Battling Butler- A 1926 Silent Film directed by and starring Buster Keaton - 1 Hour 16 Minutes

Alfred Butler (Keaton), a spoiled and pampered millionaire, takes his loyal valet, Snitz Edwards, on a camping trip. Alfred is smitten with a beautiful mountain girl named Sally O'Neil, but her family disapproves of his weakling ways.


In a desperate attempt to impress Sally, Snitz lies and tells her that Alfred is actually "Battling" Butler, a famous boxer. This sets off a chain reaction of hilarious chaos.


Alfred, clueless about the lie, gets entangled in a boxing match against the real Battling Butler, leading to a series of slapstick mishaps and acrobatic stunts.


Through it all, Alfred tries to win Sally's heart while avoiding the wrath of the real boxer and navigating the confusion caused by his mistaken identity.


It was directed by Keaton himself, along with Edward F. Cline.


The screenplay was written by Joseph Farnum and Carl Roberts.


The film was shot on location in the Sierra Nevada mountains.
It was released on September 19, 1926.

Seven Chances - A 1925 Silent Movie Directed by and Starring Buster Keaton- 59 Minutes

Seven Chances- A 1925 Buster Keaton Film

With time running out, Jimmie embarks on a frantic search for a bride, going through a hilarious list of seven potential candidates. His attempts at wooing them get progressively more chaotic and disastrous, involving everything from runaway buses to unexpected avalanches.

The film culminates in a legendary chase sequence, where Jimmie is pursued by hundreds of marriageable women through the streets.

"Seven Chances" features early Technicolor sequences, making it one of the first silents to utilize color technology

The Cameraman- A 1928 Silent Film Directed by Buster Keaton and Edward Sedgwick- 1 Hour 15 Minutes

 Available on YouTube 

Buster Keaton Films I have posted upon

The Navigator- 1927 - 

The General - 1924

Our Hospitality- 1926

Sherlock, Jr. - 1925

The Cameraman- 1928

Keaton plays a hapless photographer named Buster who falls head-over-heels for Sally, a secretary at the MGM newsreel department. To impress her, he ditches his still photography and tries to become a newsreel cameraman. But let's just say he's not exactly a natural... 

Hilarity ensues as Buster stumbles (literally and figuratively) through a series of mishaps:

He can't seem to operate the bulky newsreel camera without getting tangled in its cords or tripod.

He chases after sensational stories, like a Chinatown gang war, but always manages to miss the action or film the wrong thing.

He even ends up accidentally saving Sally from drowning, only to have another cameraman take credit for the heroic act.

But through it all, Buster's determination and unwavering optimism never falter. He eventually wins Sally's heart, not with his filmmaking skills, but with his genuine kindness and perseverance.

It was Keaton's first film with MGM, and he had a lot of creative control over the project.

The film was shot on location in New York City, which was unusual for silent comedies at the time.

The monkey who plays Buster's sidekick, Josephine, was actually a trained vaudeville performer.

A truly delightful movie, great stunts, charming romantic comedy,a stab at pompous early film directors 

Sherlock, Jr. A 1924 Silent Film - Directed by and Starring Buster Keaton- 44 Minutes

 

Available on YouTube 

"The greatest of the silent clowns is Buster Keaton, not only because of what he did, but because of how he did it. Harold Lloyd made us laugh as much, Charlie Chaplin moved us more deeply, but no one had more courage than Buster. I define courage as Hemingway did: "Grace under pressure." In films that combined comedy with extraordinary physical risks, Buster Keaton played a brave spirit who took the universe on its own terms, and gave no quarter." Roger Ebert 

Buster Keaton Films I have posted upon

The Navigator- 1927 - 

The General - 1924

Our Hospitality- 1926

Sherlock, Jr. - 1925

 Sherlock Jr. is a true gem of silent comedy, and a testament to the comedic genius of Buster Keaton! This 1924 film is as hilarious as it is inventive, following the story of a hapless projectionist who dreams of becoming a detective and ends up living his fantasy i

Keaton plays both the projectionist and his dream persona, Sherlock Jr., a detective who leaps from the movie screen and into the real world to solve a robbery case. The film is filled with Keaton's signature physical comedy, from pratfalls and stunts to clever visual gags and impeccable deadpan delivery.

One of the most iconic scenes is the dream sequence, where Keaton seamlessly blends live-action with film footage. As Sherlock Jr. enters the movie screen, he finds himself navigating a world that's both familiar and surreal. He climbs ladders that stretch into the sky, walks through doorways that lead to unexpected places, and even gets chased by a giant pair of scissors

Keaton's mastery of physical comedy is on full display throughout the film. He hangs from trains, dodges falling scenery, and even gets caught in a spinning clothesline – all while maintaining his iconic stoic expression.

Sherlock, Jr. Shows the amazing stunts of Buster Keaton, often dangerous.

