SHERLOCK, JR. (1924)

Country: U.S.A.

Genre(s): Comedy

Director: Buster Keaton

Cast: Buster Keaton / Kathryn McGuire / Joe Keaton

Plot

A lonely projectionist falls asleep and dreams that he is Sherlock, Jr., an adventurous detective out to rescue a damsel in distress from the clutches of a villainous gang.

What I Liked

Not surprisingly, Buster Keaton’s comedic acting and timing, along with his still very impressive stunts, make the film.  There is great creativity in the execution of many of the visual effects, particularly in one scene where the projectionist leaps through a movie screen only to find himself in the movie itself.  The flow of action throughout the film from one scene to another is seamless and keeps the story moving while providing opportunity after opportunity for Keaton to display his abilities. The fact that it doesn’t last longer than 45 minutes and is fast-paced for the entire last half hour will help modern viewers get through this silent film without getting bored at all.

What I Didn’t Like

Nobody could ever claim to be confused by a complicated plot here.  There doesn’t seem to be much to the film in terms of meaning, other than possibly a criticism of the American Dream as truly being nothing more than fantasy – if you really want to read into it.  I doubt that was Keaton’s intention here, although I know nothing of him or his ambitions for this film.  It seems to me that he came up with a simple yet creative plot to aid him in entertaining audiences and nothing more.  Not that there’s anything wrong with that.  It should be taken for what it is: fun.

Most Memorable Scene

There are two scenes that really stick out.  The first is the projectionist's movement from waking life to fantasy as his dream-self proceeds to walk down a theater aisle and literally jump into the movie on screen.  The other is Sherlock, Jr.’s ride through all sorts of dangers while sitting on the handlebars of a driverless motorcycle, which then leads to a ride on a lake in a convertible car.  Though both scenes are ingenious and dazzling, the latter of the two is the best.  It lasts longer and features more death-defying, zany antics that amaze and bemuse the senses.

My Rating: 4 out of 5