Thanks TCM for Keaton Day

[spadeneal]

Just a word of thanks to the programming dept. of TCM for all this wonderful Buster Keaton shown today. Some of Keaton's biographers don't have many kind words for Keaton's early talkies. I first saw "Parlor, bedroom and Bath" many years ago on MATINEE AT THE BIJOU and thought it a riot. Now I know these others are quite good also - particularly "The Passionate Plumber" which is a comic masterpiece. It is such a complex combination of European bedroom farce and American style slapstick. I was also surprised at how good Reginald Denny is in light comedy.

 

Thanks again!

 

Dave Lewis

[brackenhe]

I liked "Parlor, Bedroom and Bath" a lot. I thought it was hilarious. I also enjoyed "Free and Easy" which had several cameo appearances by early MGM stars.

[harlowkeatongirl]

Buster could've been VERY good in the talkies for a long time to come if he'd had the creative control he had in the '20s. He was very natural, thanks to his vaudeville background doing "The Three Keatons" act w/his mom and dad back in the early 1900s. But the sweetest of people aren't always the best business people, and signing with MGM was a huge error of judgement. But "Parlor, Bedroom, and Bath" was so cute. He definitely had his fine moments in the talkies, or should we say glimpses of his full potential in that genre.

[harlowkeatongirl]

Here is a 25 min. excerpt from a 1958 interview Buster gave where he talks about his personal experience and his general take on the transition from silents to talkies:

 

http://www.fathom.com/course/10701030/session4.html

 

 

And three more interviews can be found here:

 

http://www.fathom.com/course/10701030/sessions.html

[bansi4]

I watched some of the Keaton movies yesterday and although some of them were very good I thought that "The Sidewalks of New York" was terrible. It certainly was a waste of Keaton's talent.

 

Mongo

[therealfuster]

I unfortunately had to work, so am looking forward to seeing all the Keaton films I taped from TCM.

 

I've seen most of them, but in rentals which I did not own, so I will enjoy having them for future perusal and multiple viewings.

 

As I recall, watching some of the them really perturbed me, knowing that Keaton was being pushed into things that he did not really feel were comically feasible. I also was irked once seeing Jimmy Durante hogging things, and Keaton not being given space to perform...but I digress.

 

But no matter what, Buster is always a joy to watch, even in some of his bit parts in the '40's.

 

The "This is Your Life" television segment with Buster, done in the 1950's, when he was being heralded again for his lifetime achievements on film, is a most fascinating glimpse into his life after his heyday, with people like Red Skelton giving Buster credit for uncreditted gags in Red's films.

[mshark84]

I was amazed by the quality of these films when I watched them... I taped the ones I didn't have already, but I wish I had taped them all for the quality! I wish his silents were as good quality as the features :-( and I hope that some day they'll do a massive restoration on them like they've done for Chaplin's films.

 

I heard Warner is releasing 3 of his early talkies on DVD this December.... I kind of wish they'd release all of the MGM talkies just so I can add them to my Keaton DVD collection. (Which ironically is the title they're giving this 2 disc dvd set: The Buster Keaton Collection :-p)

 

(A side question I'd like to ask those of you that watched the One Reel Wonders in between some of the Keaton films... Does anyone remember the name of that "world renown whistler" that sat at the piano and did songs for 10 minutes?? I'd like to look the guy up on the net... )

[raestar57]

I am a big Keaton fan and also wanted to thank TCM for celebrating his birthday. However, I was a little disappointed with their choice of movies. To show him at his best to those who don't know his work, I would have liked to see them air his silents such as "The General", "One Week", "Steamboat Bill, Jr.", "Sherlock, Jr.", "The Playhouse", etc. Although I like his talkie "The Passionate Plumber", his other talkies are sooo not his style - he was too good for the parts they gave him, which were playing a clown (literally in "Free and Easy"). But I'll watch anything he's in, and thanks again to TCM for keeping his movies alive.

[mshark84]

I'm happy they put up the movies they did, because for a Keaton fan such as myself, you can only watch the silents for so long before you long for some new material (albeit not his best). I also found The Passonate Plumber to be one of the best of his MGM features, though most people don't think so. I think it's good not for the plot, but for the gags. I found myself actually laughing out loud at some of them. Keaton versus the French, (glove slap), hehe.

