The First Auto

It's 1895 Maple City. Hank Armstrong loves horses. He owns horse, races them, and often wins. On the other hand, his son Bob is much more interested in the new invention of horseless carriage. This causes a rift in their relationship as the whole world switches and Hank loses his business. Bob moves to nearby Detroit and joins the car business.

The story is not that dramatic. It feels as inevitable as the spread of the automobile. It's a little like Hank. I also wonder if this was financed by Ford. Early real racer Barney Oldfield has a minor role. I've never heard of the name but it's interesting to learn something. The old car racing is quite compelling. It has a recklessness about it although I would definitely get rid of the fake flames. The effect looks bad. This is an easy story and probably more compelling for people who lived through the era.

This film about the displacement of the horse by the automobile was made by Warner Brothers as a morality tale on the perils of resisting progress - like talking pictures such as this early experiment in sound technology. Not only are there synchronized sound effects and music in this film. There are actually a few words of dialogue such as the father speaking the son's name - "Bob", and the word "Go". Nothing more complex than that was possible at the time.

The beginning is light and breezy - you have a man, Hank Armstrong, with a champion race horse - 'Sloe Eyes - and a successful livery business. His son, Bob, courts a local girl and at the same time dreams of building horseless carriages. He has competition for the girl's hand - a fellow that does not like to fight fair - and he enters importantly into the plot near the end of the film. In time, father and son come to a parting of the ways when the father sees Bob's boosting of and participation in the auto business as betrayal.

There are a few interesting things to note in this film. One is William Demarest as comic relief throughout the movie. Another is Barney Oldfield playing himself. Finally there is the bizarre fact that the fellow who plays Bob died in an automobile accident at the age of 27 during the time this film was being made. If the ending seems a bit incomplete or unsatisfactory because of his absence, this is the reason.

Warner Brothers Studio was continuing to perfect its sound-on-disc film format, a technology that showed immense promise throughout the first half of 1927. The company's sixth feature film to use the Vitaphone system was June 1927's "The First Auto." What was revolutionary about this picture was the advancement of both the music and the special effects accompanying the motion picture. Not only had the sophistication of the sounds been increased since Vitaphone's feature film debut in 1926's "Don Juan," but the soundtrack actually contained a few brief words.

Besides having a more complex soundtrack, "The First Auto" also serves as an historical record showcasing some of the very earliest horseless carriages under their own power. The movie's plot describes a successful race horse owner, Hank Armstrong (Russell Simpson), disparaging the advanced technology of automobiles. He wins a bet against one of the car's owners, proving his contention that cars will never replace horses in speed or in power. By the early 1900s, however, Hank's son, Bob Armstrong (Charles Emmett Mack), and all his pals have gasoline engine fever, and are foaming at the mouth to get their hands on them. Bob becomes a race car driver, and an exciting conclusion makes no doubt that automobiles are here to stay.

Not that they were any safer than horse carriages. In real life, actors appearing in "The First Auto" were killed in two separate accidents. Extra and script girl Helen Howard died when her and two other cast members were in a car that collided with another vehicle in downtown Los Angeles. The driver, William Demarest, who played the village funnyman and was Uncle Charlie in 'My Three Sons,' suffered cuts and bruises in the overturned car while extra Loretta Rush cracked her skull. After filming was over, Charles Emmett Mack died in an auto accident. His part as Bob was a major role for Mack, killed at the age of 26.

Horse-loving gentleman Russell Simpson (as "Hank" Armstrong) races his beloved mare "Sloe Eyes" in the 1895 Logan County Fair, in scenic Maple City, Michigan. He wins first prize, and celebrates by bringing "Sloe Eyes" to the local tavern; but, Mr. Simpson is saddened by the fact that son Charles Emmett Mack (as Bob Armstrong) is not present to see his father's triumph. Instead, Mr. Mack parties, in the city, with pretty Patsy Ruth Miller (as Rose Robbins). Yep, Simpson and Mack are suffering from a "generation gap".

Mack is a member of the "Horseless Carriage" generation, and is enthralled with the newly developing automobiles. When "Sloe Eyes" succumbs to a stroke, it seems like Simpson's older generation is passing in favor of Mack's auto-crazy youth. But, the passing mare leaves a young colt, "Bright Eyes", with enough horse sense to give primitive kerosene-powered buggies a run for their money. Yet, for the hoof set, it's a losing battle; and, the automobile takes control of the streets. Estranged from his son, Simpson slips into madness and despair. Then, an opportunity to reconcile with young Mack meets with tragedy…

The tragedy depicted on-screen was nothing compared to the tragedy occurring off-screen; co-star Charles Emmett Mack was killed (decapitated, reportedly) in a real-life automobile accident on the way to a filming location fro this film. This sadness accompanied the premiere of "The First Auto", as audiences were well aware of Mack's passing. The film is valuable for its early automobile scenes, which were then much of the population's collective memory. Mack could not, obviously, complete his assignment; and, the movie suffers without two essential Mack scenes, near the end of the story.

Mack was a rising star, but it's difficult to determine how he would have transitioned into talking pictures; certainly, this film positioned him well. Warner Bros. used some dialogue in the "sound effects" track of "The First Auto" (common practice, then), which reached critical mass with "The Jazz Singer". Mack was considered an actor of consequence; he was one of Director D.W. Griffith's best latter period "discoveries", making strong impressions in "Dream Street" (1921) and "One Exciting Night" (1922). "The First Auto" also features Barney Oldfield (a celebrity driver) and William Demarest (Uncle Charlie on "My Three Sons").

****** The First Auto (6/27/27) Roy Del Ruth ~ Russell Simpson, Charles Emmett Mack, Patsy Ruth Miller

"The First Auto" is a nostalgic film all about the early days of automobiles and its impact on Hank's livery business. Hank (Russell Simpson) is very proud of his champion racehorse and is saddened that his son has little interest in the family business. In fact, young Bob (Charles Emmett Mack) is a nut about autos and sees them as the logical replacement for horses. Not surprisingly, this causes friction between the two and Hank, at first, seems right. The earliest cars were unreliable and a bit dangerous. But, time passes and Hank's business is in ruins. He has a plan to sabotage the auto race coming to town--maybe that will convince everyone that the horse is here to stay. However, what he doesn't know is that Bob's car is the one he sabotaged! What's next? See the film and find out for yourself.

This is an amiable little film and not much more. The animated fire and schmaltzy tone of the film don't help it, but the film is breezy and entertaining. If you are a big fan of silent films, it's well worth seeing. But, if you aren't, this one probably won't change your mind.

By the way, this film features synchronized music and sound effects-- something Warner Brothers was pushing very hard at the time. Additionally, it's ironic that young Mack was actually killed in a car accident near the end of the making of this film! Because of this, I assume that's why so much of the story rests on Simpson and so much of Bob's actions are off-camera and described in the dialog.