The second of Buster Keaton’s dispiriting M-G-M Talkies was the only one to see his significant creative input. And the difference, if not transforming, is striking. His first Talkie, FREE AND EASY/’30, long, expensive, talky, showed faint understanding or appreciation of his character or abilities. He’s a tearful Pagliacci by the end. Yikes! But here, Keaton was able to draw on his own WWI service. Note he gives his age as 23 to the draft board, his actual age in 1918. And the better gags have the smell of experience. (In real life, fighting had effectively stopped by the time Buster got ‘Over There,’ but he was kept on to entertain the troops.) The service comedy tropes are pretty routine, but watch for a sweet, impromptu sing-along with Cliff ‘Ukulele Ike’ Edwards doing his eccentric jazz vocals while Buster takes over on ukulele and provides harmony.* And, in a striking bit, Buster wears drag for one of those violent ‘Apache’ Dances. The rest is hit & miss blackout jokes after Keaton accidentally joins the army; goes thru training with bossy Sergeant Edward Brophy; woos pretty Sally Eilers; and finds his former German chauffeur in enemy camp. But light on its feet for an M-G-M film in 1930, probably from Keaton stepping in with suggestions for director Edward Sedgwick. And if it can’t stand comparison with Buster’s silent masterpieces (what can?), it more than holds its own against other sound comedies of the period. Alas, after this, le deluge: Keaton’s drinking got worse, his marriage fell apart, all his suggestions ignored. The studio was making too much money off him, even as the films got progressively worse. Far more than his silents ever made. No small thing in Depression days.
ATTENTION MUST BE PAID: *Keaton’s pleasure in this song number ('live' not 'synch' BTW) is contagious, he comes damn near to smiling.
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