This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (December 2009)
Love, Speed and Thrills centers on a domestic triangle involving Ambrose (Mack Swain), a devoted husband, his wife (Minta Durfee), and the antagonistic Mr. Walrus (Chester Conklin), characterized as a "wife-stealing wolf." The narrative follows the classical structure of early slapstick comedies, establishing the marital harmony between Ambrose and his wife before introducing the disruptive element of Mr. Walrus's romantic pursuit.
The film's comedic tension derives from Ambrose's efforts to protect his marriage from Mr. Walrus's advances, leading to a series of chase sequences that incorporate automobiles and other period transportation methods.
The Keystone Cops appear in supporting roles, contributing to the film's comedic chaos through their characteristic incompetence in maintaining public order. Their involvement escalates the central conflict beyond a simple domestic dispute into a broader community disturbance, a common narrative device in Sennett productions of this period.
The resolution follows conventional silent comedy structure, with the restoration of domestic order and the defeat of the antagonist's schemes, achieved through a combination of physical comedy, mistaken identity, and the inadvertent intervention of secondary characters.
A 16 mm print is held by George Eastman House,[2] the film is available on DVD with Cohens and Kellys in Atlantic City from Looser Than Loose Vintage Entertainment.[3]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