 

I hate how Keaton's character changed when he got to MGM. He used to be inventive and was never the little "nitwit" or "runt" (such as he was called frequently in his MGM features :-( )

[raestar57]

I agree with you about how insulting the character change was. Here's a guy who literally broke his neck while being forced off the top of a train car by water from a water spout, almost drowned when his safety line broke and he was carried downstream in raging rapids (keep the camera rolling!), fell when jumping from one second floor roof top to another and missed, not to mention purposely having the side of a building fall on top of him (saved by the window!), all to make us laugh (and thoroughly impress me!) - the shy or bumbling guy becomes the hero and saves the day (or the girl) - a lot different from the plots of his talking pictures! And even when he is inept, such as in "The Boat", he's funny but not stupid.

[brackenhe]

The name of the guy that whistled and sang in the short between movies was Leo Beers, I think.

[mshark84]

Much appreciated.

For being "World Renowned," I sure can't seem to find much info about the guy!

[harlowkeatongirl]

I don't know why they didn't show his silent films.. maybe they don't have the rights to most of them. I'm not sure. And I don't know why they bothered showing "She Went To The Races." I thought that was a lame and, to be honest, curious choice. Makes you wonder. Of all his films, why show something he's barely in and then try to pass it off as a "Buster Keaton Feature" in honor of his birthday? If they were going to do that, I would've much rather have seen "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum" in place of that.

 

The picky side of me says the choice of programming could have been better, but the grateful side is just happy they honored him on his birthday.

 

I liked "The Sidewalks Of New York" I really liked his sensitive character in that one. He was goofy but he wasn't a total goof, like in "Parlor, Bedroom, and Bath," even though I enjoyed his performance in that. In "Speak Easily" I was cracking up watching him go 'round and 'round the revolving scenery thing onstage.

 

Jimmy Durante is kind of like Britney Spears in the sense of... "What's the big whoop?" He's all right, but I think he and Buster were a mismatched team. And in real life he annoyed the heck out of Buster. LOL!

 

I really hope that on the next Buster day, whenever that'll be, they'll mix it up and show some of his better films. Next time, I'd like to see a good mixture. A few of his good silents, a couple of his talkies, and a few of his shorts.

 

 

[harlowkeatongirl]

P.S. I really did enjoy seeing Buster's appearance in the "The Hollywood Revue of 1929." It was nice to finally catch that in time to tape it, too. I've seen that in the past and have been waiting for it to come around again, so thanks, TCM. Not just for Buster, but for a few of my other favorites, too. IMO Joan Crawford never looked better, and who doesn't like to see Marie Dressler in anything ?

[raestar57]

Yes I loved his Princess Raja act in "The Hollywood Revue" - he had the chance to show off his terrific athletic abilities (how the heck did he lift BOTH legs off the ground?) And I also think the pairing of Buster Keaton and Jimmy Durante was a real mismatch. I do think he and Cliff Edwards worked well together. My favorite female co-star with him is Sybil Seeley (sp?) - she conveyed a real sense of humor and I think they looked good together. I read in his autobiography that Buster Keaton really liked Marie Dressler and wanted to do a spoof of some movie (I think it was "Grand Hotel") with her and Jimmy Durante and others, but the big guys at MGM shot it down. I think they later changed their minds and decided to let him do it, but by then he pretty much told them what they could do with their movie.

[nickdimeo]

From what I understand TCM is releasing a DVD collection of Keaton movies much the way they did with Lon Chaney. By the way, I may be in the minority but I think Keaton's best talkie is What, No Beer!

[raestar57]

I have not seen "What, No Beer" yet, but TCM is airing it in December so I'll catch it then. I know that it is the last movie BK made for MGM, that it was made during the lowest point of his life and not considered very good, but I'll tape it so I'll have his whole MGM collection (as well as almost all of his silents)and just because it's him. If you don't already know, there's already a DVD set available called "The Art of Buster Keaton" which can be bought from KINO International - I've also seen it at Barnes & Noble Bookstores - and I'm sure it's available elsewhere.

[bansi4]

WHOA! HKG it's not necessary to short change the wonderful, versatile, one and only Jimmy Durante with your crass remarks. The beloved Schnozzola is a jack-of-all-trades in all aspects of the medium including movies, radio, TV and recordings, Hot-cha-cha-cha-cha.

Not to forget his delightful narration of "Frosty the Snowman" every Christmas. Also a composer, Emmy award nominee and winner of the Peabody award.

He was a solid entertainer who made millions of people laugh with his very funny antics and fractured language. He also made a posthumas comeback with his recordings of "As Time Goes by" and "Make Someone Happy" from the soundtrack of "Sleepless in Seattle", making the charts.

I for one miss this gent and would take him any day over any of the so called legendary comics.

