Teddy at the Throttle

Everything was way too fast to the point where it wasn't a comedic aspect of the movie anymore, it was a distraction. Yes Teddy's cute and enjoyable to watch, but other than that, what is this spoof good for?

I don't watch a lot of silent movies, but this one has the distinction of being the first one I've seen that actually has a damsel in distress (Gloria Swanson) tied to the railroad tracks. And the day is saved by... Teddy, the wonder dog! This may be the silliest of the Swanson/Vernon slapstick Keystone comedies, but it may also be the most infectious.

It's an enthusiastic one with soon-to-be-star power as Swanson and Beery ham it up for one of those Keystone two-reelers in serial parody mode. And there's a dog! Seeing this bunch in the frantic and memorable take on the railroad peril cliche at the end is more than worth the cost of admission, and Gloria Swanson can play that ukelele any day as far as I'm concerned.