Having missed out on the bread line, Buster accidentally gets his photograph taken by mistake by a man taking a photo of notorious criminal Dead Shot Dan. When Dan escapes, Buster finds himself mistakenly identified as the dangerous wanted man and even when he flees the police to another town, wanted posters are already ahead of him and he finds his troubles are only beginning.
BBC4 has just started a series with Paul Merton on silent comedy heroes and his first subject was Buster Keaton. The programme itself was an interesting mix of clips but the real gold was in the fact that it brought this short film in its entirety to primetime television (albeit on a small digital channel). The short opens with an unlikely setup but quickly gets past it by virtue of the sheer quality inherent in the comedy rather than the story-telling, which, being honest, is what we've come here for. True to form the comedy is creative and slightly surreal with a great mix of slapstick and wit. I found myself laughing out loud even though I wasn't really in the mood for comedy (I was more in the mood for Solaris, which I watched later the same evening).
Keaton is on great form and does so much while keeping a straight face; those who dismiss his performances as just falling down simply have no idea what they are talking about and I wish them well as they watch their next crude teen comedy at their multiplex. His support cast are good in regards their physical performances but some of them really overdo their face movements not so much on the double takes (which need impact) but more on the other aspects where they appear hammy. Of course playing opposite Keaton even Mount Rushmore could be accused of overdoing the facial movements, such is his way.
Overall a great little short with an unlikely plot that is more than covered up by a hilarious and inspired onslaught of physical comedy delivered with skill, imagination and wit.
