I feel ashamed as a certifiable film nut that this is the first time that I've seen a Buster Keaton film. I've been depriving myself for way too long. In the film community the debate rages on whether Keaton or Chaplin was the true king of silent comedy and frankly I don't care. They are both masters of slapstick and timing, which very few can match. They both knew how to tug at the heartstrings and make you double over in laughter at the same time.
Directed by Edward Sedgwick and Keaton, this film has Keaton playing a wanna-be news cameraman named Buster, who tries to get a job at MGM and at the same time tries to impress the young MGM office girl named Sally (Marceline Day). Standing in his way is current cameraman Harold (Harold Goodwin), who sees Buster as a novice and wants Sally for himself. Buster's footage is often unusable, being overexposed or double exposed. When he gets a good tip of something big happening in Chinatown, he almost loses his life on several occasions. The comedic wonderment of every scene is amazing. You could list all the scenes in the film and say each one was a classic.
Keaton's subtly as an actor is amazing. In one scene, he loses his swimming trunks in a public pool and his reaction to a young woman emerging from the water in front of him is priceless. The film also proves the long held idea that monkeys are funny. Keaton accidentally comes in care of a monkey who creates a lot of trouble, but ends up saving the day. The monkey's actions with Keaton's deadpan expressions are comic gems. As take note to Buster's eagerness when he's filming the knife fight. He really wants to get the shot right.
I do admit that some silent films can be taxing, but all I kept thinking throughout this film was that I wanted to see more Keaton flicks right away. I haven't laughed so much at a movie in ages. One thing that silent comedies knew was that their first goal was to make people laugh within the reasonable constraints of a simple story. THE CAMERAMAN was Keaton's first film with MGM and was before the studio ruined his career by taking away his creative control. But if this isn't Keaton working at his best than I'm in for a real treat when I watch his other films. This one is a must see for all film fans.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
