Review of Back Stage (1919) by Bill T — 09 Mar 2012

Buster and Fatty work as stagehands at a vaudeville show but when the actors go on strike, they have to hilariously fill in for them in the show.

Back Stage is one of their funniest shorts. There are tons of great moments and Buster fans would love to know that many of them are because of him. Like in their other best shorts, Buster has the chance the display his real skill and talent here as a dancer, stuntman, and pantomime. Oh, and if that's not enough to get you to watch this, then you have to see it to see BUSTER IN DRAG! And it's hilarity squared.

Another great reason to see this is because one of Buster's most iconic gags is borrowed from a gag that Fatty does. In Back Stage, one of the set pieces fall on Fatty but he comes away unharmed because a hole in the scenery falls right through him. Buster would borrow it in One Week, and then again more famously (and much much much more dangerously) in Steamboat Bill Jr. But Fatty's version is still great.

Overall, the film is fun, entertaining, and laughter-inducing, but it's not as good as their best work together, and not nearly as good as Buster's best work.