The First Auto

It roars. It belches smoke. It terrifies livestock and endangers bystanders. It’s The First Auto in town, and it sparks a feud between a traditional father devoted to horses and his progressive son, enthralled by the new-fangled invention. This lively, humor-and-intrigue-laced Silent Era melodrama offers more than a heartfelt story of generational conflict. Darryl F. Zanuck’s screenplay is also a fascinating story of the evolution of the automobile from an unreliable plaything to a necessity that revolutionized the world. This intriguing backdrop and exciting racing scenes – some featuring real-life racing legend Barney Oldfield – put The First Auto in the winner’s circle.