Buster Keaton – genius of film and comedy is one of my inspirations and one of the best film makers of all time. If you research him you would see how his love of film created techniques that are equal to anything Lucas did (given his time period of course). That being said, his movies are also fun!
This one isn’t one of the best, but anything Buster Keaton is light-years better than most. The concept here is that 2 feuding families are killing each other. Keaton’s father sends him away when he is a baby and when his father dies, Keaton has to come back home.
On the train ride home he meets a girl and they like each other – a lot of funning things happen here in this first act, but I wont get into them. Once they reach home Keaton is invited to the girls place for dinner. The problem is that the girl is actually the daughter of his family’s enemy and her father and brothers are trying to kill Keaton.
Keaton doesn’t know this, but when he comes to dinner – he quickly learns the truth and that he has a big target on his back. The brothers think this is a good time to kill Keaton, while he is in their home distracted, but their father wont let them. He explains that while he is a guest in their home, they must show him their hospitality. They cannot kill Keaton until he leaves the home.
The majority of the film is now about Keaton trying not to leave the home! His stalling tactics are hilarious and he ends up spending the night, and he just wont leave. Funny things happen, like when the girl loses her sheet music by a gust of wind, and Keaton has to go outside to get it. Her brothers get their guns ready to shoot Keaton the moment he steps out, so he has to be clever in getting the sheet music and returning back alive.
I wont spoil all the jokes, but there are bunch and this is a must see for sheer entertainment value.
I will say that if you have seen some of Keaton’s masterpieces (the General, Sherlock Jr.) then this isn’t as good, but if you haven’t seen any of his work then this a good place to start.
4/5
J-Man.
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