Seeing THE CAMERAMAN for the first time in pristine condition (thanks to TCM) and with a wonderful musical score to keep the pace going for the audience members not used to a steady diet of silent films, I was quite surprised. While THE CAMERAMAN does not really feature any incredible or death-defying stunts, there are a number of set pieces that provide exciting humor (the staircase sequence, for instance), and also some hilarious situations such as when he loses his bathing suit at the "municipal plunge" or when he has to protect his camera from the attackers during the tong war. Thankfully, MGM had not yet put Keaton in films that did not fit his established persona (SIDEWALKS OF NEW YORK) or that did not take advantage of his particular comic gifts (FREE AND EASY). Keaton is wonderful throughout, charismatic, sympathetic, agile. Marceline Day is a charming female lead and actually makes a three-dimensional character out of what could have been a superficial role in other hands. She continued working into the sound era until the mid-30s, but wound up in poverty-row features (see my review of SUNNY SKIES, where she is teamed with Rex Lease and Benny Rubin), many of which I've really enjoyed over the years (MYSTERY TRAIN with Hedda Hopper, the pioneering women-in-war film FORGOTTEN WOMEN/THE MAD PARADE, the VD classic DAMAGED LIVES, the outrageous camp classic THE FLAMING SIGNAL with Noah Beery, Henry B. Walthall, and Flash the dog, and the superb urban melodrama BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. The multi-talented Harry Gribbon, who began working for Mack Sennett in the teens, is well-used as the omnipresent cop who happens to be wherever Buster is doing something that looks fishy out of its proper context. I've been watching some of his sound comedy shorts recently such as RURAL ROMEOS and BIG HEATED, and he was superb as an arrogant bluffer, was a master of mugging and physical comedy, and even sang well in ROMEOS. Overall, THE CAMERAMAN is well worth watching and shows that initially Keaton was able to work well within MGM's system. Things began to slip with his next MGM feature, SPITE MARRIAGE, although many of the MGM features have something worthwhile in them (see my review of WHAT NO BEER, his last, and often considered his worst). With the recent attention given to the MGM films, I think I'll watch some of them again. From my memories of watching them about a decade ago, I remember DOUGHBOYS as being the least funny and most labored.
75 Reviews
Buster's "Annie Hall." A charming, fun romantic comedy.
Ben_Cheshire9 March 2004
Its sight gags may not be as funny, complex and clever as in Buster's independent films (The General, Sherlock Jr, Steamboat Bill Jr and others), but The Cameraman has probably the best romance of all his films, and is certainly one of the best directed. It has some wonderful sequences in it: the giant crane shot up and down the side of a gigantic stairway setpiece, contains probably the most impressive piece of direction. Buster's face was at its handsomest here, just before his excesses of the 30's. The version i saw had a fittingly gorgeous romantic score, which didn't hurt. Overall, The Cameraman is one of Buster's most charming, enjoyable films. And now one of my favourites.
If you've never seen a silent movie, i'd recommend this as a great place to start. Its such a welcoming, likeable movie. Visual humour does get much funnier than this - but the main source of joy in Keaton movies is Buster's irrepressibly likeable little character, here at his most likeable.
If you've never seen a silent movie, i'd recommend this as a great place to start. Its such a welcoming, likeable movie. Visual humour does get much funnier than this - but the main source of joy in Keaton movies is Buster's irrepressibly likeable little character, here at his most likeable.
An almost perfect silent comedy
AlsExGal14 June 2023
This was the first film Buster Keaton did at MGM after his financial backer, Joe Schenck, withdrew his support. It was also the last feature film in which Buster Keaton had creative control. In it, Buster plays a photographer making tin types on a street corner for passerbys. Some dignitaries appear, a crowd gathers around them, and as a result he is pressed up against a girl (Marceline Day) in the crowd until the dignitaries leave and the crowd disperses. She doesn't notice him, but he's instantly smitten. His face says it all.
He looks for the girl, Sally, and finds she is working as a secretary for MGM newsreels. He figures that the way to impress her and also a way to be around her all day is to become a cameraman himself. She tells him he will need to have a camera of his own if he wants a job there. So he withdraws every dime he has in the bank and buys an old run down camera. What follows are his awkward attempts to get the girl with his awkward attempts at being a newsreel cameraman.
The best way to describe The Cameraman is that it is a series of vignettes and gags that could entertain if you just watched them individually, but work together to the final conclusion. Accidental skinny dipping, a gang war, an impromptu solo baseball game, and an organ grinder monkey who made a better side kick for Buster than Jimmy Durante could have ever hoped to be are among the disparate situations that fuel the gags. And if you think that you recognize some of these gags as being lifted and placed in1935's "A Night at the Opera" with the Marx Brothers, you would be right.
MGM was a movie factory, and the fact that the actual script of The Cameraman is hard to describe drove the studio heads crazy, even though it was a box office success. But MGM learned the wrong lesson - That Buster Keaton was well suited to being a star plugged into their formulaic movie making. They stole Buster's independence and put resentment in its place, and that resentment grew with each film he did, ultimately leading to personal and professional disaster.
He looks for the girl, Sally, and finds she is working as a secretary for MGM newsreels. He figures that the way to impress her and also a way to be around her all day is to become a cameraman himself. She tells him he will need to have a camera of his own if he wants a job there. So he withdraws every dime he has in the bank and buys an old run down camera. What follows are his awkward attempts to get the girl with his awkward attempts at being a newsreel cameraman.
The best way to describe The Cameraman is that it is a series of vignettes and gags that could entertain if you just watched them individually, but work together to the final conclusion. Accidental skinny dipping, a gang war, an impromptu solo baseball game, and an organ grinder monkey who made a better side kick for Buster than Jimmy Durante could have ever hoped to be are among the disparate situations that fuel the gags. And if you think that you recognize some of these gags as being lifted and placed in1935's "A Night at the Opera" with the Marx Brothers, you would be right.
MGM was a movie factory, and the fact that the actual script of The Cameraman is hard to describe drove the studio heads crazy, even though it was a box office success. But MGM learned the wrong lesson - That Buster Keaton was well suited to being a star plugged into their formulaic movie making. They stole Buster's independence and put resentment in its place, and that resentment grew with each film he did, ultimately leading to personal and professional disaster.
Keaton's last masterpiece, and a glimpse of what might have been
imogensara_smith7 September 2006
THE CAMERAMAN is, in a way, Buster Keaton's most heartbreaking movie. It shows what could have been, if only MGM had left him alone. Keaton had made all of his great films at an independent studio where he had total control over his work. With the help of a hand-picked creative team, he wrote, directed, designed and starred in his movies, not to mention doing all his own stunts. Buster always left himself room to improvise and revise during filming, sometimes incorporating accidents into the development of new gags. He gave little thought to financial matters; he believed in doing things right, whatever the cost in money, time or physical hardship.
In 1928, Keaton's producer Joseph Schenck dissolved his studio and turned him over to MGM, the biggest, richest, and most authoritarian of the major studios. Keaton went reluctantly, feeling he had no choice. At first, the situation didn't look too bad. For his first MGM film, THE CAMERAMAN, he kept most of his creative team, and provided the idea for the story. It had the element he considered most important: simplicity. He would play a street photographer who, smitten with a receptionist at a newsreel company, strives to become a newsreel cameraman. MGM took this idea and sent it to their writers, who complicated it with subplots, extraneous characters and needless plot twists. The studio also dispatched Keaton to film on location in New York. Frustrated by the crowds that interfered with filming, by a script he disliked, and by conflicts with his director, Keaton pleaded with Irving Thalberg to let him edit the script and shoot the rest of the film in Los Angeles. To his everlasting credit, Thalberg agreed, and director Ed Sedgwick also came around the Buster's way of working. As a result, THE CAMERAMAN became a Keaton masterpiece, one of his most mature, satisfying, and hilarious films.
Not surprisingly, some of the funniest and most inspired moments were not in the script but were improvised by Buster during filming: when he pantomimes a baseball game in Yankee Stadium, when he calmly demolishes his room in an effort to open his piggy bank, and when he attempts to change into a swimsuit in a small cubicle shared with an irascible fat man. But the level of inspiration is consistently high throughout the film. There's a beautiful sequence in which Buster runs up and down a staircase (filmed smoothly from an elevator), anticipating a phone call from his beloved Sally. When he finally gets the call, he drops the receiver and races through the city streets (in fact, Manhattan's 5th Avenue) to arrive at her house before she has hung up. There's a nightmarishly funny scene in which he loses his over-sized swimsuit in a public pool, and swims around with only his alarmed and desperate eyes above water. For the last third of the movie, there's the marvelous Josephine, an organ grinder's monkey who becomes Buster's troublesome sidekick. Not only is she one of the best animal performers you'll ever see, she's a better actor than some humans who appeared in silent movies. It's a delight to watch her riding around on Buster's shoulder, scampering up and down his body, and embracing his great stone face with her tiny hands.
