Review of Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928) by Alex S — 06 Jan 2010

There are few who will dispute that Buster Keaton is a master stuntman, and this movie displays that as well as anything. The extreme physical comedy that Keaton puts himself through is really breathtaking in many ways, particularly during the iconic cyclone scene.

There?s also a pretty neat story about fathers and sons here and there?s a good performance by Ernest Torrence which almost upstages Keaton, at least in the non stunt scenes. It?s hard to argue against this movie, but while I watched it I couldn?t help but be solidified in my somewhat unhip view that Chaplin was, on the whole, the better filmmaker of the two great clowns.

Chaplin?s movies made real attempts at pathos, while Keaton?s movies just kind of seem like elaborate and very well staged stunt shows by comparison.