The Freshman

Among silent cinema's comedy greats, Harold Lloyd was typically the collegiate kid, a young modern guy full of energy and urban attitude. In 1925's The Freshman, however, Lloyd's portrayal of Harold Lamb (aka Speedy) was that of a sweet, spunky, small-town boy trying to copy the hip college heroes portrayed in movies and dime novels. Oblivious to the fact that he's become the butt of jokes, Speedy is convinced that he's a contender in the “Most Popular” competition, but—in fact—the student body is laughing behind his back. What would be a humiliating ordeal for most becomes a challenge for Speedy, who is determined to win everyone over, and his mix of resilience and wide-eyed innocence makes him both admirable and pathetic—at least until the energetic naïf proves himself in the big football game. Lloyd handed direction over to regular collaborators Sam Taylor and Fred C. Newmeyer but was intimately involved with every stage of production, and he makes sure that every gag is perfectly executed. The biggest hit of Lloyd's career, this comedy classic receives the red carpet Criterion treatment, with a superb remastered image, snappy new musical score, and excellent collection of supplements, including three Lloyd shorts (1919's “The Marathon,” and “An Eastern Westerner” and “High and Dizzy,” both from 1920), audio commentary, interviews, a tribute to Lloyd, a 1953 appearance by Lloyd on What's My Line?, and a booklet. Presented in a handsome Blu-ray/DVD Combo set, this is highly recommended. (S. Axmaker)