THE CAMERAMAN reflects Buster's fascination with film-making and the mechanics of the camera. His character's clumsy initial efforts are a textbook of film-making mistakes. There is an appropriately spectacular finale in which Buster films a Tong war in Chinatown, imperturbable amid the swirling riot of violence. There's the most poignant moment in any Keaton film, when Buster, having rescued Sally from a boat wreck and rushed off to get aid, returns to the beach to find his rival has taken credit for the rescue and won her gratitude. His posture of utter defeat is almost unbearable, and his ultimate vindication is truly gratifying. The romance in THE CAMERAMAN is more fully developed than in most of Keaton's films; Sally is played by the exceptionally pretty Marceline Day, and unlike Buster's often prickly love interests she is unfailingly sweet and supportive. They meet when a passing parade pushes them together in a crowd, and Buster, finding his face in Marceline's hair, shuts his eyes in swooning bliss. Already we can see Buster's character shading towards the more sentimental, "sad clown" type that MGM later forced on him. But in THE CAMERAMAN he's still stoic and ingenious, and his performance is incredibly subtle and expressive, every motion fine-tuned to perfection.
I appreciated this performance all the more when I recently watched Turner Classic Movie's new DVD release. The picture quality was so much better than the old battered video print that I felt I'd never seen the film before. Alas, the print is no more complete than earlier versions. Portions have been lost to wear and tear because MGMdelighted with the film's successplayed their print over and over, using it as a training film for new comedians. The savage irony is that the lesson the studio drew from this was not that Keaton did, in fact, work best when given freedom, but that Keaton was better than ever under their control. They would never again allow him such independence, and his films would rapidly deteriorate in quality. But don't think about this while you're watching THE CAMERAMAN, just enjoy one of the most elegant and perfect romantic comedies ever made.
In 1928, Keaton's producer Joseph Schenck dissolved his studio and turned him over to MGM, the biggest, richest, and most authoritarian of the major studios. Keaton went reluctantly, feeling he had no choice. At first, the situation didn't look too bad. For his first MGM film, THE CAMERAMAN, he kept most of his creative team, and provided the idea for the story. It had the element he considered most important: simplicity. He would play a street photographer who, smitten with a receptionist at a newsreel company, strives to become a newsreel cameraman. MGM took this idea and sent it to their writers, who complicated it with subplots, extraneous characters and needless plot twists. The studio also dispatched Keaton to film on location in New York. Frustrated by the crowds that interfered with filming, by a script he disliked, and by conflicts with his director, Keaton pleaded with Irving Thalberg to let him edit the script and shoot the rest of the film in Los Angeles. To his everlasting credit, Thalberg agreed, and director Ed Sedgwick also came around the Buster's way of working. As a result, THE CAMERAMAN became a Keaton masterpiece, one of his most mature, satisfying, and hilarious films.
Not surprisingly, some of the funniest and most inspired moments were not in the script but were improvised by Buster during filming: when he pantomimes a baseball game in Yankee Stadium, when he calmly demolishes his room in an effort to open his piggy bank, and when he attempts to change into a swimsuit in a small cubicle shared with an irascible fat man. But the level of inspiration is consistently high throughout the film. There's a beautiful sequence in which Buster runs up and down a staircase (filmed smoothly from an elevator), anticipating a phone call from his beloved Sally. When he finally gets the call, he drops the receiver and races through the city streets (in fact, Manhattan's 5th Avenue) to arrive at her house before she has hung up. There's a nightmarishly funny scene in which he loses his over-sized swimsuit in a public pool, and swims around with only his alarmed and desperate eyes above water. For the last third of the movie, there's the marvelous Josephine, an organ grinder's monkey who becomes Buster's troublesome sidekick. Not only is she one of the best animal performers you'll ever see, she's a better actor than some humans who appeared in silent movies. It's a delight to watch her riding around on Buster's shoulder, scampering up and down his body, and embracing his great stone face with her tiny hands.
THE CAMERAMAN reflects Buster's fascination with film-making and the mechanics of the camera. His character's clumsy initial efforts are a textbook of film-making mistakes. There is an appropriately spectacular finale in which Buster films a Tong war in Chinatown, imperturbable amid the swirling riot of violence. There's the most poignant moment in any Keaton film, when Buster, having rescued Sally from a boat wreck and rushed off to get aid, returns to the beach to find his rival has taken credit for the rescue and won her gratitude. His posture of utter defeat is almost unbearable, and his ultimate vindication is truly gratifying. The romance in THE CAMERAMAN is more fully developed than in most of Keaton's films; Sally is played by the exceptionally pretty Marceline Day, and unlike Buster's often prickly love interests she is unfailingly sweet and supportive. They meet when a passing parade pushes them together in a crowd, and Buster, finding his face in Marceline's hair, shuts his eyes in swooning bliss. Already we can see Buster's character shading towards the more sentimental, "sad clown" type that MGM later forced on him. But in THE CAMERAMAN he's still stoic and ingenious, and his performance is incredibly subtle and expressive, every motion fine-tuned to perfection.
I appreciated this performance all the more when I recently watched Turner Classic Movie's new DVD release. The picture quality was so much better than the old battered video print that I felt I'd never seen the film before. Alas, the print is no more complete than earlier versions. Portions have been lost to wear and tear because MGMdelighted with the film's successplayed their print over and over, using it as a training film for new comedians. The savage irony is that the lesson the studio drew from this was not that Keaton did, in fact, work best when given freedom, but that Keaton was better than ever under their control. They would never again allow him such independence, and his films would rapidly deteriorate in quality. But don't think about this while you're watching THE CAMERAMAN, just enjoy one of the most elegant and perfect romantic comedies ever made.
At last, perfection
Igenlode Wordsmith12 March 2006
I loved this film.
I don't give 10/10 marks lightly; I rarely give them at all. For a film to rate that highly, it must be compelling, enthralling, enchanting, a technical tour-de-force -- it must make my heart soar and tear it with pity, and leave me shaken and laughing and crying all at once -- never put a foot wrong or lose my interest for a moment... but above all, it must endure. It must be a candidate for the shelf of the classics, to stand in its own right among all others and hold its own.
A tall order for a little comedy, you might think, even with the irreplaceable imagination and grace of Buster Keaton on both sides of the camera. But for me this is the one: his last great film, his swansong perhaps, but the one that is perfection.
This is the 'perfect melding of story and humour' I dreamed would lie ahead, back when I reviewed "The General", and here they are ideally intertwined. In places it is very, very funny, on a level his feature length films arrive at far more seldom than his shorts, but it also has a fully-developed and satisfying narrative curve along timeless lines, underpinned and yet not undermined by Keaton's wry trademark lack of sentiment: virtue is rewarded, villainy confounded, and the underdog is recognised and wins through. The leading lady is no mere cipher to which to aspire, but a warm girl who believes in the hero all along and gives him his vital 'break'. The unfortunate encounter with the organ-grinder's monkey -- Buster's best ever animal co-star! -- proves not simply a one-off gag, but key to the plot; and it is this sort of coherence that gives the film as a whole its beautiful sense of shape.
The story itself is very simple, almost episodic, compared to some of Keaton's wilder offerings: boy loves girl, boy sets out day after day to prove himself and find his dream, as events conspire to frustrate him. But everything ties back. The ending echoes the beginning and every scene counts along the way, as the relationships between the principals evolve. There's even an unmissable 'singing in the rain' sequence that must surely -- surely! -- have been an influence on Gene Kelly's famous rapture of delight (and encounter with bemused policeman); the echoes are so close...
There are no great set-piece stunts and chases to take over the screen and dominate the plot, as in "Seven Chances" or "The General"; but much as I love Buster's breathtaking skills and endless acrobatic agility, I think the film actually benefits by the more integrated style. There are chases -- there are stunts -- there are classic sight gags, long-running situational humour, bittersweet instants and sheer belly laughs -- but none of them ever sideline the impetus of the character-based action. This film quite simply has *everything*, and that's why even among Keaton's work it stands out.
Buster Keaton, meanwhile, is in top form, playing perhaps the most fully-realized of his various romantic dreamers: the little street photographer with his hard-saved nest egg, ten cents a time, who longs to become a daredevil cameraman capturing the breaking news. This is classic Keaton: the fascination and frustration with machinery, the ingenuity applied and misapplied, the beauty of face and body that can express an entire universe without words, the flights of fancy and the inevitable falls.
Buster could, notoriously, "run like a jack-rabbit" for all his small size, and here his speed as well as his famous frozen poise are put to memorable use. His comic timing and inventiveness have never been better: the swimming-pool scene, harking all the way back to Arbuckle's "Coney Island" but with far greater sophistication and development, is truly hilarious and had the audience, almost crying with laughter, eating out of the palm of his hand. (The scene where, carried away by the hallowed stadium turf, he plays out an entire baseball game in his own head single-handed -- still very funny even to the English -- would doubtless have gone down a complete storm with US cinema-goers more familiar with the rules of the sport...) And yet, as always, he is not merely playing for laughs, but acting to effect. We feel for the character; rejoice with him, ache for him, applaud his resource and chuckle with sympathy over his mistakes. In a couple of his shorts, where he deliberately subverts the conventions of melodrama, he demonstrates the all-out poses of classic theatrical mime -- heartbreak, horror, despair -- with spot-on accuracy. Here, we see his own more subtle and naturalistic style. Buster had no time for high drama, but he was a player in full command of his craft, and he can create a moment's shading of emotion with the tiniest shift of face or body, and those eloquent, ever-expressive eyes.
