Speed

[Taylormade]

Turner Classic Movies showed an old B movie on May 19th called "Speed" featuring a very young Jimmy Stewart. Not much of a film plot-wise, but over half the movie takes place inside a car manufacturing plant and from what I could tell it's the Plymouth plant in Los Angeles. They're making 36 Plymouths and there are shots of frames being built, engine blocks being bored and drilled and a sedan body being welded by remote welders - yeah, you read that right - remote welders. You also see front fenders being pressed out in a huge hydraulic stamping machine. They've got some phony name for the car company, but you can clearly see the Plymouth signs in the rear windows as they roll off the assembly line.

Stewart and his sidekick (Ted Healy, founder of the Three Stooges) drive around in a nice 34 Plymouth convertible, and another actor drives a really sharp 36 Plymouth convert. You also get to see Stewart (his stunt driver, of course) roll several Plymouth sedans at the test track.

Good stuff at the Indy 500 with actual footage and some really terrifying accidents. Also a streamlined car with multiple Plymouth engines attempting to set the world land speed record.

As I said, not much of a movie, but the car scenes are well worth watching.

[Cpt.Fred]

is that available on DVD...?

[greg g]

I caught the last 20 minutes or so the other day. The depiction of the dry lake course was pretty hokey. The black line with spectator cars parked along it 10 feet away on either side. Like the rescue where the sidekick drives the LSR car into the Hospital in Muroc. The scene was supposed to be reminicient of Malcom Campbell's speed attempts.

Stewarts character was supposed to have been an improved carburetor inventor,

Mr. Fish goes to the dry lakes.

[Niel Hoback]

IMBd claims the movie was filmed in Detroit, and that it's Stewarts first lead role even though its a "B" movie. Gotta find it.

[BobT-47P15]

Ah......would this be the same Taylormade with the Wayfarer convertible??

If so, how's it coming along????

Also the P15????

Bob

[Taylormade]

One and the same. I'm just finishing putting new seals in my P-15 tranny and getting ready to put her back in after a clutch and pressure plate replacement.

The Wayfarer hasn't progressed much as I spent a lot of time upgrading my workshop and adding air lines and a large compressor. I've been helping a friend work on his 53 Plymouth convertible and have learned a great deal about metalwork and welding along the way. I'm feeling pretty good about diving into the roadster in the near future.

RT

[Taylormade]

The scenes in the Plymouth plant may have been shot in Detroit, but this was a small budget "B" movie and it was certainly shot in L.A. All the shots of Stewart and other actors in the "plant" are actually the actors standing in front of a rear-projection screen while previously photographed scenes are projected to give the appearance they are there. Despite what IMDB says - and they are often incorrect, my bio is a case in point, where I'm credited with several films I never worked on - I would bet the studio would have shot at the L.A. assembly plant given the chance. Still, some interesting assembly scenes in this flick.

RT

[P-12 Tommy]

Anybody have an idea where to get this movie?

[TodFitch]

  P-12 Tommy said:

Anybody have an idea where to get this movie?

Yes, inquiring minds want to know.

[B-Watson]

  Taylormade said:

The scenes in the Plymouth plant may have been shot in Detroit, but this was a small budget "B" movie and it was certainly shot in L.A. All the shots of Stewart and other actors in the "plant" are actually the actors standing in front of a rear-projection screen while previously photographed scenes are projected to give the appearance they are there. Despite what IMDB says - and they are often incorrect, my bio is a case in point, where I'm credited with several films I never worked on - I would bet the studio would have shot at the L.A. assembly plant given the chance. Still, some interesting assembly scenes in this flick.

RT

As all Chrysler engines were built in Detroit at that time, that part of the film was definitely not filmed at LA. Also, I believe all body parts for the LA plant were stamped in either Detroit or one of Briggs's plants (Evansville or Youngstown). Not even sure if the LA plant built their own bodies back then.

Bill

Vancouver, BC

[John Reddie]

According to his list under "s", this guy has this film for sale. I have had good luck with his films in the past.

John R

http://www.bpm123.net/

[Don Coatney]

  John Reddie said:

According to his list under "s", this guy has this film for sale. I have had good luck with his films in the past.

John R

http://www.bpm123.net/

I contacted the above seller. Here is the deal.

1 Movie= $20.00

2 Movies = $35.00

3 Movies = $50.00

4 Movies = $65.00

I want 1 copy. Who else would like a copy? The above costs include shipping to one address.

[TodFitch]

  Don Coatney said:

I contacted the above seller. Here is the deal.

1 Movie= $20.00

2 Movies = $35.00

3 Movies = $50.00

4 Movies = $65.00

I want 1 copy. Who else would like a copy? The above costs include shipping to one address.

It sounds like an illegal copy as he says that he is just making a DVD-R copy of his movie. So.... If the group could order one copy we could certainly make more. Make a copy for yourself and send the "original" on to the next buyer. Then you are down to $20 divided N ways plus individual postage to send to the next person.

That being said, I wonder if that bittorrent network that is said to have illegal copies of most movies would have that one. Why pay for an illegal copy if you can get it for free.

[Don Coatney]

  TodFitch said:

It sounds like an illegal copy as he says that he is just making a DVD-R copy of his movie. So.... If the group could order one copy we could certainly make more. Make a copy for yourself and send the "original" on to the next buyer. Then you are down to $20 divided N ways plus individual postage to send to the next person.

That being said, I wonder if that bittorrent network that is said to have illegal copies of most movies would have that one. Why pay for an illegal copy if you can get it for free.

Tod;

I do not have capabilities of duplicating DVD's. I will sit tight until someone with those capabilities responds. Where do you get one for free?

[TodFitch]

  Don Coatney said:

Tod;

I do not have capabilities of duplicating DVD's. I will sit tight until someone with those capabilities responds. Where do you get one for free?

Don't know yet. I found a trailer for the movie in the Turner Classic Movie site. The movie was made by MGM and Turner bought up the MGM library years ago so I suspect that TCM owns the rights.

My pitiful efforts at finding a copy was swamped by the huge number of hits for a 1994 Keanu Reeves movie of the same name.

I'd actually prefer to buy a legal copy but I haven't found that yet either.

[Don Coatney]

  TodFitch said:

I'd actually prefer to buy a legal copy

Me too.