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The First Auto

  • 19271927
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 15m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
260
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
219,693
111,725
Charles Emmett Mack and Patsy Ruth Miller in The First Auto (1927)
ComedyDrama
Hank owns horses, stables horses and races horses. He favorite horse always wins and he is prosperous and will known. His son (Bob), however dreams only of the future of the horseless carria... Read allHank owns horses, stables horses and races horses. He favorite horse always wins and he is prosperous and will known. His son (Bob), however dreams only of the future of the horseless carriage and not of the horse. This causes problems between Hank and Bob. As the people in the t... Read allHank owns horses, stables horses and races horses. He favorite horse always wins and he is prosperous and will known. His son (Bob), however dreams only of the future of the horseless carriage and not of the horse. This causes problems between Hank and Bob. As the people in the town convert from horses to autos, Hank detests those who switch - so he looses his friends... Read all
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
260
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
219,693
111,725
  • Director
    • Roy Del Ruth
  • Writers
    • Darryl F. Zanuck(story)
    • Anthony Coldeway(screen play)
    • Jack Jarmuth(titles)
  • Stars
    • Barney Oldfield
    • Patsy Ruth Miller
    • Russell Simpson
Top credits
  • Director
    • Roy Del Ruth
  • Writers
    • Darryl F. Zanuck(story)
    • Anthony Coldeway(screen play)
    • Jack Jarmuth(titles)
  • Stars
    • Barney Oldfield
    • Patsy Ruth Miller
    • Russell Simpson
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 16User reviews
    • 4Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos8

    Charles Emmett Mack and Patsy Ruth Miller in The First Auto (1927)
    William Demarest and Patsy Ruth Miller in The First Auto (1927)
    Patsy Ruth Miller and Russell Simpson in The First Auto (1927)
    Barney Oldfield in The First Auto (1927)
    William Demarest and Patsy Ruth Miller in The First Auto (1927)
    Charles Emmett Mack and Patsy Ruth Miller in The First Auto (1927)
    Barney Oldfield in The First Auto (1927)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Barney Oldfield
    Barney Oldfield
    • Barney Oldfield
    Patsy Ruth Miller
    Patsy Ruth Miller
    • Rose Robbins
    Russell Simpson
    Russell Simpson
    • Hank Armstrong
    Frank Campeau
    Frank Campeau
    • Mayor Sam Robbins
    William Demarest
    William Demarest
    • Dave Doolittle
    Douglas Gerrard
    Douglas Gerrard
    • Stebbins - Banker
    Gibson Gowland
    Gibson Gowland
    • The Blacksmith
    Anders Randolf
    Anders Randolf
    • The Auctioneer
    Paul Kruger
    Paul Kruger
    • Steve Bentley
    Charles Emmett Mack
    Charles Emmett Mack
    • Bob Armstrong
    • (as Chas. E. Mack)
    Frank Austin
    Frank Austin
    • Joe Saunders
    • (uncredited)
    Joe Bordeaux
    • Livery Handler at Auction
    • (uncredited)
    George Bunny
    • Townsperson Who Laughs Heartily
    • (uncredited)
    E.H. Calvert
    E.H. Calvert
    • Elmer Hays
    • (uncredited)
    Ray Erlenborn
    Ray Erlenborn
    • Boy
    • (uncredited)
    Helen Howard
    Helen Howard
    • Young Woman
    • (uncredited)
    Gus Leonard
    • Barber
    • (uncredited)
    Charlotte Mineau
    Charlotte Mineau
    • Mrs. Stebbins
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Roy Del Ruth
    • Writers
      • Darryl F. Zanuck(story)
      • Anthony Coldeway(screen play)
      • Jack Jarmuth(titles)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Vitaphone production reels #589-596; sixth feature film produced by Warner Bros. to be released with Vitaphone musical accompaniment and sound effects.
    • Goofs
      As the film cuts between Hank and his friend watching the auto race, a pair of glasses appears on Hank's face, then disappears.
    • Quotes

      Opening Title Card: Once upon a time, a horse was a horse... and was loved as such. This was even before Dan Patch started breaking records, or the Vanderbilt cup races had come to displace the county fair. The latest thing then was a bicycle built for two... Bryan hadn't been heard of... and a nickel was still respected -...

    • Crazy credits
      "A Romance Of The Last Horse And The First Horseless Carriage"
    • Connections
      Edited into Gadgets Galore (1955)
    • Soundtracks
      In My Merry Oldsmobile
      (1905) (uncredited)

      Music by Gus Edwards

      In the score during the opening credits, at the end and as background music

    User reviews16

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    5/10
    Technically interesting film
    As an early auto buff, I watched this film for the cars, not expecting much more. The only characters/actors I recognized were beautiful Patsy Ruth Miller, and Gibson Gowland, who, incidentally, played Greta Garbo's father in ANNA Christie, and Oldfield himself. The story is a sort-of early melodrama, not hard to watch, but easily forgettable. BUT: are there any car buffs out there who can identify the makes/brands of the early cars? After all, that's what they were - horseless carriages- and all looked pretty much the same. Only a couple, the one Oldfield drives (with the big radiator) I think resembles Ford's "999", and the big limo near the end I think is a Rolls-Royce, but even of that I'm not sure. Interestingly enough, and I see this a lot in early auto films - all of the cars had the radiator name badge removed from the front, making them even more hard to define.Anybody? Additionally, the character "Elmer Hays" was or wasn't that name a takeoff on ELWOOD HAYNES, an early auto pioneer? All in all, an interesting film. Anybody?
    helpful•3
    2
    • garysheski
    • Jul 12, 2009

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 18, 1927 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • O Primeiro Automóvel
    • Filming locations
      • Riverside, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Warner Bros.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 15 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Silent
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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