He is a master, and for me this is perhaps his masterpiece. It's one of the films I've enjoyed most in my entire life; silent cinema in its full maturity and comedy at its timeless best. I was swept away. After seeing this I was ready to go down on my knees and worship Keaton; all I can do is hymn him in words.
If he were never again to be allowed to do anything on this creative level -- and arguably, he never was -- then this would still be a final great flowering of a unique art and vision, films that still draw crowds today... but above all perform, as perfectly as when they were first printed, all that Buster Keaton ever set out to do. These are not museum pieces or cultural artifacts of a dead age. They are, as they were created to be, cinematic works of supreme entertainment.
I don't give 10/10 marks lightly; I rarely give them at all. For a film to rate that highly, it must be compelling, enthralling, enchanting, a technical tour-de-force -- it must make my heart soar and tear it with pity, and leave me shaken and laughing and crying all at once -- never put a foot wrong or lose my interest for a moment... but above all, it must endure. It must be a candidate for the shelf of the classics, to stand in its own right among all others and hold its own.
A tall order for a little comedy, you might think, even with the irreplaceable imagination and grace of Buster Keaton on both sides of the camera. But for me this is the one: his last great film, his swansong perhaps, but the one that is perfection.
This is the 'perfect melding of story and humour' I dreamed would lie ahead, back when I reviewed "The General", and here they are ideally intertwined. In places it is very, very funny, on a level his feature length films arrive at far more seldom than his shorts, but it also has a fully-developed and satisfying narrative curve along timeless lines, underpinned and yet not undermined by Keaton's wry trademark lack of sentiment: virtue is rewarded, villainy confounded, and the underdog is recognised and wins through. The leading lady is no mere cipher to which to aspire, but a warm girl who believes in the hero all along and gives him his vital 'break'. The unfortunate encounter with the organ-grinder's monkey -- Buster's best ever animal co-star! -- proves not simply a one-off gag, but key to the plot; and it is this sort of coherence that gives the film as a whole its beautiful sense of shape.
The story itself is very simple, almost episodic, compared to some of Keaton's wilder offerings: boy loves girl, boy sets out day after day to prove himself and find his dream, as events conspire to frustrate him. But everything ties back. The ending echoes the beginning and every scene counts along the way, as the relationships between the principals evolve. There's even an unmissable 'singing in the rain' sequence that must surely -- surely! -- have been an influence on Gene Kelly's famous rapture of delight (and encounter with bemused policeman); the echoes are so close...
There are no great set-piece stunts and chases to take over the screen and dominate the plot, as in "Seven Chances" or "The General"; but much as I love Buster's breathtaking skills and endless acrobatic agility, I think the film actually benefits by the more integrated style. There are chases -- there are stunts -- there are classic sight gags, long-running situational humour, bittersweet instants and sheer belly laughs -- but none of them ever sideline the impetus of the character-based action. This film quite simply has *everything*, and that's why even among Keaton's work it stands out.
Buster Keaton, meanwhile, is in top form, playing perhaps the most fully-realized of his various romantic dreamers: the little street photographer with his hard-saved nest egg, ten cents a time, who longs to become a daredevil cameraman capturing the breaking news. This is classic Keaton: the fascination and frustration with machinery, the ingenuity applied and misapplied, the beauty of face and body that can express an entire universe without words, the flights of fancy and the inevitable falls.
Buster could, notoriously, "run like a jack-rabbit" for all his small size, and here his speed as well as his famous frozen poise are put to memorable use. His comic timing and inventiveness have never been better: the swimming-pool scene, harking all the way back to Arbuckle's "Coney Island" but with far greater sophistication and development, is truly hilarious and had the audience, almost crying with laughter, eating out of the palm of his hand. (The scene where, carried away by the hallowed stadium turf, he plays out an entire baseball game in his own head single-handed -- still very funny even to the English -- would doubtless have gone down a complete storm with US cinema-goers more familiar with the rules of the sport...) And yet, as always, he is not merely playing for laughs, but acting to effect. We feel for the character; rejoice with him, ache for him, applaud his resource and chuckle with sympathy over his mistakes. In a couple of his shorts, where he deliberately subverts the conventions of melodrama, he demonstrates the all-out poses of classic theatrical mime -- heartbreak, horror, despair -- with spot-on accuracy. Here, we see his own more subtle and naturalistic style. Buster had no time for high drama, but he was a player in full command of his craft, and he can create a moment's shading of emotion with the tiniest shift of face or body, and those eloquent, ever-expressive eyes.
He is a master, and for me this is perhaps his masterpiece. It's one of the films I've enjoyed most in my entire life; silent cinema in its full maturity and comedy at its timeless best. I was swept away. After seeing this I was ready to go down on my knees and worship Keaton; all I can do is hymn him in words.
If he were never again to be allowed to do anything on this creative level -- and arguably, he never was -- then this would still be a final great flowering of a unique art and vision, films that still draw crowds today... but above all perform, as perfectly as when they were first printed, all that Buster Keaton ever set out to do. These are not museum pieces or cultural artifacts of a dead age. They are, as they were created to be, cinematic works of supreme entertainment.
Keaton's Romantic Masterpiece
overseer-331 March 2003
Buster Keaton and his leading lady Marceline Day shine in this deliciously romantic comedy from 1928, about a tintype cameraman who longs to become a successful newsreel photographer for MGM. Most of the female leads in Keaton's films were basically props, with not much substance, but Marceline's performance as Sally is outstanding. She had lots of chemistry going with Buster here, because her character was not shallow towards the little cameraman, who has obviously fallen head over heels in love with her. She treats him with respect and encourages his ambitions.
This sweet and touching classic silent movie deserves a first class restoration by Kino, with a further restoration of the original piano score that is so lovely ... not a new score, please! I don't know who composed the original music for this film; it is not listed in the IMD credits anywhere, but whoever the composer was, they should be recognized and honored. Best scenes in The Cameraman are the public pool scenes, where Buster tangles with a mafia type in his dressing room, then loses his bathing trunks while swimming; the Tong War scenes with Josephine the monkey (so adorable!); and the regatta scenes, where Luke (Buster) saves Sally, only to have her affection stolen from him by an unworthy competitor.
The current print available on the MGM video VHS release of The Cameraman available on Amazon.com is absolutely awful: over-exposed, with multi-thousands of defects. Do not buy it; instead wait till the much better print is shown again on Turner Classic Movies. This is the print to obtain to fully enjoy the movie, and this is the print that should be widely available for sale, so the public can rediscover this gem. Buster Keaton was simply the funniest performer who ever appeared in the movies, bar none. All his films deserve the best restorations possible.
This sweet and touching classic silent movie deserves a first class restoration by Kino, with a further restoration of the original piano score that is so lovely ... not a new score, please! I don't know who composed the original music for this film; it is not listed in the IMD credits anywhere, but whoever the composer was, they should be recognized and honored. Best scenes in The Cameraman are the public pool scenes, where Buster tangles with a mafia type in his dressing room, then loses his bathing trunks while swimming; the Tong War scenes with Josephine the monkey (so adorable!); and the regatta scenes, where Luke (Buster) saves Sally, only to have her affection stolen from him by an unworthy competitor.
The current print available on the MGM video VHS release of The Cameraman available on Amazon.com is absolutely awful: over-exposed, with multi-thousands of defects. Do not buy it; instead wait till the much better print is shown again on Turner Classic Movies. This is the print to obtain to fully enjoy the movie, and this is the print that should be widely available for sale, so the public can rediscover this gem. Buster Keaton was simply the funniest performer who ever appeared in the movies, bar none. All his films deserve the best restorations possible.
One of Keaton's best films.
georgecornwell-26 May 2000
While plying his trade of TinType Photographer, Keaton meets up with Sally (Marceline Day) who works at MGM. Being smitten by her beauty and charm Keaton contrives to visit her at her workplace and decides to move from Tintype to Movie photography with the inevitable catastrophic results. Sally is captivated by his naivety and abets him in his quest to become a top news reel man.
The movie is packed with hilarious gags and has a real story line. Marceline Day gives an accomplished performance and is a perfect complement to Keaton.
The movie is packed with hilarious gags and has a real story line. Marceline Day gives an accomplished performance and is a perfect complement to Keaton.
Gags. . .and a little bite
James Brown5 May 2000
I find The Cameraman, in its best moments, funnier than Buster Keaton's earlier, non-studio production, The General. As a soldier in the Civil War, Keaton lacks an element of credibility. While that doesn't tarnish the cinematic cleverness of The General, the contemporaneous and urban setting of The Cameraman seems to suit more appropriately his particular talent. This feels more like a naive romantic comedy of today rather than a satire on the melodrama of the past.
