My gosh, could that spunky little Maxwell automobile really take as much abuse as it gets in this brief adventure film? Hairy Mexican banditos try to impinge upon the purity of heroine Nell Shipman, who gets rescued by a Man and his Maxwell. They then proceed to bounce over rocks for 40 minutes as they get away. The car goes up hills, down hills, over rocks, over more rocks, and then over some more rocks.

One does wonder if in fact, the Maxwell Moror Car Company, might have financed this film, because it is a terrific commercial for that brand. Basically, the plot concerns the typical rescue theme, but there are bits that are historically engaging. Nell Shipman is not your ordinary passive heroine -- no, when she shoots a Mexican bandit, she comments: "well that takes care of one." What is interesting to me was the long automobile trek over a western desert, and to see how well this 1920 Maxwell car could handle ditches and boulders. Today, only the likes to a Toyoda Land Cruser, Land Rover or that type of auto could do it. Of course, the cars of that vintage were made with a very high ground clearance to handle unpaved country roads; which was the norm of the times. The film is primitive, but not boring. For those who are students of, or just enjoy early silent films, check it out.

In "Something New" a spunky girl and her boyfriend escape pursuing Mexican banditos by driving across impossible terrain in an equally spunky 1920 Maxwell. The film isn't the greatest example of cinematic art, but what a car! If the Maxwell could do half of the things it does in this film, the U.S. Army would do well to scrap their Hummers and replace them with a fleet of these venerable touring cars.

Those above the age of 40 will no doubt recall that the Maxwell was the car of choice of the notoriously stingy Jack Benny. The stodgy car provided a running gag on his popular radio and television programs for decades. Perhaps old Jack was on to a good thing after all.

Well worth a look.