With that said...Goodnight Mr. Durante, wherever you are.

 

Mongo

 

[path40a]

Here, here. Plus, I can't forget him in The Man Who Came to Dinner with Monty Woolley, Bette Davis, and Ann Sheridan.

[harlowkeatongirl]

That's my opinion and I'm entitled to it. At least I don't shove my opinion down people's throats.

 

*Gag*

 

[harlowkeatongirl]

> I have not seen "What, No Beer" yet, but TCM is

> airing it in December so I'll catch it then. I know

> that it is the last movie BK made for MGM, that it

> was made during the lowest point of his life and not

> considered very good, but I'll tape it so I'll have

> his whole MGM collection (as well as almost all of

> his silents)and just because it's him. If you don't

> already know, there's already a DVD set available

> called "The Art of Buster Keaton" which can be bought

> from KINO International - I've also seen it at Barnes

> & Noble Bookstores - and I'm sure it's available

> elsewhere.

 

 

 

In the "new" Buster book I'm reading - The Look Of Buster Keaton by Robert Benayoun, which is primarily a picture book that focuses on his physical beauty (how about that )... it has a quote from Buster's 1960 autobiography that I love and am adding to my mental book of quotes to live by:

 

"I think I have had the happiest and luckiest of lives. Maybe this is because I never expected as much as I got... And when the knocks came I felt it was no surprise. I had always known life was like that, full of uppercuts for the deserving and undeserving alike... Dr. Avedon said I could live to be a hundred years old. I intend to do it." (I'll say he sure did.)

 

 

[raestar57]

Well, I like Durante - I just don't think he and BK clicked in movies (except for maybe "The Passionate Plumber")- one didn't have to talk and the other talked a lot.

 

If you don't already have it, I highly recommend getting a copy of BK's autobiography "My Wonderful World of Slapstick" - what better way to read about him than in his own words? Two others I recommend - his AUTHORIZED biography ("Keaton" by Rudi Blesch (sp)) and his biography by his wife Eleanor("Buster Keaton Remembered") I don't like any of the books that psycho-analyse him as I don't think he made his movies to make political or social "statements" (like Chaplin)- I think he just liked to make people laugh (and maybe make some money doing it).

 

 

[harlowkeatongirl]

As far as the Keaton-Durante movies, I watched them a couple times through to become familiar with the story an dialogue, and then later fast-forwarded through the painful parts.

 

"Buster Keaton Remembered" by Eleanor Keaton is next on my wish list.

 

Plans On Naming First Son "Keaton,"

Shyla

 

 

 

 

 

 

[coffeedan1927]

Leave it to me to come late to the party. I was away from home during TCM's tribute to Buster Keaton, and I had to tape most of the films so I could watch them later. I just watched the last of them yesterday.

 

Part of it was fun. I enjoyed COPS and THE CAMERAMAN, probably more so than in the past. I really liked Arthur Barrow's new score for THE CAMERAMAN. The last time I saw the film on TCM, it had a standard piano score, but the new score was a welcome improvement. Keaton's one-man baseball game is one of his best routines.

 

SPITE MARRIAGE wasn't top-drawer Keaton, but even bottom-drawer Keaton is better than many actors' top-drawer stuff. This time around, I noticed that SPITE MARRIAGE bore passing resemblance to a Frank Capra silent picture I saw recently, THE MATINEE IDOL, released the year before. Both films deal with a young man in love with the actress in a Civil War stage drama, who eventually gets on stage with her. I wonder if Keaton might have borrowed and refined the idea for his film. Regardless, Keaton is still a joy to watch.

 

I wish I could say the same for his talkies, though. Sitting through most of these was an endurance test. While there were flashes of the old Keaton brilliance, you have to endure a lot of noise and bother to see them. Although I didn't find any of them entirely satisfying, SPEAK EASILY was probably the easiest to sit through, followed by FREE AND EASY. Keaton probably had his best support in those films. SIDEWALKS OF NEW YORK was the absolute worst -- it gave me a headache.

 

Which brings up another point: Keaton isn't totally in control in his early talkies. It's almost like he was shoehorned into somebody else's picture, and that affects the cohesion. Fair-to-poor writing and direction didn't help, either.

 

I was astounded to find out that SPEAK EASILY was based on Clarence Budington Kelland's serial Footlights. Kelland had originally written the story for Harold Lloyd, but Lloyd didn't like it. I wonder how Keaton got hold of it? I could see Lloyd in the leading role, but I don't think it would have helped his career either, at that point.