High Gear (1933 film)

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High Gear is a 1933 American Pre-Code film directed by Leigh Jason. It stars James Murray as race driver Mark “High Gear” Sherrod and Joan Marsh as Anne Merritt. In the United Kingdom, the film was released as The Big Thrill.

Plot
Mark Sherrod is at the peak of his racing career, with his co-driver Ed, a widower who is the father of Jimmy. Ed hopes Jimmy will go to a fine military school after their big race. The night before the race, reporter Anne Merritt visits Mark for an interview, and she ends up meeting him over dinner. Rival journalist Larry Winston also appears, setting up tension between the men.

On race day, a tire goes flat and Mark loses time. He regains the lead, but on the last lap he spins out and is struck by another car. He survives, but Ed is killed. Jimmy becomes an orphan and stays with the Cohen family. The Cohens offer to adopt him, but Mark invites Jimmy to live with him at his hotel and vows to send him to military school.

Jimmy goes to the URBAN Military Academy, while Mark returns to racing with a new co-driver, Howard. Cramped finances and harsh memories of Ed push Mark to quit racing. He moves in with the Cohens and takes a taxi job to pay for Jimmy’s schooling. Anne finds him in the taxi and they reconnect, even as Larry’s news reports threaten Mark’s comeback.

When Jimmy sneaks back to the Cohen apartment, Mark is upset but hopeful about keeping him. Two rival cab drivers attack Mark’s taxi, and Jimmy is injured in the fight. Anne urges Mark to rush Jimmy to the hospital. After Jimmy recovers, Mark returns to racing and wins another big race, with Anne by his side.