The Freshman (1925 film)
| The Freshman | |
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_01.jpg)
theatrical poster
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| Directed by |
Fred C. Newmeyer Sam Taylor |
| Produced by | Harold Lloyd |
| Written by |
John Grey Sam Taylor Tim Whelan Ted Wilde |
| Starring |
Harold Lloyd Jobyna Ralston |
| Music by | Harold Berg |
| Cinematography | Walter Lundin |
| Edited by | Allen McNeil |
| Distributed by | Pathé Exchange |
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Release date
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Running time
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76 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language |
Silent film English intertitles |
| Budget | $301,681 |
| Box office | $2.6 million |
The Freshman is a 1925 comedy film that tells the story of a college freshman trying to become popular by joining the school football team. It stars Harold Lloyd, Jobyna Ralston, Brooks Benedict, and James Anderson. It remains one of Lloyd's most successful and enduring films.
The film was written by John Grey, Sam Taylor, Tim Whelan, and Ted Wilde. It was directed by Fred C. Newmeyer and Sam Taylor.
In 1990, The Freshman was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant", going in the second year of voting and being one of the first 50 films to receive such an honor.
Harold Lamb (Harold Lloyd), a bright-eyed but naïve young man, enrolls at Tate University. On the train there, he meets Peggy (Jobyna Ralston). They are attracted to each other.
Harold decides the best way to ensure his popularity at school is to emulate his movie idol, The College Hero, down to mimicking a little jig he does before greeting anyone, and taking his nickname, "Speedy". However, the College Cad (Brooks Benedict) quickly makes him the butt of an ongoing joke, of which the freshman remains blissfully unaware. Harold thinks he is popular, when in fact he is the laughing stock of the whole school. His only real friend is Peggy, who turns out to be his landlady's daughter, described in one of the film's title cards as "the kind of girl your mother must have been".
He tries out for the football team. The coach (Pat Harmon) is unimpressed, but as Harold has damaged their only practice tackle dummy, the coach uses him in its place. At the end of practice, though he approves of Harold's enthusiasm (undiminished after repeated tackling), the coach is about to dismiss the freshman when Chet Trask (James Anderson), the captain and star of the team, suggests making him their water boy, while letting him think he has made the squad.
Harold is persuaded to host the annual "Fall Frolic" dance. His tailor is late making his suit; with the dance well underway, it is barely being held together by basting stitches, but Harold puts it on and hopes for the best. During the party, his clothes start to fall apart, despite the efforts of the tailor (hiding in a side room) to effect repairs. When Harold sees the College Cad being too forward with Peggy, working as a hatcheck girl, Harold knocks him down. The incensed Cad then tells him just what everyone really thinks of him. Peggy advises him to stop putting on an act and be himself.
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