Speed

Less than a year after his debut feature The Murder Man, James Stewart settled into the driver's seat for his first top-billed role. The fast-rising star plays Terry Martin, a skilled automotive test driver and inspired inventor eager to test his ideas for a more efficient carburetor. Romance puts a minor roadblock in Terry's pursuit of success: He and the engineer working with him are attracted to the same woman (Wendy Barrie). Released a mere handful of months after a new land-speed record set at the Bonneville Salt Flats had captured public interest, the film offers plenty of car-world excitement that includes a suspension-joking spin on the Chrysler test track, a visit inside a Detroit auto plant, an Indianapolis 500 crash involving driver Terry and his mechanic (Ted Healy, who launched the act that became The Three Stooges), and an attempt at a land-speed mark that takes an unexpected detour. Buckle up and enjoy the ride.