![]() Keaton also gets to show his audible skills as Elmer gets a walk on part and tries to say the line, "The queen has swooned." Several retakes are made as he enters the room to declare, "The quoon has sweened." There are still several moments of silent genius where Keaton recreates the look that gave him the legendary moniker "stone face. Physical comedy is not left behind in Free and Easy as Elmer is pursued across film sets by the studio gateman. He accompanies his client and her mother to Hollywood. It is physical comedy at its best.īuster returns to his character Elmer, this time as a talent agent for Miss Gopher City. But we can all be grateful that Keaton won the war by keeping in the bedroom scene. Larry Weingarten, the producer, won the battle for the complicated second half of the film. ![]() The second half does have good physical comedy, but it is clear that Keaton is not in charge of production or direction. In this genre-defying work of cultural history, the chief film critic of Slate places comedy legend and acclaimed filmmaker Buster Keatons unique creative. In the scenes that follow Dorothy Sebastian, the actress playing his bride, shines in her ability to become a ragdoll to Keaton’s choreography. On their wedding night she gets drunk and passes out. To spite her leading man the actress proposes marriage to Elmer. He hasn’t missed a performance, and has a comedy of errors that finally brings him to the attention of the actress in the leading role. Here Elmer is a trouser presser who borrows clothes from the tailor’s shop so he can attend the theatre every night. In Spite Marriage Keaton portrays a favorite character, Elmer. At the release it did include a step toward talkies, with synchronized music and sound effects. A resurrected, organ-grinder's, dancing monkey captures photography that wins the fair maiden’s heart and secures the Cameraman a job at the newsreel service.Īlthough Keaton wanted to make his first talkie with Spite Marriage, MGM did not want to relinquish their sounds stages for a comedy. There is also a view into experiments in early cinematography when his newsreels showing an ocean liner going down a thoroughfare is viewed. In his attempts to gain her attention the camera is used as an appendage of Keaton, creating an extension of physical comedy. Keaton's character, and the hero of the film, is a street-corner tintype photographer looking for a way to impress a young lady. The Invader (1936) Academy Honorary Award winning famous yesteryear American actor, comedian, filmmaker, screenwriter, and stunt performer Buster Keaton began his journey in the entertainment industry as a child artist. The two other works included are well done and show Keaton's acting ability, as well as a snapshot of the coming of age of Talkies.Īs his first movie after signing with MGM, The Cameraman is an uplifting escapist film. ![]() The Buster Keaton Collection has movies filmed under the restrictive contract he had with MGM, and denote the beginning of the decline of his career, but still contains one of his best works. Keaton's films are full of gags and pratfalls, but it was his stoic face, comedic timing, and sometimes death defying physical comedy that gave his movies the Keaton signature.
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