1h 13min. // A small-town young man arrives in the big city with grand promises to his sweetheart back home. Working as a lowly clerk in a bustling department store, he writes letters that wildly exaggerate his success, painting himself as an important executive on the rise. Determined to make his dreams match his boasts, he scrambles for a way to impress both his boss and the girl who believes he’s already made it.

When the store’s manager offers a cash bonus for a publicity stunt that will draw crowds, the ambitious clerk seizes his chance. He arranges for his daredevil friend to scale the outside of the store’s towering skyscraper, expecting to bask in the reflected glory. But a series of mishaps forces him to take his friend’s place, and he finds himself inching up the building’s sheer face, floor by floor, with thousands of onlookers gathered below.

What begins as a simple stunt quickly turns into a hair-raising ordeal. Each new level brings fresh hazards: tangled ropes, meddling pigeons, swinging windows, and the constant threat of a bumbling policeman on his trail. The higher he climbs, the more the suspense and laughter build, culminating in the iconic image of him dangling from the hands of a giant clock high above the street.

Throughout the ascent, the film balances breathless tension with inventive gags, transforming urban modernity into both obstacle and playground. The hero’s desperate bid to prove himself becomes a deliriously funny tribute to persistence, showmanship, and the sheer audacity of early movie stunts.

 

Directed by: Sam Taylor, Fred C. Newmeyer

Writing Credits: Hal Roach, Sam Taylor, Harold Lloyd, Tim Whelan

Starring: Harold Lloyd, Mildred Davis, Fred C. Newmeyer, Sam Lufkin, Mickey Daniels

 

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