In a gag-driven comedy, we remember set pieces and the brief moments of magical hilarity. Originality is incredibly important, because other aspects gathered from the pleasure of viewing are often disregarded. For instance, this film has little to say about the human condition and it doesn't have a lot of panache in the art and camera departments. So it needs to pull of a few major original gags, which it does: anarchy punctuates the odd scene in the rain with the police officer who wants to test his reflexes to see if he's "goofy"; and, Buster undressing with another man in the changing room at the swimming pool is brutally funny. His subsequent performance on the diving board and loss of bathers leads to some insightful moments of Buster, the actor: he couldn't be "The Great Stone Face" without that pair of clear expressive eyes. With little more than his brows and forehead for assistance, he reveals suspicion (at the girl swimming underwater around his naked body) and then resembles Jaws as he hunts down a prey to retrieve another pair of swimming tights. It is so easily enjoyable to get inside Buster's head and I think it's because of those eyes. Kuleshov might want to say he doesn't express anything and we, the audience, interpret his feelings based on the choices of the director's linear staging and editing techniques. But, it is so tempting to say we know and understand Buster Keaton's characters. He makes all these human errors and always follows his passions undeterred. We love him as a cinematic figure. If Buster Keaton were replaced in his films by, say, big, tough, dominant, Sterling Hayden, I doubt if the Kuleshov effect could generate anywhere near as much empathy than what we have for the little guy.
There is a nasty streak running through this film. The supporting cast (except the ultimate saviour: the organ grinding monkey) are all pitted against our little hero. Made in 1928, the dawn of the Great Depression seems to of had an effect on the production. There are few niceties. Apart from the aforementioned exchange of elbows and dark looks to the face in the scene in the dressing room, we see hordes of people crammed inside and scrambling onto public transport, a hero short on change, and an authoritarian newspaper editor ready to sack the heroine on loyal principals. Perhaps the film was a kind of response to the panic that must have been setting into the minds of certain members of the public. The message, loosely delivered, is that people should stop watching the parades of the famous, forget baseball heroics, and learn to appreciate the smaller, more specific elements of lifestyle within their society. Since, it is ideal love and having a passion for individual ethical rewards that will see us through tough times. Not panic or arbitrary worship of figureheads, or intolerance for one's neighbours.
And laughter, mixed with a little bit of Preston Sturges' much hated "deep dish" themes (that he nevertheless dealt with by virtue of his hatred and is mentioned here because he combined just about every element of silent-era comedy into his films of the early-40s), went miles to give people a thoughtful escape into better times on the silver screen. Even if here it may have been more of a warning, a prelude to the darker days that were to come.
In a gag-driven comedy, we remember set pieces and the brief moments of magical hilarity. Originality is incredibly important, because other aspects gathered from the pleasure of viewing are often disregarded. For instance, this film has little to say about the human condition and it doesn't have a lot of panache in the art and camera departments. So it needs to pull of a few major original gags, which it does: anarchy punctuates the odd scene in the rain with the police officer who wants to test his reflexes to see if he's "goofy"; and, Buster undressing with another man in the changing room at the swimming pool is brutally funny. His subsequent performance on the diving board and loss of bathers leads to some insightful moments of Buster, the actor: he couldn't be "The Great Stone Face" without that pair of clear expressive eyes. With little more than his brows and forehead for assistance, he reveals suspicion (at the girl swimming underwater around his naked body) and then resembles Jaws as he hunts down a prey to retrieve another pair of swimming tights. It is so easily enjoyable to get inside Buster's head and I think it's because of those eyes. Kuleshov might want to say he doesn't express anything and we, the audience, interpret his feelings based on the choices of the director's linear staging and editing techniques. But, it is so tempting to say we know and understand Buster Keaton's characters. He makes all these human errors and always follows his passions undeterred. We love him as a cinematic figure. If Buster Keaton were replaced in his films by, say, big, tough, dominant, Sterling Hayden, I doubt if the Kuleshov effect could generate anywhere near as much empathy than what we have for the little guy.
There is a nasty streak running through this film. The supporting cast (except the ultimate saviour: the organ grinding monkey) are all pitted against our little hero. Made in 1928, the dawn of the Great Depression seems to of had an effect on the production. There are few niceties. Apart from the aforementioned exchange of elbows and dark looks to the face in the scene in the dressing room, we see hordes of people crammed inside and scrambling onto public transport, a hero short on change, and an authoritarian newspaper editor ready to sack the heroine on loyal principals. Perhaps the film was a kind of response to the panic that must have been setting into the minds of certain members of the public. The message, loosely delivered, is that people should stop watching the parades of the famous, forget baseball heroics, and learn to appreciate the smaller, more specific elements of lifestyle within their society. Since, it is ideal love and having a passion for individual ethical rewards that will see us through tough times. Not panic or arbitrary worship of figureheads, or intolerance for one's neighbours.
And laughter, mixed with a little bit of Preston Sturges' much hated "deep dish" themes (that he nevertheless dealt with by virtue of his hatred and is mentioned here because he combined just about every element of silent-era comedy into his films of the early-40s), went miles to give people a thoughtful escape into better times on the silver screen. Even if here it may have been more of a warning, a prelude to the darker days that were to come.
Some of it IS brilliant
mik-1915 February 2004
What a delightfully wacky world our Buster inhabited. This one, his first MGM feature, the beginning of the end one might safely say, is about a hapless would-be newsreel photographer trying to get a foothold within MGM, mostly in order to win the sweet girl in the front office. Lost of footage in 'Cameraman' is rather less than vintage Keaton, some jokes aren't as fresh as one would wish, but hey, listen, this is Keaton, the great stoneface. A Deity. Because other footage is simply brilliant. The pathetic pictures of Buster sitting in his little room from the crack of dawn in all his Sunday best, waiting for the girl to maybe ring. When it does ring he has to rush four stories down to get it! Or the scene where he has to share his dressingroom with another gent and their clothes and limbs get tangled up with each other. Or, most spectacularly, the (location?) scenes from the gangwar in Chinatown, dynamic, violent, imaginative. See it, love it - just just expect another 'General' or 'Sherlock' or 'Scarecrow' or 'Steamboat Bill' or 'Battling Butler'.
Two men in a dressing room...
cgvsluis28 September 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Buster Keaton at his finest. Buster plays a tintype photographer who falls in love with Sally, who works in the MGM news reel office. To be near Sally he takes her picture and eventually trades in his tintype camera for a used and battered newsreel camera. His first attempts aren't very successful, but he wins a date with Sally for his efforts. Then to help give him a leg up, Sally feeds him a hot scoop to out scoop the others in the newsreel department. On the way he picks up an organ grinder's monkey, don't ask, and ends up in the thick of a Chinese gang war. He seemingly flubs the footage and has to leave MGM's newsreel room in shame. While shooting at the beach he rescues Sally and manages to catch it all on film. One of the other news reel guys tries to take credit to win Sally's affection...but it all comes out in the end thanks to "the best film" the editor has ever seen shot...and it was done by a monkey!
This is a classic Buster film it is sad and hopeful and it pulls on your heartstrings so you are rooting for Buster who always seems to be the under dog!
Who knew that two men changing in a tight dressing room at "The Municipal Plunge" could be so funny!
Who knew that two men changing in a tight dressing room at "The Municipal Plunge" could be so funny!
NOT exactly vintage Keaton but still pretty good
planktonrules15 January 2007
Warning: Spoilers
The first half of the film is a bit dull--having many lackluster jokes and too much plot for my liking--and only rarely utilizing Buster's great style of physical humor. It all begins as Buster is trying to make a buck taking pictures of people using an old tintype camera. However, when he is stuck in the middle of a ticker tape parade and he watches all the newsreel men covering the event, he catches "the bug" and trades in his equipment for a motion picture camera. When he arrives at MGM's Newsreel department, he is pretty much snubbed by everyone except for a secretary who feels sorry for him.
Later, after screwing up every other time he tried, Buster learns about a gang war that is about to erupt in Chinatown. On the way, he appears to accidentally kill a monkey!! This is a horrible scene that fortunately ends well. The monkey is NOT killed but soon becomes Buster's constant companion. Frankly, I think that once the monkey appeared, the film improved dramatically--I LOVE that monkey! Why, well at the gang fight, it's more like a war--with constant gun fire, machine guns and stabbings galore. AND, the monkey constantly saves the day for Buster--both stabbing a guy who is about to do Buster in as well as using a crank-style machine gun on the gang! Now THAT'S a handy monkey! It's all actually pretty cute--though I'm sure to you reading this it sounds horrific!
Unfortunately, when Buster arrives with the film, it seems his camera was not loaded and his is fired. So, on his own, Buster goes to film a local speedboat race. Buster's love interest and a rival are in the race but they are thrown from the boat. She is on the verge of drowning when Buster springs to action--saving her. But, when she awakens Buster isn't there and the jerk rival claims HE saved her! Only later, when the gang war roll of film is discovered does the lady realize Buster risked his own life for her, as you see, the monkey filmed the entire rescue! I told you, that's SOME monkey!
Despite being an excellent film, when I watch this film, I always find myself feeling depressed. That's because this was Keaton's first film with MGM and it marks a decided change in his films--and not a good change. Up until then, Buster had maintained a lot of control over his films and worked on most of the gags. However, now that the huge mega-studio bought his contract, the films received polish and "the MGM touch" that spelled the death of his earlier work. Now this isn't to say that the CAMERAMAN is a bad film. It has excellent production values but it also lacks some of the energy and spontaneity of his earlier works--at least in the first half of the film. Plus, after this movie, it was all downhill for Keaton's career. For example, try watching 1930's THE DOUGHBOY or SIDEWALKS OF NEW YORK and you'll find that the films are just dull and limp with none of the usual Keaton energy. Then, in 1932, in one of the most bone-headed moves in Hollywood history, he was paired with the loud and obnoxious comedian, Jimmy Durante--whose style was the exact opposite of Keaton's and ruined what was left of Keaton's charm. THE PASSIONATE PLUMBER and the rest of their films together just stink.
