• A sad disappointment given Keaton’s talents as an auteur and the fact that this is the film most immediately following The General – an incontestable masterpiece
  • Long speeches from Keaton here with text titles—this is very unlike Keaton and certainly not a trait in his best works
  • What is a trait in his best works is Keaton playing the weakling to great comic effect. Here he essentially is a bookworm, very unathletic and fails at the attempts for the first 2/3’rd of the film, but when it comes to rescuing his love, he turns into a heroic figure who can run fast, hurdle obstacles, etc.
  • Slow starts and expositions are not limited to this weaker effort (Seven Chances, Sherlock Jr.)—but this one is especially unimpressive to begin with
  • The last 10 minutes it takes off— we’re sitting shotgun with the camera in the boat rowing (like the motorcycle in Sherlock Jr.) and the last 3 minutes we’re sprinting and hurdling to save her-and Keaton is a marvelous athletic—short, like catching Cruise (comparing 21st century Cruise/Jackie Chan/Keaton would be a great paper) or Dustin Hoffman—even if they aren’t fast something about them booking it down the street
  • Slow-motion camera speed as we’re bouncing and then coming down slowing with an open umbrella—nice touch
  • Baseball, track
  • Recommend but not in the top 10 of 1927