The Freshman

Harold Lamb arrives at Tate University eager to reinvent himself as a popular campus figure, modeling his behavior on a character he has seen in a movie. His old-fashioned manners quickly make him a target of ridicule among his fellow students, and he pins his hopes on winning acceptance through the college football team. Encouraged by Peggy, the one friend who believes in him, Harold pursues a place on the squad despite his complete lack of athletic ability. What follows is a comic struggle between his longing to belong and the mockery that greets his every attempt.

The film is a silent comedy directed by Sam Taylor and Fred C. Newmeyer, who had previously collaborated on Safety Last! and Girl Shy. Harold Lloyd stars as Harold Lamb, with Jobyna Ralston as Peggy, Brooks Benedict, Hazel Keener, Joseph Harrington and Pat Harmon among the credited cast of twenty-one. Produced by The Harold Lloyd Corporation and running seventy-seven minutes, it mixes comedy and romance.

The Freshman was released in September 1925. On IMDb it holds a rating of 7.5 from roughly 6,600 votes, while on TMDB it sits at 7 from 133 votes. A critics' rating of 8.5 from nineteen reviews places it above both audience scores, suggesting the film's reputation rests on its craft as much as its popular appeal.