The Cameraman (1928)

Hopelessly in love with a woman working at MGM Studios, a clumsy man attempts to become a motion picture cameraman to be close to the object of his desire.

Director:

Edward Sedgwick

Writers:

Clyde Bruckman (story), Lew Lipton (story),

Stars:

Buster Keaton, Marceline Day, Harold Goodwin

1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Buster Keaton	...	Buster
Marceline Day	...	Sally
Harold Goodwin	...	Stagg
Sidney Bracey	...	Éditor (as Sidney Bracy)
Harry Gribbon	...	Cop

Storyline

After becoming infatuated with a pretty office worker for MGM Newsreels, Buster trades in his tintype operation for a movie camera and sets out to impress the girl (and MGM) with his work.

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Plot Keywords:

police raid | policeman | motorboat | photographer | slapstick comedy | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance | Family | Drama

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 September 1928 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der Kameramann

Filming Locations:

Balboa, Newport Beach, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

69 min 69 min (Turner library print)

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Buster Keaton falls off of the bus, a billboard for The Actress appears in the background. The titles for both films were written by Joseph Farnham.

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Goofs

During the Yankee Stadium sequence, an elevated train goes by in the background in one shot, but disappears before leaving the frame in the next shot.

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Quotes

Sally Richards: [advice to the aspiring cameraman] You must always grind forward... never backward.

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Connections

Featured in The Race to Save 100 Years (1997)

User Reviews

You Killa da Monk!

Wonderful comedy with Buster Keaton as a 3rd rate day-dreaming cameraman who tries to be a freelance newsreel man.

Along with the trademark Keaton chase scenes, there is also a sweet story as he falls for a secretary (Marceline Day) who seems more interested in another man. Lots of gags and pratfalls as well as a funny monkey. What more could you want? Memorable scenes as Buster takes his girl to a city swimming pool. He gets crammed into a dressing room with a fat man (Edward Brophy) and loses his over-sized swim suit. He also runs into an organ grinder while running from a cop. The two men fall on the monkey. The Italian yells "You killa da monk!" The monkey accompanies Buster when he gets a tip on a Tong War in Chinatown but the monkey switches the reels of film and Buster gets nothing. Then while covering a regatta Buster sees his girl in a speedboat with the other guy (Harold Goodwin) and sees them capsize. He rows out to save her after the man swims to shore. Buster drags her back to the beach and runs off to buy some medicine just as Goodwin kneels over her and claims to have saved her. Well the monkey saves the day! Nice film with lots of funny bits. Day is good but never made it in talkies. Sidney Bracey is the boss and Harry Gribbon is the cop. Vernon Dent gets Buster's swim suit, and Ray Cooke (usually a bell boy) plays an office boy.