So, if you are NOT nostalgic about Keaton's earlier films (such as THE GENERAL or OUR HOSPITALITY), then you'll probably love this film. But, if you are a sentimentalist and die-hard fan of the silent comedians, this film might just make you feel a tad disappointed. Sure, it improves greatly as the film progresses, but you can't help but notice the film is a tad less memorable or special than his independent productions before THE CAMERAMAN.
Now although I still greatly prefer some of his earlier films (which are true classics), this isn't to say that THE CAMERAMAN is bad--heck, I gave it a 9! But, his next movies only became more and more and more conventional as he lost control over the production.
By the way, when this film was recently shown on Turner Classic Movies, the new musical score was a major detriment, as the instruments used were way too modern, loud and obtrusive. I can't blame this on the film but on the recent restoration.
Later, after screwing up every other time he tried, Buster learns about a gang war that is about to erupt in Chinatown. On the way, he appears to accidentally kill a monkey!! This is a horrible scene that fortunately ends well. The monkey is NOT killed but soon becomes Buster's constant companion. Frankly, I think that once the monkey appeared, the film improved dramatically--I LOVE that monkey! Why, well at the gang fight, it's more like a war--with constant gun fire, machine guns and stabbings galore. AND, the monkey constantly saves the day for Buster--both stabbing a guy who is about to do Buster in as well as using a crank-style machine gun on the gang! Now THAT'S a handy monkey! It's all actually pretty cute--though I'm sure to you reading this it sounds horrific!
Unfortunately, when Buster arrives with the film, it seems his camera was not loaded and his is fired. So, on his own, Buster goes to film a local speedboat race. Buster's love interest and a rival are in the race but they are thrown from the boat. She is on the verge of drowning when Buster springs to action--saving her. But, when she awakens Buster isn't there and the jerk rival claims HE saved her! Only later, when the gang war roll of film is discovered does the lady realize Buster risked his own life for her, as you see, the monkey filmed the entire rescue! I told you, that's SOME monkey!
Despite being an excellent film, when I watch this film, I always find myself feeling depressed. That's because this was Keaton's first film with MGM and it marks a decided change in his films--and not a good change. Up until then, Buster had maintained a lot of control over his films and worked on most of the gags. However, now that the huge mega-studio bought his contract, the films received polish and "the MGM touch" that spelled the death of his earlier work. Now this isn't to say that the CAMERAMAN is a bad film. It has excellent production values but it also lacks some of the energy and spontaneity of his earlier works--at least in the first half of the film. Plus, after this movie, it was all downhill for Keaton's career. For example, try watching 1930's THE DOUGHBOY or SIDEWALKS OF NEW YORK and you'll find that the films are just dull and limp with none of the usual Keaton energy. Then, in 1932, in one of the most bone-headed moves in Hollywood history, he was paired with the loud and obnoxious comedian, Jimmy Durante--whose style was the exact opposite of Keaton's and ruined what was left of Keaton's charm. THE PASSIONATE PLUMBER and the rest of their films together just stink.
So, if you are NOT nostalgic about Keaton's earlier films (such as THE GENERAL or OUR HOSPITALITY), then you'll probably love this film. But, if you are a sentimentalist and die-hard fan of the silent comedians, this film might just make you feel a tad disappointed. Sure, it improves greatly as the film progresses, but you can't help but notice the film is a tad less memorable or special than his independent productions before THE CAMERAMAN.
Now although I still greatly prefer some of his earlier films (which are true classics), this isn't to say that THE CAMERAMAN is bad--heck, I gave it a 9! But, his next movies only became more and more and more conventional as he lost control over the production.
By the way, when this film was recently shown on Turner Classic Movies, the new musical score was a major detriment, as the instruments used were way too modern, loud and obtrusive. I can't blame this on the film but on the recent restoration.
Rollicking Buster Keaton silent-era comedy
grantss25 March 2015
Rollicking silent-era comedy from Buster Keaton.
Simple yet engaging plot. However, its not the main story that matters, but the many detours on the journey. The whole thing is one random, funny adventure.
Some moments of pure genius from Keaton. The dime bank scene was one, and the whole swimming pool scene was another.
Great work from Keaton in front of the camera. Good support from Marceline Day.
However, the show is almost stolen towards the end by Josephine, the monkey...
Simple yet engaging plot. However, its not the main story that matters, but the many detours on the journey. The whole thing is one random, funny adventure.
Some moments of pure genius from Keaton. The dime bank scene was one, and the whole swimming pool scene was another.
Great work from Keaton in front of the camera. Good support from Marceline Day.
However, the show is almost stolen towards the end by Josephine, the monkey...
A Fine Comedy That Gets Better & Better As It Moves Along
Snow Leopard24 September 2001
This is a fine comedy, nearly as good as some of the earlier masterpieces that Keaton had made on his own. It starts off rather slowly, but gets better and better as it moves along, leading up to a great finish that is fully worthy of Keaton's genius.
The setup, with Buster as a cameraman who desperately yearns to break into the newsreel business, lends itself well to visual gags and also provides Buster with the kind of hard-luck character which he always portrayed so convincingly and humorously. The early parts do move slowly at times, aside from a few good gags - but Keaton apparently once said that there was some good material in the original film that has not survived because the negatives deteriorated (this seems likely, because there are some noticeable blemishes even in what is left in the prints on the current video version). Even so, it picks up steam and gets steadily funnier as the situation and Keaton's character are developed.
And it all leads up to a typically great Keaton finale, a wonderful blend of humor, excitement, drama, and fun visuals. It's fully as satisfying as the finishes in his best films, and any Keaton fan should find it thoroughly enjoyable.
The setup, with Buster as a cameraman who desperately yearns to break into the newsreel business, lends itself well to visual gags and also provides Buster with the kind of hard-luck character which he always portrayed so convincingly and humorously. The early parts do move slowly at times, aside from a few good gags - but Keaton apparently once said that there was some good material in the original film that has not survived because the negatives deteriorated (this seems likely, because there are some noticeable blemishes even in what is left in the prints on the current video version). Even so, it picks up steam and gets steadily funnier as the situation and Keaton's character are developed.
And it all leads up to a typically great Keaton finale, a wonderful blend of humor, excitement, drama, and fun visuals. It's fully as satisfying as the finishes in his best films, and any Keaton fan should find it thoroughly enjoyable.
Pure anarchy
liehtzu18 May 2000
Keaton's "The Cameraman" is one of his very finest. The first picture he made after his newly inked contract with MGM, this is generally considered to be his last masterpiece. It is reminiscent of some of his early slapstick works: there's a pure anarchistic glee throughout that finally explodes in an incredible scene involving a monkey, a movie camera, and Keaton amidst a full-fledged Chinese gang war (!) that must surely go down as one of the most ambitious gags anyone has ever attempted. But the whole film is great fun and would make a wonderful double bill with "Sherlock Jr." though the MGM print of "The Cameraman" is far inferior to the Kino print of "Sherlock" (or most other existing Keaton films for that matter). Regardless, a mediocre print is better than none at all and this deserves to be seen because it's nothing less than genius.
The 17th Annual San Francisco Silent film Festival, David Jeffers for SIFFblog2
rdjeffers24 June 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Sunday July 15, 2012 7:30pm, The Castro, San Francisco
Wednesday July 5, 2006 5:00 & 8:00pm The Historic Lynwood Theatre, Bainbridge Island
"I'm a photographer. Could I get a job here?" "Get a job here with that cocktail shaker?"
'The Cameraman' marked Buster Keaton's move to MGM in 1928, and the loss of creative control that would lead to his eventual decline from stardom. In spite of this, it remains the ultimate refinement of Keaton's work in silent features, containing his best collection of comedy set pieces within a complex scenario. 'The Cameraman' was also the last time Keaton performed the reckless physical stunts he'd become famous for, which the studio saw as an unreasonable risk to their valuable star.
Buster wanders the city streets with camera and tripod making tintypes for ten cents. In the crush of a tickertape parade he spots lovely Sally (Marceline Day) and is instantly smitten. Keaton possessed the charming ability to express romantic infatuation as though he was hypnotized. As he poses Sally for the photo, she stands head turned to the side while Buster gazes at her and loses himself in the moment. Later, as he waits in the office of the newsreel service where she works, he dreamily peers over his photos and bats his drowsy eyes at her while Sally looks back at him sweetly. His corny slight-of-hand coin trick to impress her seems to say "Oh that was nothing!" In Keaton's hands it becomes a beautifully expressed and touching sentiment. Throughout his career Keaton typically played modest characters, intent on winning the heart of a girl by the use of endearingly pathetic gestures and flourishes, while the actual 'gags' would be seen as accidents of circumstance, often with spectacular results. As Buster takes Sally on a date, they attempt to board a double-decker city bus, but a surging crowd separates the two, with Buster being forced to the upper level while Sally remains below. As it moves down the street and they finally locate one another, Buster climbs down the outside of the bus and sits on a rear wheel fender to be near her. A big bump bounces Buster onto the street; he regains his wits, and chases after the bus, hopping once again onto the fender as they speed along. Keaton's character seems oblivious to any physical danger, blinded by his need to be with and please the girl. When in the end, he ultimately saves Sally from drowning; his own peril is never considered. His rival guiltily takes credit for the rescue, leaving Buster alone on the beach, heartbroken with only his camera and an organ grinder's monkey.
