The Freshman (1925)

Directors:

Fred C. Newmeyer
Sam Taylor

Writers:

Sam Taylor (story) &
Ted Wilde (story) ...

Release Date:

20 September 1925 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Sport

Plot:

Nerdy college student will do anything to become popular on campus.

Plot Keywords:

College | College Student | Student | Campus | Practical Joke

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Harold Lloyd	...	The Freshman
Jobyna Ralston	...	Peggy
Brooks Benedict	...	The College Cad
James Anderson	...	The College Hero
Hazel Keener	...	The College Belle
Joseph Harrington	...	The College Tailor
Pat Harmon	...	The Football Coach

Also Known As:

College Days (UK)

Runtime:

76 min (2002 release)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color (tinted)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Certification:

Australia:G | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-G (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Culver City, California, USA

Company:

The Harold Lloyd Corporation

Trivia:

Debut of Grady Sutton.

Goofs:

Continuity: The glass partition between Harold and the driver disappears and reappears.

Quotes:

Intertitle: Tate University - A large football stadium, with a college attached.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Funny Side of Life (1963)

Soundtrack:

Collegiate

Harold Lloyd's most loved film!

The Freshman is one of the greatest motion pictures of all time and arguably Harold Lloyd's finest film. The film revolves around Harold Lamb (Harold Lloyd) whose dreams of going to college occupy his mind non-stop. And so Harold arrives there on the train and he already starts trouble when he mistakenly hits the dean of the college on the back. After Harold is talked into taking a car with a chauffeur to the college from the station (which actually belongs to the dean), he is then sadly made the college clown and doesn't even know it. Lloyd of course made The Freshman a character comedy, which he liked to call it. A character comedy means that the comedy doesn't just have gags in it, it also examines the character that Lloyd so expertly plays. Lloyd's leading lady in the film, Jobyna Ralston, is sensational as Harold's love interest. Ralston plays Peggy who first encounters Harold on the train and they later again meet at the place, which Harold is living in. Harold then desperately tries to make the college football team. The coach of the team is described as being so tough that he shaves with a blowtorch. The coach asks Harold if he's good at kicking a ball and unfortunately proves that he can't. At the end of the tough practice, Harold says to the coach "We had a great workout, didn't we, coach?" But the coach knows that Harold will not make the team but knows that Harold has great spirit. Then the coach's assistant suggests that he should still be on the squad as water boy and let him think that he's one of the team's substitutes. An extremely tired Harold arrives back at the house that he is renting and inside the house, some of the childish college students are laughing about sating that they have another joke on speedy that he's made the team but is only the water boy. Peggy overhears their conversation and tells them all what a terrific person Harold really is. We next see Harold crawling up the stairs on his hands and knees to go to his room. Peggy comes running up to break the sad news to Harold. Harold interrupts Peggy and happily explains, "I MADE THE TEAM!" And Peggy still has the intent of telling Harold the truth but does not so that she doesn't hurt his feelings. Then Peggy congratulates him. Next comes The Fall Frolic, which is the annual college ball, where Harold must wear a tuxedo and is again made a clown after the tailor does not do such a good job when the tuxedo falls apart. After Harold is laughed at with his tuxedo ruined to bits and pieces, he then notices that one of the college students is harassing Peggy and Harold runs in and punches the guy in the face and falls down. The fellow then says to Harold, "Just for that, you little fool, I'm going to tell you what this bunch really thinks of you" and then Harold's heart is shattered to pieces. Peggy stares at Harold with those loving eyes of hers as Harold pretends to laugh about saying, "It doesn't bother me a bit—really; a fellow has to expect those things you know". Slowly, tears begin to pour out of Peggy's eyes. She holds out her arms to Harold and he falls in her lap crying and it's a very emotional scene in the film. And as Harold is crying, we see a significant shot of his room where his picture is hanging on the wall when a gust of wind comes blowing through the window and the photo falls in the bin. Peggy tells Harold "Stop pretending, Harold—be yourself! Get out and make them like you for what you really are and what you can do!" Harold says to himself that he'll prove what he really is at the football game.

Of course then comes the day of days when the spectacular football game takes place. It is Tate vs. Union State. Right up to the last ten minutes of the match, Harold is still sitting on the bench and still thinks that he'll be in the game. After practically every team member from Tate gets knocked out, Harold proves to the coach that he has tried very hard to make it into this team. Harold then goes on the field. He then actually gets a hold of the ball and runs to get the touch down and just before the touch down line, he hears a whistle which is actually coming from the train and drops the ball on the ground. Harold's team members get extremely angry with him for blowing their final chance. Harold then looks lover to the stands and sees all the students laughing at him. He quickly gets a hold of himself and toughens up. Finally, Harold gets the ball and expertly runs through all his human obstacles and then a bunch of opponents jump on his back and Harold collapses right on the touchdown line. The coach asks the assistant "I can't look, is it over the line?" As the referee gets all the players off Harold's back, the ball in fact ends up being just over the line with the paint from the boundary line stuck on Harold's face and everybody celebrates. The fans pick Harold up onto their shoulders and Peggy gives him a note as he enters the dressing room. The entire team congratulates Harold on a terrific effort. One of Harold's team members tells him to quickly come to the window and Harold sees everyone including the coach doing the dance that Harold has now made so famous at the school. Harold then reads the not from Peggy "I knew you could do it, I'm so proud and I love you." Harold smiles and leans towards the wall and turns on the shower tap and water falls on Harold's head as the scene fades out.