I suppose, in 1930, people thought that it would be hilarious to have Buster Keaton lose the girl to Robert Montgomery and look bleakly into the camera for a fade out. Nearly 80 years on it is not funny but very sad. For the first time Buster didn't end up with the girl (and I so hoped he would). Even though he was the star, he ended up as Robert Montgomery's amiable side kick. On the plus side it is an invaluable look at Hollywood life behind the scenes.
Elvira Plunkett (the beautiful Anita Page, who didn't have much to do) has won a "Miss Gopher Prairie" beauty contest and is on her way to make good in Hollywood, along with her battleaxe mother (Trixie Friganza). Elmer Butts (Buster Keaton) Elvira's manager, is in charge of tickets and money but due to a mix up (he is in the caboose and can't get through the train) they are almost thrown off. They meet Larry (Robert Montgomery) a big Hollywood star who is visiting his home town.
Elvira's party attend a premiere at which Jackie Coogan gives a little speech. William Collier Snr. is the Master of Ceremonies and William Haines is also in the audience. There is a funny bit where Mr. Haines is upstaged by Elmer but appreciates the joke. Elvira and her mother are invited on set and watch a pretty appalling number "It Must Be You" featuring Robert Montgomery and a chorus of dancing soldiers.
Meanwhile Elmer is trying to get through the studio gates. The prolonged chase is the funniest sequence in the film. He accidentally detonates a mine in a scene with Dorothy Sebastian and Karl Dane - he crashes a conversation between Cecil B. DeMille and some others on who the leading lady should be on their next movie. Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford and Greta Garbo are names suggested, Elmer throws in Elvira Plunkett. The funniest gag is when Lionel Barrymore is directing John Miljan and Gwen Lee in a dramatic bedroom scene - Elmer, thinking the scene is real, comes out of the closet hands raised. "Where did you come from!!!!" "Gopher Prairie". Everyone seems genuinely surprised.
After wrecking the chorus line - Elmer is given a job. The gags end there and the film turns into a conventional romance between Elvira and Larry. Larry and Elmer find they knew each other when kids and Larry then gets Elmer the comedy lead in the song "The Free and Easy". It is a very catchy song and Elmer is teamed with a cute dancer (Estelle Moran). It is pretty hard to miss a much prettier dancer in the front row of the chorus - Ann Dvorak. Keaton is a really good dancer - it may be because of his acrobatic training.
Although Elmer is now the comedy lead he has lost Elvira to Larry - he doesn't even get the girl in the dance. Poor Buster!!!!
Only Recommended.
Elvira Plunkett (the beautiful Anita Page, who didn't have much to do) has won a "Miss Gopher Prairie" beauty contest and is on her way to make good in Hollywood, along with her battleaxe mother (Trixie Friganza). Elmer Butts (Buster Keaton) Elvira's manager, is in charge of tickets and money but due to a mix up (he is in the caboose and can't get through the train) they are almost thrown off. They meet Larry (Robert Montgomery) a big Hollywood star who is visiting his home town.
Elvira's party attend a premiere at which Jackie Coogan gives a little speech. William Collier Snr. is the Master of Ceremonies and William Haines is also in the audience. There is a funny bit where Mr. Haines is upstaged by Elmer but appreciates the joke. Elvira and her mother are invited on set and watch a pretty appalling number "It Must Be You" featuring Robert Montgomery and a chorus of dancing soldiers.
Meanwhile Elmer is trying to get through the studio gates. The prolonged chase is the funniest sequence in the film. He accidentally detonates a mine in a scene with Dorothy Sebastian and Karl Dane - he crashes a conversation between Cecil B. DeMille and some others on who the leading lady should be on their next movie. Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford and Greta Garbo are names suggested, Elmer throws in Elvira Plunkett. The funniest gag is when Lionel Barrymore is directing John Miljan and Gwen Lee in a dramatic bedroom scene - Elmer, thinking the scene is real, comes out of the closet hands raised. "Where did you come from!!!!" "Gopher Prairie". Everyone seems genuinely surprised.
After wrecking the chorus line - Elmer is given a job. The gags end there and the film turns into a conventional romance between Elvira and Larry. Larry and Elmer find they knew each other when kids and Larry then gets Elmer the comedy lead in the song "The Free and Easy". It is a very catchy song and Elmer is teamed with a cute dancer (Estelle Moran). It is pretty hard to miss a much prettier dancer in the front row of the chorus - Ann Dvorak. Keaton is a really good dancer - it may be because of his acrobatic training.
Although Elmer is now the comedy lead he has lost Elvira to Larry - he doesn't even get the girl in the dance. Poor Buster!!!!
Only Recommended.