''Fast Company'' is a 1918 American silent

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Lynn Reynolds Lynn Fairfield Reynolds (May 7, 1889 – February 25, 1927) was an American director and screenwriter. Reynolds directed more than 80 films between 1915 and 1928. He also wrote for 58 films between 1914 and 1927. Reynolds was born in Harlan, ...

and starring Juanita Hansen, Edward Cecil, Lon Chaney and Franklyn Farnum. (Lon Chaney had a relatively small role in this film, but the review from ''Motion Picture News'' slammed him for "overacting".) The film is today considered lost. Co-writer Waldemar Young later went on to script a number of Lon Chaney's later silent films, such as ''The Blackbird'', ''The Unknown'' and ''The Unholy Three'' (1925 version) and collaborated with director

Tod Browning Tod Browning (born Charles Albert Browning Jr.; July 12, 1880 – October 6, 1962) was an American film director, film actor, screenwriter, vaudeville performer, and carnival sideshow and circus entertainer. He directed a number of films of var ...

as well.

Plot

Lawrence Van Huyler (Farnum), being constantly goaded by his family regarding his prestige, finds it impossible to be anything but inhibited and a pampered cad. Any rebelliousness is quickly nipped in the bud by his father, Peter Van Huyler (Montague). The tearing down of an old house, for generations the home of the Van Huylers, reveals their true family name. Lawrence is delighted to find that he is not of Dutch royalty, but rather Irish, his paternal cognomen having originally been O'Malley, and that he was once related to a common seafaring pirate. At last he can shed the pretense of high birth and act more human, and he sets out to win the hand of his beloved Alicia Vanderveldt (Hansen), Alicia has abandoned Lawrence for a boisterous braggart named Richard Barnaby, a storyteller who loves to regale the ladies with tales of his romantic exploits in foreign lands. Learning that his ancestors were really all commoners, Richard defies his father's wishes and takes on a low paying construction job, and sets about confronting the various people at his college who used to ridicule him and call him a pompous fop. When he discovers Richard's exploits are all just manufactured tall tales (which he took from a fictional adventure novel), Lawrence exposes him as a liar in front of everyone and wins Alicia's love when she sees how manly he has become.

Cast

Franklyn Farnum Franklyn Farnum (born William Smith; June 5, 1878 – July 4, 1961) was an American character actor and Hollywood extra who appeared in at least 1,100 films. He was also cast in more films that won the Academy Award for Best Picture than any ot ...

as Lawrence Percival Van Huyler * Katherine Griffith as Mrs. Van Huyler * Lon Chaney as Dan McCarty * Fred Montague as Peter Van Huyler * Juanita Hansen as Alicia Vanderveldt * Edward Cecil as Richard Barnaby

Reception

"This is a light, clean, comedy drama, possessing considerable heart interest that will please any audience. Story holds together well, and ends happily. Supporting cast good, excepting Lon Chaney, who overacts." ---Motion Picture News "The tale has several good comedy angles, but the scenario has been crudely done...The socialistic trend of the tale gives it a certain topical value and adds something of sympathetic appeal to the character of the hero." ---Variety

References

External links

* * * {{AFI film, 14930 1918 films 1918 comedy films 1918 short films American silent feature films American black-and-white films Silent American comedy short films Films directed by Lynn Reynolds Universal Pictures short films 1910s American films 1910s English-language films English-language comedy short films