You are here:

Kid Speed

Name: Kid Speed
Director: Larry Semon, Noel M. Smith
Released: 1924
Duration: 18 min

Representation Score

0.6/10

Minimal

1924

Director

Larry Semon, Noel M. Smith

Runtime

18 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Kid Speed is a product of the 1920s silent comedy era, emphasizing slapstick and physical humor over complex identity-based storytelling. The narrative structure relies heavily on established social hierarchies and conventional romantic clichés. The film centers on male competition and paternal authority, positioning women as objects of desire rather than active participants. This reinforces the traditional cinematic landscape of the period. Overall, the work operates within the social norms of its time rather than attempting to challenge them.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Kid Speed have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not include any LGBTQ+ characters or non-cisgender identities. Romantic tension is presented solely through a traditional heterosexual relationship.

How does Kid Speed portray gender?

Limited

Female characters are primarily portrayed as prizes for male competitors rather than independent individuals. The storyline emphasizes patriarchal control through the businessman’s authority.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Kid Speed?

Minimal

The narrative seems to follow the homogeneous casting practices of the silent era. There is no indication of non-white or non-Anglo-Saxon representation.

How does Kid Speed represent religion and culture?

Limited

The story adheres to the capitalist and class-based structures of the 1920s. It focuses on individual competition without challenging Western institutions or traditional morality.

Does Kid Speed include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no mention of characters with visible or invisible disabilities. No neurodivergent or physical impairments are identified in the narrative.

Present on Screen

Serves as a foundational example of the silent era's slapstick and physical comedy genre.

Limited or Absent

has little control over what happens to them for female characters, treating them as prizes for male protagonists.
Reinforces traditional patriarchal hierarchies and class-based social structures.
Absence of racial, cultural, or LGBTQ+ diversity within the character dynamics.

Official Synopsis

Avery DuPoys is a wealthy businessman, organising a race. He meets one of the competitors of the race, who is in love with DuPoys's daughter. Another competitor crashes into the action, who is also in love with DuPoys's daughter. DuPoys suggests that whoever wins the race will have the opportunity to visit his daughter every Wednesday night. An action-packed race commences, with one competitor doing more than usual to win the race.

How are these scores produced? →