Among the brilliant comedy routines featured in this tour de force: A baseball game played in pantomime at Yankee Stadium with Buster playing every position, including the umpire! To pay for their date, Buster nearly demolishes his room cracking open a dime bank, then proceeds to scatter the fist full of coins when he removes them from his pocket. Sally's close-up reaction is priceless! After the bus ride, he takes her to a public swimming pool. Buster and another man attempt to disrobe in a three-by-three foot dressing room with hilarious results. "Will you keep out of my undershirt?" As she walks alongside the pool in her swimsuit, Sally is swarmed by overly attentive young men. When Buster finally emerges he has somehow been given absurdly over-sized swimwear. Forced to compete for her attention, he loses his suit when he jumps off the high dive; a routine repeated countless times by others after Keaton. Running gags throughout the film include constant collisions with the same beat cop who's convinced there is something wrong with Buster. "I'll try your reflexes to see of you're goofy." The monkey he appears to have accidentally killed springs back to life and clings to Buster throughout the rest of the picture. In one scene Buster cranks away on his camera, filming a gang war in Chinatown, while the tiny monkey in a sailor suit cranks away on a machine gun! Keaton was also well known for his effective use of props in outrageous sight gags. The motorcycle in 'Sherlock Jr.', the enormous ladder in 'Cops' and the tiny gun in 'Go West' are a few. In 'The Cameraman', Keaton's constant companion is the large and ungainly camera and tripod that virtually becomes another character with a mind of it's own. He stumbles over and into it, inadvertently knocks the cop unconscious with it, uses it to engage the girl and manages to break the same window with it repeatedly throughout the film.
Buster is a hopeless romantic, regardless of what it may cost him. His finances, social status and personal dignity are always on the table. And yet, he is shy and his desire is initially hidden from Sally, revealed only to the camera when she's not looking. Buster usually found a way to win the girl over by the final reel. Of course in 'Go West', the girl was replaced by a cow,
Wednesday July 5, 2006 5:00 & 8:00pm The Historic Lynwood Theatre, Bainbridge Island
"I'm a photographer. Could I get a job here?" "Get a job here with that cocktail shaker?"
'The Cameraman' marked Buster Keaton's move to MGM in 1928, and the loss of creative control that would lead to his eventual decline from stardom. In spite of this, it remains the ultimate refinement of Keaton's work in silent features, containing his best collection of comedy set pieces within a complex scenario. 'The Cameraman' was also the last time Keaton performed the reckless physical stunts he'd become famous for, which the studio saw as an unreasonable risk to their valuable star.
Buster wanders the city streets with camera and tripod making tintypes for ten cents. In the crush of a tickertape parade he spots lovely Sally (Marceline Day) and is instantly smitten. Keaton possessed the charming ability to express romantic infatuation as though he was hypnotized. As he poses Sally for the photo, she stands head turned to the side while Buster gazes at her and loses himself in the moment. Later, as he waits in the office of the newsreel service where she works, he dreamily peers over his photos and bats his drowsy eyes at her while Sally looks back at him sweetly. His corny slight-of-hand coin trick to impress her seems to say "Oh that was nothing!" In Keaton's hands it becomes a beautifully expressed and touching sentiment. Throughout his career Keaton typically played modest characters, intent on winning the heart of a girl by the use of endearingly pathetic gestures and flourishes, while the actual 'gags' would be seen as accidents of circumstance, often with spectacular results. As Buster takes Sally on a date, they attempt to board a double-decker city bus, but a surging crowd separates the two, with Buster being forced to the upper level while Sally remains below. As it moves down the street and they finally locate one another, Buster climbs down the outside of the bus and sits on a rear wheel fender to be near her. A big bump bounces Buster onto the street; he regains his wits, and chases after the bus, hopping once again onto the fender as they speed along. Keaton's character seems oblivious to any physical danger, blinded by his need to be with and please the girl. When in the end, he ultimately saves Sally from drowning; his own peril is never considered. His rival guiltily takes credit for the rescue, leaving Buster alone on the beach, heartbroken with only his camera and an organ grinder's monkey.
Among the brilliant comedy routines featured in this tour de force: A baseball game played in pantomime at Yankee Stadium with Buster playing every position, including the umpire! To pay for their date, Buster nearly demolishes his room cracking open a dime bank, then proceeds to scatter the fist full of coins when he removes them from his pocket. Sally's close-up reaction is priceless! After the bus ride, he takes her to a public swimming pool. Buster and another man attempt to disrobe in a three-by-three foot dressing room with hilarious results. "Will you keep out of my undershirt?" As she walks alongside the pool in her swimsuit, Sally is swarmed by overly attentive young men. When Buster finally emerges he has somehow been given absurdly over-sized swimwear. Forced to compete for her attention, he loses his suit when he jumps off the high dive; a routine repeated countless times by others after Keaton. Running gags throughout the film include constant collisions with the same beat cop who's convinced there is something wrong with Buster. "I'll try your reflexes to see of you're goofy." The monkey he appears to have accidentally killed springs back to life and clings to Buster throughout the rest of the picture. In one scene Buster cranks away on his camera, filming a gang war in Chinatown, while the tiny monkey in a sailor suit cranks away on a machine gun! Keaton was also well known for his effective use of props in outrageous sight gags. The motorcycle in 'Sherlock Jr.', the enormous ladder in 'Cops' and the tiny gun in 'Go West' are a few. In 'The Cameraman', Keaton's constant companion is the large and ungainly camera and tripod that virtually becomes another character with a mind of it's own. He stumbles over and into it, inadvertently knocks the cop unconscious with it, uses it to engage the girl and manages to break the same window with it repeatedly throughout the film.
Buster is a hopeless romantic, regardless of what it may cost him. His finances, social status and personal dignity are always on the table. And yet, he is shy and his desire is initially hidden from Sally, revealed only to the camera when she's not looking. Buster usually found a way to win the girl over by the final reel. Of course in 'Go West', the girl was replaced by a cow,
Keaton's masterpiece
CHARLIE-891 January 2005
Warning: Spoilers
What is amazing in the history of the cinema is those works of art that get produced under less-than-ideal circumstances. CITIZEN KANE could fit into this category, so could GREED, even CASABLANCA. But perhaps one of the most significant is Buster Keaton's masterwork, THE CAMERAMAN.
Due to the inflated rental costs and poor distribution that Keaton's previous three films had through United Artists, Buster Keaton Productions was forced to close down, and Keaton lost all creative control and took a job as performer only at MGM, Hollywood's largest studio. Reluctant to take direction and perform material written by others, he fought the studio tooth and nail to get the film made his way. His first film there also became, interestingly enough, perhaps his most all-round most satisfying motion picture of his career.
In watching THE CAMERAMAN, I was struck particularly by the brilliance and sheer number of gags. In addition, Keaton was supported by a very talented cast, not least of all former Mack Sennett clown Harry Gribbon. The film is filled with memorable set-pieces (the entire scene at the pool, especially in the bathhouse, is my favorite).
This film is highly recommended to fans of film comedy, and the lost art of gag structure and payoff.
Due to the inflated rental costs and poor distribution that Keaton's previous three films had through United Artists, Buster Keaton Productions was forced to close down, and Keaton lost all creative control and took a job as performer only at MGM, Hollywood's largest studio. Reluctant to take direction and perform material written by others, he fought the studio tooth and nail to get the film made his way. His first film there also became, interestingly enough, perhaps his most all-round most satisfying motion picture of his career.
In watching THE CAMERAMAN, I was struck particularly by the brilliance and sheer number of gags. In addition, Keaton was supported by a very talented cast, not least of all former Mack Sennett clown Harry Gribbon. The film is filled with memorable set-pieces (the entire scene at the pool, especially in the bathhouse, is my favorite).
This film is highly recommended to fans of film comedy, and the lost art of gag structure and payoff.
Amazing early cinematic comedy
soonforget28 February 2002
This is the first Buster Keaton film I have seen, and believe me, I want more. We watched this one in my silent film class and I was so entertained. How could I have not seen him before you wonder? Well, I always thought Chaplin was known as the great silent comedian, but I came to find out that Harold Lloyd was the tops, then Chap, then Keaton, whom should be number 1 in my book. Very entertaining film, with some amazing technical work done (the crane down the flights of stairs, the tracking shot of the speed boat, and the explosion) and who can forget that hilarious monkey!?
One of the first things that popped in to my head as we began this film is, 'He looks an awful lot like Jean-Claude Van Damme,' does anybody agree? If Van Damme were a better actor, perhaps he could do the Bio of this amazing entertainer, I hope I'm not blasphemizing Keaton, I don't mean to...
One of the first things that popped in to my head as we began this film is, 'He looks an awful lot like Jean-Claude Van Damme,' does anybody agree? If Van Damme were a better actor, perhaps he could do the Bio of this amazing entertainer, I hope I'm not blasphemizing Keaton, I don't mean to...
