "blue screen", "green screen" and other names. Today,...
. Before the scene in the 1962 compilation film
Compilation movie
Film historian Jay Leyda discussed the origins of the compilation film in his work Films Beget Films.-Anime:A compilation movie, or compilation film, a term used by reviewers of Japanese anime, is a feature film that is mostly composed of footage from a television serial...
Harold Lloyd's World of Comedy (produced by Harold Lloyd himself), a title card reads:
- This sequence was made without trick photography and before process was perfected. The action — at all times — actually occurred as high up as you see it happen.
Re-releases
In the original release, Lloyd's character's name was "Harold". For reasons unknown, in the 1960s re-release Lloyd overdubbed his own voice to change the name to 'Charlie'.The film was re-released again in segments as part of Time-Life
Time-Life
Time–Life is a creator and direct marketer of books, music, video/DVD, and multimedia products. Its products are sold throughout North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia through television, print, retail, the Internet, telemarketing, and direct sales....
's Harold Lloyd's World of Comedy television series in the 1970s. However since the majority of the clips in the series came from silent films, the sound track was removed as if to imply that it too was a silent film. It has since been released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
in its correct format.
Period characteristics
This film contains a classic example of Hollywood's use of African Americans in comic shiftless and slow stereotyped roles. While hanging outside of a skyscraper window, Lloyd's character attempts to obtain the assistance of a janitor, whom he nicknames "Charcoal", played by Willie BestWillie Best
William "Willie" Best sometimes known as Sleep n' Eat was an American television and film actor....
, billed as "Sleep 'n' Eat". (Another African American actor of this era in Hollywood was known as Stepin Fetchit
Stepin Fetchit
Stepin Fetchit was the stage name of American comedian and film actor Lincoln Theodore Monroe Andrew Perry....
.)