I found "Racing Mad" on YouTube and suspect, like in so many silents, that a portion of the film is missing. This is because there was nothing leading up to where the film began....with Al (Al St. John) and his black co-driver in the middle of a race. The baddie cheats a lot...and Al manages to use a few tricks of his own. It's fast paced and enjoyable...but not much more.
By the way, the black sidekick is a good AND bad thing. It's nice to see the hero with a black friend who seems like a co-equal. BUT, much of the time the camera pans on the guy's expression....as apparently back in 1928 folks thought seeing black men who were afraid was somehow funny...which it wasn't.
By the way, the black sidekick is a good AND bad thing. It's nice to see the hero with a black friend who seems like a co-equal. BUT, much of the time the camera pans on the guy's expression....as apparently back in 1928 folks thought seeing black men who were afraid was somehow funny...which it wasn't.
