Overview
A college freshman's quest for popularity leads to hilarious misadventures and unexpected romance.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- buoyant
- sincere
- lazy afternoon
- classic comedy night
What critics said
Critics and historians broadly regard the film as one of Harold Lloyd's funniest and most tightly constructed silent comedies, with enduring influence on college comedy.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Harold Lamb imitates a campus hero and spends his savings trying to manufacture popularity, while classmates recognize the resulting absurdity before he does.
Harold believes joining the football team is essential to becoming a campus hero despite being visibly unsuited to football.
Peggy's affection offers Harold an alternative to his fixation on impressing the entire college community.
The film's reputation rests on carefully constructed physical gags, especially its college and football sequences.
Films like The Freshman, and why
Safety Last!
shared silent-era physical comedy, optimistic underdog protagonist, and escalating social embarrassment
Girl Shy
shared Harold Lloyd comic style, youthful ambition, romantic sincerity, and elaborate physical gags
The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg
shared college setting, underdog athletic comedy, and silent-era slapstick energy
Movie Details
- Directors
- Fred C. Newmeyer, Sam Taylor
- Release Date
- 1925-09-20
- Runtime
- 77 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (134)
Cast
- Harold Lloyd
- Jobyna Ralston
- Brooks Benedict
- Hazel Keener
- Joseph Harrington
- Pat Harmon
- Leon Beaumon
- Ethel Broadhurst
- Roy Brooks
- Rosalind Byrne
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, Philo, Criterion Channel, Fandor Amazon Channel, HBO Max
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Freshman about?
- A hopeful college dreamer turns manufactured popularity and football heroics into a parade of brilliantly choreographed silent-era embarrassment.
- What is The Freshman like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Freshman as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Freshman violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Freshman as mild.
- What did critics think of The Freshman?
- Critics and historians broadly regard the film as one of Harold Lloyd's funniest and most tightly constructed silent comedies, with enduring influence on college comedy.
- Which films are like The Freshman?
- Films with a similar feel include Safety Last!, Girl Shy, and The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg.
- How long is The Freshman?
- The Freshman runs 77 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Freshman?
- In United States, The Freshman streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, Philo, Criterion Channel, Fandor Amazon Channel, HBO Max.
