Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928)
I guarantee you’ve seen part of Steamboat Bill, Jr. Buster Keaton, in an incredibly dangerous stunt, stands still on the ground while a house falls on top of him, saved by the small cutout of a front window. That clip is as famous as Harold Lloyd hanging onto a clock hand in Safety Last! so chances are, you’ve seen both in a montage that salutes old cinema.
The rest of Steamboat Bill, Jr. primarily focuses on Buster’s disappointment to his father, Ernest Torrence, since he’s not a burly sailor. He comes back after a European education to help his father work on the steamboat, and falls in love with the daughter of a rival steamboat owner. The cutest scene, in my opinion, is when Ernest takes his son shopping for a new ensemble so he won’t be as much of an embarrassment. At a hat shop, Buster tries on over two dozen hats, including his signature porkpie hat, only to have his new hat blow off into the river as soon as they leave the shop. There’s also a very funny scene where Buster tries to smuggle a loaf of bread into his father’s jail cell, which shows the many levels of his comedic talents. He doesn’t have to let a house fall on him to be funny; he can be hilarious with a subtle eye roll and flick of his fingers.
From a technical standpoint, this is a good movie to watch. Many of Buster Keaton’s films have signature scenes that distinguish them from the others, showing that he was a hands-on, intelligent performer and director. The hurricane scene is very impressive, especially when you consider that no special effects were used; this movie was made 90 years ago! The destruction created for that one section is remarkable, as is the continued survival of Buster Keaton.
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on YouTube. And thanks "10000 Public Domain Movies" for posting!
More Buster Keaton movies here!
The rest of Steamboat Bill, Jr. primarily focuses on Buster’s disappointment to his father, Ernest Torrence, since he’s not a burly sailor. He comes back after a European education to help his father work on the steamboat, and falls in love with the daughter of a rival steamboat owner. The cutest scene, in my opinion, is when Ernest takes his son shopping for a new ensemble so he won’t be as much of an embarrassment. At a hat shop, Buster tries on over two dozen hats, including his signature porkpie hat, only to have his new hat blow off into the river as soon as they leave the shop. There’s also a very funny scene where Buster tries to smuggle a loaf of bread into his father’s jail cell, which shows the many levels of his comedic talents. He doesn’t have to let a house fall on him to be funny; he can be hilarious with a subtle eye roll and flick of his fingers.
From a technical standpoint, this is a good movie to watch. Many of Buster Keaton’s films have signature scenes that distinguish them from the others, showing that he was a hands-on, intelligent performer and director. The hurricane scene is very impressive, especially when you consider that no special effects were used; this movie was made 90 years ago! The destruction created for that one section is remarkable, as is the continued survival of Buster Keaton.
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on YouTube. And thanks "10000 Public Domain Movies" for posting!
More Buster Keaton movies here!