Sunday, October 23, 2011

Buster Keaton's early talkies

Last week, I mentioned that TCM was showing a documentary about Buster Keaton's contract with MGM at the dawn of the talking pictures era that resulted in his career seriously going south. As part of tonight's Star of the Month salute to Keaton, you can see four of his lesser efforts from that era, so that you can judge for yourself how much the studio was at fault for ruining Keaton's career.

First, overnight at 2:15 AM is the military comedy Doughboys.
That's followed at 3:45 AM by Parlor, Bedroom, and Bath, in which Keaton is recruited as un unwilling playboy.
At 5:15 AM, you can watch The Passionate Plumber, in which Keaton is a plumber-turned-lover.
Finally, at 6:30 AM, there is What, No Beer? in which Keaton tries to get into the beer business after Prohitibion only to find the Mob has taken it over.

The last two at least co-star Jimmy Durante.

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