My first feature-length Keaton...has been a triumph!
LenaAndBarry22 September 2016
The films kickoff — the first 15 minutes or so — had me exceedingly apprehensive. The slapstick was easy and uninspired, and to top that off, was shot and edited awkwardly; the Keaton that I knew was unrecognizable. Very worried was I at the thought of the first feature film of Buster's that I'd see, going on to be the first bad one as well. Perhaps that level of anxiety is what caused the eventual, stretched sigh-of-relief, I let go of, to be *so* heavy.
The exact point where the dispassionate- faced, insecure, and unwittingly suave Buster that I've quickly grown to love, done with his stretching, came to play, was at the scheduling of the walk. That second onwards: smooth sailing! Whatever the task was — slips, slides, and falls, to something as elementary as running — Keaton performed it to perfection, and all, *impressively*, topped, and perhaps made, with his facial expressions (or lack thereof). *This*, and his creative touch are what were missing in those drab 15 minutes.
The, as always, inventive gags, while each being funny, steadily improved. Beginning at the simple and grin-inducing stairs sequence, and ending at the invigorating spectacle that was the Tong War — where, unlike the muddled parade scene at the start, it was able to be chaotic/hectic while simultaneously being comprehensible.
If you've seen the picture, you've probably realized I've gone without speaking of the final 10 minutes. I wish I could say that because its predecessor (Tong) was such an exhilarating experience, the ending just couldn't follow and ultimately underwhelmed me. But the sad truth is that it simply felt tacked on. I'd like to think that there wasn't enough room in the budget, rather than them just not knowing how to end it. But whatever the reason, it's a bummer. That the film's edges were both disappointing is, well...disappointing; the scenes linking the two were such a delight however, that in the end, the film won me over.
The exact point where the dispassionate- faced, insecure, and unwittingly suave Buster that I've quickly grown to love, done with his stretching, came to play, was at the scheduling of the walk. That second onwards: smooth sailing! Whatever the task was — slips, slides, and falls, to something as elementary as running — Keaton performed it to perfection, and all, *impressively*, topped, and perhaps made, with his facial expressions (or lack thereof). *This*, and his creative touch are what were missing in those drab 15 minutes.
The, as always, inventive gags, while each being funny, steadily improved. Beginning at the simple and grin-inducing stairs sequence, and ending at the invigorating spectacle that was the Tong War — where, unlike the muddled parade scene at the start, it was able to be chaotic/hectic while simultaneously being comprehensible.
If you've seen the picture, you've probably realized I've gone without speaking of the final 10 minutes. I wish I could say that because its predecessor (Tong) was such an exhilarating experience, the ending just couldn't follow and ultimately underwhelmed me. But the sad truth is that it simply felt tacked on. I'd like to think that there wasn't enough room in the budget, rather than them just not knowing how to end it. But whatever the reason, it's a bummer. That the film's edges were both disappointing is, well...disappointing; the scenes linking the two were such a delight however, that in the end, the film won me over.
A Grand Finale to a Wonderful Silent Film Legacy!
MissyH3166 April 2012
Warning: Spoilers
I LOVE this movie; it's one of my favorite Buster Keaton films of all time! :-) Here, the focus was on the story, so don't expect any jaw-dropping sequences like in "Sherlock Jr." or "Seven Chances", for instance. It's a sweet old-fashioned love story, where one "girl" helps Buster win the girl of his dreams. And unlike some of Buster's love interests, Sally is genuinely a kind, understanding sweetheart who truly cares about him and allows him to care about her without guilt and reproach.
Anyone too, who thinks Keaton was any less of an actor or less capable of pathos than Chaplin may well think twice after seeing this film. If you've seen it, you can probably guess when and how Chaplin would've ended this it had it been his. But this was Keaton, and of course he had different ideas of mixing pathos with comedy. Compare "The Circus" ending to "The Cameraman" ending for a good example.
Oh, but if only this hadn't been the last of its kind...
As a Christian, I know I shouldn't harbor any deep-seated hatred and un-forgiveness towards anyone. But as an imperfect human being, to me it was inexcusable and incomprehensible how HORRIBLY stupid and disrespectfully MGM treated the great Buster Keaton. Even just thinking about it makes me sick at heart. It's not like he was some unknown, unproven talent. And aside from the the then-disappointing box office and critical response (and profit loss) on "The General", he had long proved himself to be one of the best (and profitable) comedians of the day.
The Talmadges and Joe Schenck weren't totally blameless, either. They certainly used Buster up: they took away nearly all he had and, along the way, helped grease the skids on his tragic, descending ride on the oppressive MGM studio system train.
Of course, Buster himself bears some of the blame, and I'm not talking about his drinking problems. Right from the start, unlike Chaplin, I doubt he was as demanding and insistent when it came to standing up for himself and his art. (I'll bet Charlie would just as soon have given an arm and a leg before giving up his film-making independence!).
Buster may not have been as good a businessman as he was a comedian, and his wanting some degree of financial security is understandable. But surely, wouldn't he have known of the growing control grab of performers' independence by the big studio systems - why United Artists was formed to start with (in 1919)?
Certainly the Malicious Greedy Morons had lots of money, but unlike a VERY select few, they had NOTHING on knowing even a fraction about comedy as Buster did. One of the worst cases of blind, cruel arrogance I've ever heard of.
For instance, one point in the trivia section mentions how "The Cameraman" was used for years by MGM as an example of a perfect comedy. The studio would make all its directors and producers watch it and learn. But from my understanding, that's only part of the story. Reportedly, MGM presented this comedy masterpiece as a sample of THEIR superiority in making comedies, especially over the likes of Buster Keaton. In their minds, they had already "won" the battle for total creative control in all present and future MGM Keaton films.
But I believe the justice of it all is that even today, almost 85 years after the last scene was shot - and over 45 years since his passing - it's Buster Keaton who's still universally known, respected, and loved, not "them". He got the last laugh, after all!
At the film's conclusion, I see that ticker-tape parade as a very fitting salute to Buster's incomparable and timeless legacy in the annals of silent film, of comedy, and all of movie history. Thank you, Buster. :-) R.I.P.
******************
(9 out of 10 stars only because I was hoping to see Buster and Sally in a least ONE tight squeeze that was inescapable: one with locked lips! *sigh*)
Anyone too, who thinks Keaton was any less of an actor or less capable of pathos than Chaplin may well think twice after seeing this film. If you've seen it, you can probably guess when and how Chaplin would've ended this it had it been his. But this was Keaton, and of course he had different ideas of mixing pathos with comedy. Compare "The Circus" ending to "The Cameraman" ending for a good example.
Oh, but if only this hadn't been the last of its kind...
As a Christian, I know I shouldn't harbor any deep-seated hatred and un-forgiveness towards anyone. But as an imperfect human being, to me it was inexcusable and incomprehensible how HORRIBLY stupid and disrespectfully MGM treated the great Buster Keaton. Even just thinking about it makes me sick at heart. It's not like he was some unknown, unproven talent. And aside from the the then-disappointing box office and critical response (and profit loss) on "The General", he had long proved himself to be one of the best (and profitable) comedians of the day.
The Talmadges and Joe Schenck weren't totally blameless, either. They certainly used Buster up: they took away nearly all he had and, along the way, helped grease the skids on his tragic, descending ride on the oppressive MGM studio system train.
Of course, Buster himself bears some of the blame, and I'm not talking about his drinking problems. Right from the start, unlike Chaplin, I doubt he was as demanding and insistent when it came to standing up for himself and his art. (I'll bet Charlie would just as soon have given an arm and a leg before giving up his film-making independence!).
Buster may not have been as good a businessman as he was a comedian, and his wanting some degree of financial security is understandable. But surely, wouldn't he have known of the growing control grab of performers' independence by the big studio systems - why United Artists was formed to start with (in 1919)?
Certainly the Malicious Greedy Morons had lots of money, but unlike a VERY select few, they had NOTHING on knowing even a fraction about comedy as Buster did. One of the worst cases of blind, cruel arrogance I've ever heard of.
For instance, one point in the trivia section mentions how "The Cameraman" was used for years by MGM as an example of a perfect comedy. The studio would make all its directors and producers watch it and learn. But from my understanding, that's only part of the story. Reportedly, MGM presented this comedy masterpiece as a sample of THEIR superiority in making comedies, especially over the likes of Buster Keaton. In their minds, they had already "won" the battle for total creative control in all present and future MGM Keaton films.
But I believe the justice of it all is that even today, almost 85 years after the last scene was shot - and over 45 years since his passing - it's Buster Keaton who's still universally known, respected, and loved, not "them". He got the last laugh, after all!
At the film's conclusion, I see that ticker-tape parade as a very fitting salute to Buster's incomparable and timeless legacy in the annals of silent film, of comedy, and all of movie history. Thank you, Buster. :-) R.I.P.
******************
(9 out of 10 stars only because I was hoping to see Buster and Sally in a least ONE tight squeeze that was inescapable: one with locked lips! *sigh*)
I Need a Better Copy
gavin694221 January 2016
Hopelessly in love with a woman (Marceline Day) working at MGM Studios, a clumsy man (Buster Keaton) attempts to become a motion picture cameraman to be close to the object of his desire.
