Directed by Buster Keaton

Position on the list (at time of viewing): 38

This is Keaton’s highest ranked film on the list, and deservedly so. He takes the idea of a comic film having plot to the next logical level and makes a film that is, in genre, a hybrid–the world’s first true action comedy. Yes, comedies have had action before, but this is the first one that looks like the modern form of it, where the action is satisfying in its own right, as opposed to merely for the sake of the laughs. It’s a true revolution in terms of the evolution of comedy, and a great film in its own right.

The premise, as always, is rather simple, but it doesn’t need to be complex to set off a daring chain of mad stunts, gut-busting comedy, and ludicrously extravagant setpieces. Buster Keaton plays Johnny Gray, a Confederate soldier-wannabe who is rejected from the army because his current job as a train engineer is too vital to the South. Desperately seeking to impress his fiancee Annabelle Lee (Marion Mack), Gray gets caught up in a daring series of train heists and Civil War shenanigans that (of course) ultimately result in him proving his mettle and getting the girl. Even that simple a story was a pretty huge leap forward in terms of comedic narrative at the time, however. There are secret plans, surprise twists, and an escalating series of daring escapes and stunts. In fact, this film famously contains the single most expensive stunt in the history of the silent film era (you’ll definitely know it when you see it). The fact that it’s all about a Confederate war hero is slightly icky from a modern perspective, but this is nowhere near D. W. Griffith, “the Klan was the good guys” territory. It also has the benefit of being based on an actual historical event that was so daringly absurd that I can imagine how Keaton would have a hard time resisting making an adaptation. While I still wouldn’t say that this film feels ‘modern’ in its narrative, it’s decidedly a step in that direction.

It’s also important to remember that Keaton did every single crazy thing that you see him doing in this movie–there is relatively little “movie magic” going on here. He could have died on so many of the stunts that he did for this movie. Most of the things happening onscreen are legitimately dangerous, and the kind of frantic desperation that you see in some of the scenes is absolutely not put on at all. He bounces around trains and tracks like some kind of human pinball, and I am honestly in awe of how he both conceived and executed all of this. And I don’t want to minimize how funny all of this is. I’m aware that I’m making it sound like a daring action adventure (which it is), but that threatens to overshadow some of the truly hilarious gags. Train tracks and all of the things that operate on them prove a fertile ground for Keaton’s trademark ‘guy in a situation spiraling wildly out of control’ shtick. The momentum and motion of the handcarts and locomotives are an ingenious set-up for physical comedy, and Keaton makes the most of the opportunity.

I will say that this film is less experimental and off-the-wall than some of Keaton’s other efforts (like Sherlock, Jr. which I have previously championed here). That doesn’t detract from the technical mastery on display, however. This movie ranks above that other masterpiece because it is a more assured, confident utilization of all of the filmmaker’s tools to create a cohesive whole. The film has been widely praised for its brilliant shot composition, which manages to look throughout like actual Civil War photographs (which was a deliberate affect on Keaton’s part, and not a technical limitation or mere accident). Keaton also proves a deft hand at capturing motion on film, largely through the editing process which he performed himself. The film was edited down from something like fifty hours of footage to a 75 minute runtime. This extensive (and expensive) method of filming allowed Keaton to capture incredibly quick-moving scenes like never before. The sense of momentum and impact are unlike anything that came before.

For my money, this is the single greatest silent comic film ever made. Sherlock, Jr. is probably my favorite, but even as a huge fan of that one I wouldn’t say it was the best. I’m under the impression that people generally give that title to one of a couple Charlie Chaplin movies, but I can’t see my way to doing so. This one is just so effortlessly brilliant, with both action and comic beats that land so well, that I think it more than earns the distinction. It’s unfortunately famous for being Keaton’s biggest financial failure of his entire career (largely due to the aforementioned production costs running extensively over-budget), and also a critical flop on initial reception. Despite all of these issues, Keaton always cited it as the film he was proudest of in his entire career, and we can thankfully say almost a century on from its release that we finally appreciate it as much as he always did. A true classic nearly without equal.

The Score: