#22- Sherlock, Jr. (1924)Starring: Buster Keaton, Kathryn McGuire, Joe Keaton
Directed by: Buster Keaton
Plot Summary: A movie theater projectionist is in love with a beautiful girl, but is rivaled by the "local sheik." In attempt to get more money, the sheik steals a pocket watch from the girl's father and sells it, while also planting evidence in the projectionist's pocket. Studying to be a detective, the projectionist attempts to solve the case, until the evidence is discovered and he is banished from the house, framed for the theft. At his shift at the movie theater, the projectionist falls asleep and dreams of being Sherlock, Jr., the greatest detective alive.
During the silent era, there were two iconic comedians who made names for themselves by making and starring in some of the most hilarious films at the time. The first one I decided to look at was Buster Keaton. Sherlock, Jr. was recommended to me by a friend and my professor in my Studies in Film course, so I did my research on it before watching it. Clocking in at only 45 minutes, I thought it would serve as a small introduction to what Keaton's style as a filmmaker and comedian. Thankfully, I was entertained by the film as a whole and the comedy still holds up, but what is it about the comedy or Keaton himself that works?
Half the fun of Buster Keaton as The Projectionist and Sherlock, Jr. is through the actually storytelling of the film, which I'll get into later. What I will say about his physical comedy is in his size. Keaton is able to play a loveable underdog through his physical build, being 5' 5'' in height. We really root for him to clear his name and get the girl, but he's also able to be naturally funny in what he does. There are also some great shots of the physical dedication Keaton gives to his films, one scene involving a train and another involving a motor bike comes to mind.What I really enjoyed about the film was Keaton's ability to give us two short stories that fit cohesively in a 45 minute film. The first half of the film deals with the story of The Projectionist, while the second half focuses on his day dream of him as Sherlock, Jr. Both stories are able to tell the same story in different stories. As The Projectionist, Keaton is able to portray the story with a vaudevillian sense of realism. A modern audience is self-aware that this does not take place in our modern world, but is still relatable through its use of basic storytelling. As Sherlock, Jr., Keaton adds over the top charm to the story. The overall day dream aspect allows the audience to not take Sherlock, Jr. seriously, and it is even more entertaining when other characters are overly impressed, or for the villains, intimidated by his presence and reputation as the world's greatest detective.
Some of the comedy that shines in Sherlock, Jr. actually surprised me. There are long continuous shots of Keaton that are done without the use of a stunt double and nothing is computer generated. There's also a great scene that involves camera and set tricks to create the illusion of going into a film through the screen and the film constantly changing settings in environments, forcing The Projectionist to react to the environments. It's a great testament to the amount of creativity in storytelling that filmmakers like Keaton were able to put to screen during the silent era.Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
The comedy in Sherlock, Jr. is both over the top and charming. This was a very entertaining introduction to Buster Keaton as a comedian and filmmaker. I strongly recommend any fans of comedy to check out this silent classic.
Comment below to share your thoughts on the movie or to discuss a topic that I left out of my review
Sherlock, Jr. and movie images are copyrighted by Metro Pictures Corporation
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