Our Hospitality- A 1923 Silent Film- Directed by and Starring Buster Keaton- 1 Hour 15 Minutes

 

Available on YouTube 

 Willie McKay, unaware of his family's longstanding feud with the Canfields, inherits an estate in the South. He falls in love with Virginia Canfield, not realizing her family are his sworn enemies. He's protected by the Southern code of hospitality within their home, but hilarious chaos ensues as he tries to navigate the feud and win Virginia's heart.

The film showcases Keaton's signature deadpan humor and incredible physical comedy. From train-related mishaps to death-defying stunts (including a famous scene where he and a Canfield brother are tied together and flung over a waterfall), Keaton kept me laughing throughout.

While the film is primarily slapstick comedy, it also satirizes Southern hospitality and the absurdity of long-lasting family feuds.

Critical reception: "Our Hospitality" was a commercial and critical success, receiving positive reviews for its humor, action, and heartwarming story. It's considered one of Keaton's best films.

The General - A1927 Silent Movie - Directed by Buster Keaton and Clyde Bruckman- 1 Hour 15 Minutes

 Available on YouTube In a beautifully restored version 

Director: Clyde Bruckman, Buster Keaton

Producer: Buster Keaton, Joseph M. Schenck

Writer: Clyde Bruckman, Al Boasberg, Buster Keaton, William Pittenger, Charles Smith, Paul Smith

Release Date (Theaters): Feb 5, 1927

"The General” was voted one of the 10 greatest films of all time in the authoritative Sight & Sound poll. Who knows if it is even Keaton's greatest? Others might choose “Steamboat Bill, Jr.” (1928). His other classics include “Our Hospitality” (1923), “The Navigator” (1924), “Go West” (1925) and “The Cameraman” (1928), in which he played a would-be newsreel photographer who lucks into his career.......

Today I look at Keaton's works more often than any other silent films. They have such a graceful perfection, such a meshing of story, character and episode, that they unfold like music. Although they're filled with gags, you can rarely catch Keaton writing a scene around a gag; instead, the laughs emerge from the situation; he was “the still, small, suffering center of the hysteria of slapstick,” wrote the critic Karen Jaehne. And in an age when special effects were in their infancy, and a “stunt” often meant actually doing on the screen what you appeared to be doing, Keaton was ambitious and fearless. He had a house collapse around him. He swung over a waterfall to rescue a woman he loved. He fell from trains. And always he did it in character, playing a solemn and thoughtful man who trusts in his own ability" Roger Ebert 

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-the-general-1927

Set during the American Civil War, "The General" follows Johnny Gray, a Southern railroad engineer who loves two things: his sweetheart Annabelle Lee and his locomotive, "The General."

When Union spies steal "The General" with Annabelle aboard, Johnny embarks on a daring solo mission to rescue both his love and his engine.

The film is a mix of slapstick comedy, action sequences, and even some pathos, as Johnny faces danger and heartbreak in his quest.

The film is known for its innovative stunts and gags, many of which Keaton performed himself without the use of special e

While "The General" was not a commercial success upon its release, it has since gained widespread acclaim and is now considered one of the greatest silent films ever made.

The film is often praised for its humor, action, and technical mastery, as well as its surprisingly nuanced portrayal of the Civil War

The Navigator - A 1924 Silent Movie - Directed by and Starring Buster Keaton- 59 Minutes

 The Navigator - A 1924 Silent Movie - Directed by and Starring Buster Keaton- 59 Minutes 

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-the-films-of-buster-keaton

Roger Ebert celebrates the wonderous work of Buster Keaton 

Available on YouTube In a beautifully 

restored version.

The Plot: Wealthy Rollo Treadway (played by Keaton) plans a romantic cruise to propose to his neighbor Betsy. But things go awry, and he ends up on a different ship, leading to comedic adventures on the high seas.

Buster Keaton's Brilliance: The film showcases Keaton's signature style of physical comedy, with incredible stunts, deadpan expressions, and ingenious gags. From navigating a moving staircase to battling a mischievous cow, he keeps the audience in stitches.

Critical Acclaim: The Navigator was a huge success, both critically and commercially. It was praised for its originality, humor, and Keaton's performance. It's even preserved in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress

The scenes with the cannibal islanders might  be considered racist today.

I loved the underwater scenes.

The Navigator is a showcase for Keaton's mastery of physical comedy. He performs incredible stunts and gags, often defying gravity and logic with his deadpan expression and impeccable timing.

Remembered scenes include him nonchalantly swinging from the mast of a storm-tossed ship, trying to catch a hat that's blown away by the wind, and even using a live cow to churn butter.

The film also showcases Keaton's inventive use of props and sets. The dilapidated freighter becomes a playground for his comedic genius, with every corner offering new opportunities for slapstick and visual humor.

Legacy and Impact:

The Navigator was a critical and commercial success, solidifying Keaton's position as one of the greatest silent film comedians.