This seems like a pretty good film, with a similar premise to many other silent comedies: boy wants to win over girl. Perhaps due to Keaton not directing, the physical humor is greatly toned down. Unfortunately, the copy I saw looked terrible. I guess copies exist from terrible to pretty decent, but mine was not one of those. This hurt my viewing experience.
Within a little over a year, MGM would take away Keaton's creative control over his pictures, thereby causing drastic and long-lasting harm to his career. Keaton was later to call the move to MGM "the worst mistake of my career."
This seems like a pretty good film, with a similar premise to many other silent comedies: boy wants to win over girl. Perhaps due to Keaton not directing, the physical humor is greatly toned down. Unfortunately, the copy I saw looked terrible. I guess copies exist from terrible to pretty decent, but mine was not one of those. This hurt my viewing experience.
Within a little over a year, MGM would take away Keaton's creative control over his pictures, thereby causing drastic and long-lasting harm to his career. Keaton was later to call the move to MGM "the worst mistake of my career."
It Looked Good for Buster Early On at MGM
romanorum120 January 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Film historians know that Buster Keaton signed on as a contract player with MGM Studios after his contract with independent producer Joseph M. Schenck expired in 1928. His signing was done at the urging of his relatives but against the advice of mega-star comedians Charlie Chaplain and Harold Lloyd. An advantage of the new arrangement was that there would no longer be problems of raising cash since MGM was large and rich. A disadvantage is that Keaton gradually gave up his filmmaking independence, like directing and improvising, to a studio that insisted upon strict control. Even though the box office tabulation would undeniably improve – MGM moguls could claim that they were right after all – the payoff over time would be disastrous for one who was a silent film giant. But the day seemed to be ending for 1920s slapstick silent stars. New comedians were on the rise, like the Marx Brothers (whom Keaton loathed).
Whatever Keaton's future problems, the new agreement certainly began well, as his first MGM effort, The Cameraman, shows little, if any, waning from some of his great movies. There are gags galore, and pathos, and on-location shooting, and more. Keaton is a clumsy tintype photographer (appropriately named Buster) who desires to become a great studio newsreel cameraman at MGM Offices in order to impress Sally, a lovely lass. He had met her at a ticker-tape parade (which looks very much like a World War I coming-home gala, 1919). But Buster's first efforts are hopeless, as his double-exposures leave the studio chiefs laughing in stitches. Meanwhile he has inadvertently broken the door glass at MGM several times. So it is that Buster embarks upon New York City to find stories to film while wielding a lumbering movie camera. The upshot is that there are many funny vignettes. Here are a few:
(1) The one-man baseball-pantomime at Yankee Stadium with a Ruthian figure in civilian clothes – with hands on hips – observing the action. Actually Buster, looking for action, did not realize that the Yankees were playing the St. Louis Browns on the road that day. (2) Buster running non-stop from his Manhattan place to Sally's before she has hung up the telephone. (3) Buster's attempts to break into his piggy-bank to gather his precious dimes; he damages his apartment. (4) The separation of Buster and Sally on two different levels of the over-crowded Manhattan bus. (5) The clothing change in a locker room. By the way, Sally (Marceline Day) looks fabulous in her 1920s bathing gear. (6) Buster losing his over-sized bathing outfit while in the pool. (7) The hilarious Tong War in Chinatown, with a monkey in a sailor-suit using a machine gun. This scene reminds one of Cheetah machine-gunning Nazis who had invaded Tarzan's African domain years later (1943). (8) The boating scene whereby Buster saves Sally from an unmanned motorboat. His rival, though, initially received the credit and left the romantic Buster heartbroken. It's serendipity that the monkey knew how to operate the movie camera!
Look fast for Charles Lindbergh in the parade at movie's end (newsreel footage). This film was followed by Keaton's last silent (with sound effects but without dialog) – the humorous but underrated Spite Marriage (1929). Soon after conditions deteriorated, as 1930 was just around the corner, and the decade of the 1930s was Keaton's worst decade in more ways than one. The star's later state of affairs was not helped along by his extramarital affairs and his drinking. But, for now, the situation looked fine for one whom Roger Ebert ultimately considers the most courageous silent movie comedian of all time. Indeed, Buster Keaton was a unique comedy talent, maybe the greatest one in world cinema history.
Whatever Keaton's future problems, the new agreement certainly began well, as his first MGM effort, The Cameraman, shows little, if any, waning from some of his great movies. There are gags galore, and pathos, and on-location shooting, and more. Keaton is a clumsy tintype photographer (appropriately named Buster) who desires to become a great studio newsreel cameraman at MGM Offices in order to impress Sally, a lovely lass. He had met her at a ticker-tape parade (which looks very much like a World War I coming-home gala, 1919). But Buster's first efforts are hopeless, as his double-exposures leave the studio chiefs laughing in stitches. Meanwhile he has inadvertently broken the door glass at MGM several times. So it is that Buster embarks upon New York City to find stories to film while wielding a lumbering movie camera. The upshot is that there are many funny vignettes. Here are a few:
(1) The one-man baseball-pantomime at Yankee Stadium with a Ruthian figure in civilian clothes – with hands on hips – observing the action. Actually Buster, looking for action, did not realize that the Yankees were playing the St. Louis Browns on the road that day. (2) Buster running non-stop from his Manhattan place to Sally's before she has hung up the telephone. (3) Buster's attempts to break into his piggy-bank to gather his precious dimes; he damages his apartment. (4) The separation of Buster and Sally on two different levels of the over-crowded Manhattan bus. (5) The clothing change in a locker room. By the way, Sally (Marceline Day) looks fabulous in her 1920s bathing gear. (6) Buster losing his over-sized bathing outfit while in the pool. (7) The hilarious Tong War in Chinatown, with a monkey in a sailor-suit using a machine gun. This scene reminds one of Cheetah machine-gunning Nazis who had invaded Tarzan's African domain years later (1943). (8) The boating scene whereby Buster saves Sally from an unmanned motorboat. His rival, though, initially received the credit and left the romantic Buster heartbroken. It's serendipity that the monkey knew how to operate the movie camera!
Look fast for Charles Lindbergh in the parade at movie's end (newsreel footage). This film was followed by Keaton's last silent (with sound effects but without dialog) – the humorous but underrated Spite Marriage (1929). Soon after conditions deteriorated, as 1930 was just around the corner, and the decade of the 1930s was Keaton's worst decade in more ways than one. The star's later state of affairs was not helped along by his extramarital affairs and his drinking. But, for now, the situation looked fine for one whom Roger Ebert ultimately considers the most courageous silent movie comedian of all time. Indeed, Buster Keaton was a unique comedy talent, maybe the greatest one in world cinema history.
A kind hearted cameraman tries his best to break into the news reel business, and into a clerks heart.
tidal-17 December 2004
Buster Keaton plays a kind hearted but bumbling cameraman trying his best to win over a clerk at MGM studios. Despite his best efforts, hilarious mishaps keep getting in the way. Among the funnier skits, A San Francisco Tong war, getting stuck in a dressing room with another man, and his constant antics with a local police officer. The film tugs your heart strings as you wish nothing but the best for this poor man. Strongly recommended if you like a light hearted and family friendly films everybody can enjoy. Fans of Charlie Chaplin and the Three Stooges will find Buster Keaton's work to be a breath of fresh air and even though it's a silent film, no sound is needed to appreciate everything this film has to offer.
One of Keatons finest
alfiefamily10 December 2004
Warning: Spoilers
"The Cameraman" was the first feature that Keaton made for M-G-M. In fact, it was the first studio film, and the first film he made from a fully prepared script. Unfortunately, it was also the last classic to be made by this cinematic genius.
The plot involves Keaton trying to become a news reel cameraman, in order to try to win over Marceline Day. That's really all you need to know, because if you've seen any other Buster Keaton movie you'll know that that's all he needs before the mayhem begins. And the laughs never stop.
Day is lovely as his love interest and Harry Gribbon is terrific as a cop on the beat. The one who steals this film for me though is a beautifully trained little monkey who does everything perfectly.
Favorite scene, changing clothes in the bath house.
The plot involves Keaton trying to become a news reel cameraman, in order to try to win over Marceline Day. That's really all you need to know, because if you've seen any other Buster Keaton movie you'll know that that's all he needs before the mayhem begins. And the laughs never stop.
Day is lovely as his love interest and Harry Gribbon is terrific as a cop on the beat. The one who steals this film for me though is a beautifully trained little monkey who does everything perfectly.
Favorite scene, changing clothes in the bath house.
Keaton's last command
busterkeaton117318 January 2005
"The Cameraman" was Keaton's next to last silent film,and the last feature he had any real measure of creative control over,and it shows,especially in it's new restored DVD release.While still missing some of it's original footage,the existing material has been restored to near perfect condition,allowing the viewer to really see what's going on,and with a visual artist like BK this is essential! It's said that MGM's print of this was worn ragged because it was considered a perfect example of comedy writing and directing and was REQUIRED viewing for all their new comedians.Why then did those in control at MGM refuse to allow Keaton the freedom he needed to make his kind of picture? How would Keaton have integrated sound into his films had he been in the director's chair ? Might he have evolved something akin to Tati's use of the soundtrack or might he have gone in a completely different direction? We'll never know the answer and the world of cinema is certainly poorer for it!
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