Excuse My Dust

In "The Roaring Road" (1919) ********, you might recall, Wallace Reid (as Walter Thomas "Toodles" Walden) set the auto record from Los Angeles to San Francisco. He also won a wife, Ann Little (as Dorothy). Ms. Little has convinced Mr. Reid to give up dangerous car-racing; now, he is the manager of her father, Theodore Roberts (as J.D. "The Bear" Ward)'s, company. Reid has settled into domestic tranquility, but will a threat to his old record (and sick kid) tempt him into revisiting the dangerous game of auto racing? Hint: the film is titled "Excuse My Dust!"

As a sequel, speed writer Byron Morgan's story is more contrived and unimaginative than his other "speed flicks". The cars are better displayed than earlier, however; and, Tully Marshall (as Mutchler) is a welcome addition to the returning cast. One scene, where Reid nearly kills his son, is rather more uncomfortable than exciting; some audiences may have thought Wally, Dorothy, and Junior were the real Reid family.