Steamboat Bill (Ernest Torrence) is a crusty steamboat captain who receives word his long-lost son will come visit him during college break. He is disappointed to learn that Steamboat Bill, Jr. (Buster Keaton) is a meek, scrawny, and bookish lad. Complicating matters is the fact that Junior’s college sweetheart (Marion Bryon) just so happens to be the daughter of J.J. King (Tom McGuire), Steamboat Bill’s chief rival on the river. Despite their differences, Junior proves himself to his old man, who eventually takes a shine to his son.
The first forty-five minutes or so is kind of slow, but it does offer some cute moments and a handful of chuckles. Some of the highlights include Buster getting a shave, buying a hat, and trying to break his dad out of jail. While the story is predictable, it’s all held together by the great performance by “The Great Stone Face”, Keaton. There’s something sweet about him impressing his stubborn father by just being himself and doing things his own way. Their interactions are genuine too and there is considerable chemistry between Keaton and Torrence.
There’s also a touching humanity to Keaton’s pratfalls. These scenes aren’t just meant to get a laugh. They’re very much a part of the character.
Of course, the iconic scene is when a house falls on top of Keaton, but he just so happens to be standing where the open window is, and it never touches him. This scene has been copied so many times over the years that it’s amazing that the original version still holds up so well. Equally impressive, though not nearly talked about, is the part where Keaton is clinging to a tree for dear life when it’s uprooted and goes flying through the air with him still attached. The scenes of hurricane devastation with buildings being blown away are extremely well done and the part where he tries to run against the wind is funny too. These sequences make up for some of the hiccups that occur in the first two acts.
In short, I can’t say Steamboat Bill, Jr. is quite as good as The General, but it’s still worth checking out.
No comments:
Post a Comment