Released on April 1, 1923, the film is a play on the common expression "safety first" and cemented Harold Lloyd's status as a major figure in early motion pictures. It is consistently viewed as one of the greatest film comedies of the era, known for blending slapstick with suspense. The plot follows a young man (played by Harold Lloyd, the character also named Harold) from a small town who moves to the big city to find success and earn enough money to marry his sweetheart, Mildred (Mildred Davis). He lands a job as a department store clerk but pretends to be the general manager to impress her in letters. When Mildred unexpectedly visits, Harold must maintain the charade. To gain favor with the real general manager and attract a crowd to the store, Harold arranges for his friend, "Limpy" Bill (Bill Strother), a "human fly" stunt performer, to climb the building. When Bill is chased by a persistent policeman, Harold is forced to make the terrifying climb himself, encountering numerous obstacles on his way to the top.