Even the most legendary acting careers have humble beginnings. ForJimmy Stewart, that meant toiling in some unheralded New York stage plays before making the move to Hollywood in 1935 andsigning a seven-year contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer(MGM). His first feature film appearance was a bit part inThe Murder Man, and he followed it up with supporting roles in romantic comedies such asWife vs. Secretary,which starredClark GableandJean Harlow, andSmall Town Girl. His first chance to carry a film came withSpeed(1936), a low-budget B-movie that saw him share top billing withWendy Barrie, whose engagement to gangsterBugsy Siegeloften overshadows her own impressive acting career.
WhileSpeed,which checks in at a mere 70 minutes,will never be confused with a great film, it was critical in advancingStewart’s career. The only way to get better at something is by doing it, and actors need to act.Stewart had to progress from small roles in big pictures to starring roles in small pictures.Speedprovided just such an opportunity, and he made the most of it.
‘Speed’ Is a Romance at Heart
InSpeed,Stewart plays Terry Martin, a test driver and mechanic for Emery Motors, a thriving automobile manufacturer in Detroit, Michigan. The first time viewers see Stewart, he’s intentionally rolling cars to test their safety standards. He simply steps out of the wreckage, dusts off his shirt and tie, and starts telling engineer Frank Lawson (Weldon Heyburn) the possible areas for improvement. Lawson becomes the chief rival for Terry, both professionally and romantically, as the two men vie for the attention of Jane Mitchell (Barrie), an eager new employee in the company’s publicity department.
Thetraditional love trianglebetween Terry, Jane, and Frank is actually more of a love rhombus thanks to Josephine “Jo” Sanderson (Una Merkel), a former stenographer who has worked her way up the corporate ladder. Now a top executive in the company, Jo is sweet on Frank, but he sees her as nothing more than a good friend, so she is quickly pushed aside in his pursuit of Jane. Meanwhile, Jane favors Terry, even though his jealousy of Frank’s cushy white-collar job and privileged background gives him a nasty inferiority complex, causing him to question Jane’s true intentions.Only one thing could make these romantic entanglements more compelling: carburetor design and development.
Yes, in the midst ofall this romantic tension, Terry is trying to design a new carburetor that could revolutionize the automobile industry. No one believes in his idea because he’s just a lowly driver and mechanic, but his boss, the gruff Mr. Dean (Ralph Morgan), assigns Frank to the project to determine once and for all if the design has any merit. The two rivals strike a forced partnership, and their combined efforts move the carburetor closer to completion. However,Terry’s testing of the new design at the Indianapolis 500 leads to a horrific crash, nearly killing his best friend and fellow mechanic, Clarence “Gadget” Haggerty (Ted Healy). Undaunted, Terry tests the carburetor again, this time attemptingto break the land speed recordin an experimental car called the “Falcon.” He is halfway to shattering the record when an exhaust leak causes another accident. Frank comes to the rescue and completes the speed run while racing Terry to the hospital. Despite the near tragedy, Terry and Frank proved that the carburetor worked. The happy ending is punctuated with Terry and Jane, who is secretly the niece of the company’s owner, finally admitting their love for each other, and even Frank and Jo get together.
One of Jimmy Stewart’s Greatest Film Was Originally Banned Overseas
While the film was celebrated by Western audiences, the film’s message was troublesome for some countries.
‘Speed’ Drew Inspiration from Real Life
On August 05, 2025,British racing motoristMalcolm Campbellbroke the land speed record, becoming the first person to drive a car faster than 300 miles per hour. Campbell accomplished the feat at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, and the accomplishment garnered international attention.Wanting to cash in on the event’s popularity, MGM rushedSpeedinto production, and the film’s dramatic conclusion features Stewart essentially recreating Campbell’s record-breaking run.
Due to its limited budget,Speedhad to cut some corners in its fictionalized recreation of the land speed record.The production crew swapped Utah for the much closer Muroc Dry Lakein Muroc, California. The same area would eventually become the location of Edwards Air Force Base.
Jimmy Stewart Saves ‘Speed’
While critics were less than kind toSpeed, the film is not without its charms. Per AFI, directorEdwin L. Marinincorporated stock footage of the Indianapolis 500, providing modern viewers with a rare glimpse of racing in the 1930s, a time when the cars looked like hot dogs on wheels and carried two-man crews of a driver and mechanic. A few newsreel-like clips from inside the Detroit Chrysler factory explain the automobile manufacturing process, adding to the film’s bizarre time-capsule feel. Another interesting bit of history comes courtesy ofTed Healy, who shines as Gadget.A veteran of Vaudeville, Healy pioneered slapstick comedy andcreated the act that became the Three Stooges. Here, he provides comedic relief, snapping one-liners and mugging for the camera, even as his character is recovering from his near-fatal accident.
Still,the only real reason to watchSpeedis to see Jimmy Stewart in his first leading role. Whether flirting with Wendy Barrie or hopping behind the wheel of a race car, Stewart flashes the natural charisma and likability that wouldone day make him a Hollywood icon. AfterSpeed, Stewart appeared in nine more films, including a show-stealing performanceas a killer inAfter the Thin Man, before ultimately achieving true leading-man status inYou Can’t Take It with You, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture. His race to the top wouldn’t have been possible without the valuable experience gained fromSpeed, a classic romance between a boy and his carburetor.
