To kick off the 50 Film Challenge, I chose Safety Last, a silent comedy from 1923 about a store clerk (Harold Lloyd) who devises a risky scheme for a chance to win a $1,000 prize and the affection of his sweetheart.
I was particularly interested in watching this movie based on its literal playing out of a lowly worker trying to climb the corporate ladder. Over the span of his impressive career (out-earning even Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin), Harold Lloyd came to represent the everyperson and the fight to achieve the American dream.
As we move into a new year, I feel like it’s easy to beat ourselves up about the risks we did (or didn’t) take and trip ourselves up thinking about ways to get ahead.
I hope Safety Last is the comedic relief you need this week and reminder to keep looking up.
Note: I won’t be hosting a watch party for this week’s film, but I plan to starting next week! If you don’t have a Criterion membership, you can also rent on Amazon Prime, though there may be other ways to watch that don’t require sending money to Bezos.
I will post a members-only discussion thread at the end of the week — make sure to sign up to join the club if you’d like to participate in that and future screenings. :)
Upcoming
Jan 10 -16
M | Fritz Lang | Germany | 1931 | Thriller
Jan 17 -23
Trouble in Paradise | Ernst Lubitsch | USA | 1932 | Rom Com
Jan 24 - 30
Modern Times | Charlie Chaplin | USA | 1936 | Com Dram