The Cameraman (1928)
For the past ten years, I’ve stood by The General as the most adorable, endearing Buster Keaton movie. Now that I’ve finally seen The Cameraman—what took me so long?—I might have to rethink that statement. It’s easy to see why The Cameraman is many people’s favorite of his films, and why it’s endured through the decades, even though many of the situations are rather dated. Even though movie studios don’t film and produce news reels anymore, and it’s not anyone’s idea of a hot date to go to a public swimming pool, this story still makes sense. At the heart of the matter is a man in love, desperate to prove his worth to the woman who captured his heart.
From the very first scene, Buster Keaton captured my heart. He’s a tintype photographer; if anyone in this modern era even knows what that means, she must be a history student. Purely by chance, he sees Marceline Day in the middle of a crowded street, and he falls in love. The look of adoration, hope, and despair on his face is so touching. If you’re not immediately drawn to him, try out a different movie for tonight’s entertainment and come back to Buster Keaton after you’ve had a heartbreak or two.
Buster finds out Marceline works for MGM’s news department, so to impress her, he strives to become a professional cameraman. Along the way, they date, and his attempts to win her heart and get a job sometimes go awry. Every Buster Keaton movie has its own famous stunt, and The Cameraman’s is the death-defying leap Buster makes from one skyscraper to another. It’s truly frightening to watch, but it’s such a famous scene, it would be insulting to hide your eyes. There are countless other adorable and funny scenes, many of which include very impressive camerawork by directors Edward Sedgwick and Buster himself. Buster, in a mad dash to answer the phone in time, sprints up and down several flights of stairs, and the camera captures the entire trip in one take. After a disastrous dive, Buster loses his swimsuit and is too embarrassed to tell his date. While filming, Buster stands on a house-high platform that falls to the ground.
I loved this movie. It’s funny, clever, moving, sweet, ambitious, and intelligent. Like almost all Buster Keaton roles, his character continually comes up with smart improvements to his situation. How can you help loving someone like that? If you haven’t seen this movie, I’ll ask you the same question I asked myself: What’s taken you so long?
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on YouTube. And thanks "iconauta" for posting!
More Buster Keaton movies here!
From the very first scene, Buster Keaton captured my heart. He’s a tintype photographer; if anyone in this modern era even knows what that means, she must be a history student. Purely by chance, he sees Marceline Day in the middle of a crowded street, and he falls in love. The look of adoration, hope, and despair on his face is so touching. If you’re not immediately drawn to him, try out a different movie for tonight’s entertainment and come back to Buster Keaton after you’ve had a heartbreak or two.
Buster finds out Marceline works for MGM’s news department, so to impress her, he strives to become a professional cameraman. Along the way, they date, and his attempts to win her heart and get a job sometimes go awry. Every Buster Keaton movie has its own famous stunt, and The Cameraman’s is the death-defying leap Buster makes from one skyscraper to another. It’s truly frightening to watch, but it’s such a famous scene, it would be insulting to hide your eyes. There are countless other adorable and funny scenes, many of which include very impressive camerawork by directors Edward Sedgwick and Buster himself. Buster, in a mad dash to answer the phone in time, sprints up and down several flights of stairs, and the camera captures the entire trip in one take. After a disastrous dive, Buster loses his swimsuit and is too embarrassed to tell his date. While filming, Buster stands on a house-high platform that falls to the ground.
I loved this movie. It’s funny, clever, moving, sweet, ambitious, and intelligent. Like almost all Buster Keaton roles, his character continually comes up with smart improvements to his situation. How can you help loving someone like that? If you haven’t seen this movie, I’ll ask you the same question I asked myself: What’s taken you so long?
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on YouTube. And thanks "iconauta" for posting!
More Buster Keaton movies here!