If it isn't already obvious, my spell checker doesn't know the difference
between "speech" and "speedy." I think I do, but I wouldn’t swear to it. I
made that typo in my remark about the Whittier birthday speech.
That speech, incidentally, is one of the best moments in the film. Fredric
March does a wonderful job of struggling along, as he gradually realizes his
words are falling flat with his distinguished audience. If you have CRITICAL
COMPANION TO MARK TWAIN, you can see a picture from the banquet dinner on
page 941. One might almost believe it’s a photo from the actual banquet.
March was made up to resemble Mark Twain so closely that a portrait of him
published in a newspaper was said to have fooled Clara into thinking it was
a photo of her father she had never seen before.