Sherlock Jr [ Buster Keaton ] 1924

Sherlock, Jr. (1924) is an American comedy silent film starring and directed by Buster Keaton and written by Clyde Bruckman, Jean Havez and Joseph A. Mitchell. It features Kathryn McGuire, Joe Keaton and Ward Crane.[1]

In 1991, Sherlock, Jr. was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant," and on June 14, 2000 the American Film Institute, as part of its AFI 100 Years... series, ranked the film as #62 in the list of the funniest films of all time (AFI's 100 Years... 100 Laughs).

A movie projectionist and janitor (Buster Keaton) who is studying to become a detective is in love with a beautiful girl (Kathryn McGuire). On a date he presents her with chocolates and an engagement ring. However, there is another man who's also interested in his girl (Ward Crane).

One day he is accused of stealing his girlfriend's father's watch. He falls asleep on the job and dreams that he is a Sherlock Holmes-type detective, solving the case of who stole a valuable pearl necklace. Buster Keaton as Projectionist Kathryn McGuire as The Girl Joe Keaton as Her Father Erwin Connelly as The butler/handyman Ward Crane as The sheik/villain

Keaton spent more time shooting this film than most of his others, due to the elaborate stunts and effects.

Keaton was also injured while filming one of the stunts in which he hangs from a tube connected to a water tower used for replenishing the steam locomotive's water supply. The water poured out and knocked him on to the track, severely fracturing his neck. It wasn't until the 1930s that a doctor discovered the healed break during a routine examination. At that point, Buster recalled having agonizing headaches for a few days following the accident.

Special effects
Into the film: Keaton "walked" into the movie via the power of suggestion. The scene shifted back and forth several times from the projectionist's booth to the movie that was being shown. But for the last shift, instead of showing the movie, the camera this time showed a stage with live actors, designed to replicate the look of the movie. Therefore, Buster actually climbed onstage, but created the illusion of joining the movie.

Revealing the trick: During the scene following his "entry" into the movie he's projecting, the scenery around him changes abruptly several times. It wasn't until the 1940s that Keaton revealed that he and his cameraman had used surveyor's instruments to position him, and the camera, at exactly the correct distances and positions to provide the illusion of continuity.

Filming locations
The encounter with traffic cop was filmed on Larchmont Blvd. near Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles.

Editing
Due to poor reception at previews, Keaton cut the film down a couple times. Thus, Sherlock, Jr. is shorter than his other features.

Critical reception

Though not well-received in its day, the movie has gone on to be recognized as a classic.

Recently, Time magazine named Sherlock, Jr. as one of the All-Time 100 Movies. They wrote, "The impeccable comedian directs himself in an impeccable silent comedy...Is this, as some critics have argued, an example of primitive American surrealism? Sure. But let's not get fancy about it. It is more significantly, a great example of American minimalism—simple objects and movement manipulated in casually complex ways to generate a steadily rising gale of laughter. The whole thing is only 45 minutes long, not a second of which is wasted. In an age when most comedies are all windup and no punch, this is the most treasurable of virtues."[2]

Film critic Dennis Schwartz wrote, "[The film is] one of Buster's superior silent comedies that's noted for his usual deadpan humor, frolicsome slapstick, the number of very funny sight gags, the many innovative technical accomplishments and that he did his own stunts (including the dangerous one where he was hanging off a ladder connected to a huge water basin as the water poured out and washed him onto the railroad track, fracturing his neck nearly to the point of breaking it. Keaton suffered from severe migraines for years after making this movie)."[3]

The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 100% of modern critics gave the film a positive review, based on 14 reviews, marking the film as "Fresh."

Honors

In 1991, Sherlock, Jr. was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

WIKIPEDIA

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[TheBookWorm1718]

Every time I watch this, my mother says it's a wonder he didn't get killed doing all his stunts. And it is true, he broke his neck when the water spout poured on him, but he didn't know it for 10 years. And here he did all his own stunt riding on the motorcycle and had to steer it as he rode on the handlebars, good luck finding somebody who'll do that today. The man's a true genius and it's a shame he's not remembered better than he is.

[icerise]

Is this really the music? It doesn't sound like from the 20s, more like the 60s lol 39:55 James Bond music? I like it.

[fearofclowns1989]

Pity about the new soundtrack of which the composers obviously had no idea of comedic timing and subtlety, as it overpowers the film on a number of occasions. I had to mute the sound after 16 minutes.

[TheBookWorm1718]

@Busterkeatonrules And these days his films are about impossible to find unless you want to pay $30 per collection for 3 collections of them, whereas Charlie Chaplin's are available all over and Buster's are out on a variety of volumes and collections. So for his own time Lloyd did well but when it comes to screen immortality he seemed to cause his own downfall there. A shame because he could carry his own with the best of them and more people ought to see his.

[Busterkeatonrules]

@TheBookWorm1718 Lloyd was able to maintain ownership of all his movies. Around the 1960s, when silent movies were rediscovered, Chaplin and Keaton movies were regular staples on TV and in theatres - but anyone who wanted to show a Lloyd movie would have to deal with Lloyd himself. Lloyd would always demand absurd fees and insist that the movies be accompanied by a live orchestra, not just a pianist.

So the public hardly ever got to see a Lloyd movie. A generation later, he was forgotten.

[TheBookWorm1718]

As far as success went in the 20s, it was Charlie Chaplin, then Harold Lloyd, and then Buster because he never made as much as the others did. But when you hear them today, they ALWAYS go in this order: Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Harold Lloyd. Now they're all great, but Buster is my favorite, but I can't help but wonder HOW Harold Lloyd basically became like an afterthought, you hear the least about him these days of them all.

[TheBookWorm1718]

@Busterkeatonrules And nerves of steel to work with those lions, he was really trapped with them for that scene.

[Busterkeatonrules]

@seanflynagun The simplest of tricks are often the most impressive! That bit where "Dream-Keaton" steps out of his sleeping body, is a simple case of superimposion - two sets of images, identical except for Keaton's position in the picture, were merged into one. As for the sequence where the background changes but Keaton stays in place: All it took was surveying equipment and some patience!

[TheBookWorm1718]

Thumbs up if anytime you buy a box of candy you think of Buster's predicament trying to get his.

[globalawareness2009]

a little bi of blues huh? 13:04 to 13:56

[MrUndersolo]

No one else like him today. Better than 90% of the stuff on screens anywhere today.

[TheBookWorm1718]

@kokokoko344 On Turner Classic Movies, last October he was the star of the month and they showed him every Sunday night. But I would like one time to see them do a marathon of his films in chronological order, instead they would do a movie here, a short there, never in any kind of order, it's confusing like that.