Steamboat Bill Jr.

1928 romantic comedy

Rating: 18/20

Plot: William Canfield, a steamboat owner/operator, hasn't seen his son William Canfield Jr. since he was a baby. He's thrilled when he learns that his son is coming to see him. His excitement vanishes when he realizes that his son is a flamboyantly homosexual twerp with a fancy moustache and a gay hat.

Every bit as good as The General (maybe?), this one's got some terrific physical comedy. Some of those stunts, especially during a climactic storm sequence, look extraordinarily painful. This is the movie with the famous side-of-the-building-falling-down-but-luckily-Buster-is-standing-right-where-the-window-is-so-nothing-hits-him scene, a scene so dangerous that half the crew refused to even stick around to see it. But that's not the only classic scene as rubbery, invincible Buster is bounced around like a Warner Brothers' cartoon character. The plot's pretty standard, but the comedy's great and Keaton's at the top of his game. Definitely a recommended silent comedy.