Kid Speed

As the only Larry Semon movie I had previously seen was the rather sorry Wizard of Oz I wasn't expecting much from this short, but I was quite impressed by it. Semon plays a dapper character – you just know what's going to happen as he approaches his car in an immaculate white suit – who loves the same woman as Oliver Hardy. We know Ollie's a bad guy here because he beats his staff whenever he can. To decide who shall have the woman once and for all they decide to race for her.

The film is one of the thrill comedies so popular in the 20s and it contains some terrific shots of racing cars tearing around a dusty Californian terrain. At one point Semon's car tows the sheriff's bed – complete with the sheriff in his nightclothes – at breakneck speed while the sheriff bounces precariously around. There's also a funny scene when Semon finds himself involved in a boxing match with former champion Jim Jeffries. He takes the opportunity to swing a few punches while the champ is still tying his laces, but Jeffries doesn't even notice…