I
put the writing of this review on the back burner for a long time because I’ve
become somewhat sentimental towards Buster Keaton and am unable to separate the
man from his work.
The more I learn the more bitter-sweet his movies become. He
uncompromisingly gave everything to a part and in the process put himself at
extreme risk. Why did he do it? What compelled him to make those types of
sacrifices? I don’t see in him an over-sized ego that says, “Look at me!”
Instead I observe an unceasing drive to perform to please. His humility and
resignation in his later work, especially In the Good Old Summertime
and Film, are almost too much to look at.
Lest I forget what I’m here to do, Sherlock Jr. is a wonder! It
appears that many other movies have taken little bits from it. Jacques Tati
must have studied Sherlock Jr. well to help in creating some of his
antics in Jour de fête and the writers of I Was a Male War Bride
liked the motorcycle scene enough to use their own version of it. There were so
many jaw dropping moments that I stopped the movie often to re-watch, just to
be sure that what I saw really happened. Even so, my favorite part is the
simple scene where Sherlock Jr. is taking romancing cues from an actor on
screen.
My hat’s off to you Mr. Keaton.
