So Funny It Hurt Buster Keaton and Mgm Run Time
A bumbling managing director turns a beauty queen into a Hollywood star.
Film Details
Likewise Known As
Estrellados, Le Metteur en Scène
Genre
Release Date
Mar 22, 1930
Premiere Information
not bachelor
Production Company
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures
State
United States
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 15m
Sound
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)
Colour
Blackness and White
Movie Length
8,413ft (10 reels)
Synopsis
Elmer Butts, the addled manager of Elvira, a Kansas beauty contest winner, is obliged to take her to Hollywood and become her a break in the movies. At a typical Grauman's Chinese premiere, they are confronted with screen celebrities. Later, Elmer crashes the studio gate, allowing a comic chase through sound stages where various players are working, including Lionel Barrymore, Karl Dane, and Dorothy Sebastian. Ultimately, he gets a job as an extra, causing various agreeable complications. Elvira falls in love with Larry, a screen hero, while Elmer is awarded a studio contract and appears in the musical one-act finale, "Gratis and Easy."
Crew
Videos
Motion picture Details
Also Known Equally
Estrellados, Le Metteur en Scène
Genre
Release Date
Mar 22, 1930
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures
Land
Usa
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 15m
Sound
Mono (Western Electrical Sound System)
Colour
Black and White
Film Length
8,413ft (10 reels)
Articles
Free and Easy
The transition to sound was rocky for all the comic geniuses of the silent era. Harold Lloyd's start talkie, Welcome Danger (1929) is by and large considered the worst movie of his career. By the time Harry Langdon fabricated his start sound characteristic, A Soldier's Plaything (1930), he was already relegated to playing second banana to Ben Lyon. Charles Chaplin, fearing the issue of sound on his famous tramp character, waited thirteen years after The Jazz Singer (1927) to make his first all-talking movie. Buster Keaton also had a rough start with audio in his start starring role in a talkie, Free and Piece of cake (1930).
Keaton had appeared in the all-talkie musical extravaganza The Hollywood Revue of 1929 (1929) but did not speak; he only performed his parody of the dance of Salome. It would be five months earlier Keaton would be immune to accost his public. In the meantime, Hollywood went through a stage of inserting musical numbers into everything, fifty-fifty melodramas similar Cecil B. DeMille'southward Dynamite (1929). Keaton's new pic would be given the aforementioned treatment. MGM's house magazine The Distributor wrote during the flick'south product, "The new Keaton in pictures will permit full play to the dialogue, singing and dancing talents which make him a phase winner."
Keaton'south character was also inverse at this point. Why it was washed is still a point of contention, although there is a suggestion that Keaton's Kansas-absolute baritone voice led MGM to think audiences would accept Keaton as rural and unsophisticated. Upwardly until this indicate, most of Keaton's comedy focused on the clever way his character overcame problems that seemed to dwarf him. With the offset of his sound career until he dropped out of starring roles at MGM 3 years later, Keaton would play just some other hapless boob stumbling into i embarrassing scrape after another.
MGM must have felt this was a winning formula as they poured almost a half-million dollars into Free and Like shooting fish in a barrel, gave Keaton Anita Page, the star of the Academy Award-winning The Broadway Melody (1929) every bit love interest, also as up-and-coming star Robert Montgomery as rival, and a big number of other MGM celebrities in cameos. The plot also had bang-up potential for Keaton's comic persona since he was playing a character running loose on the sets of MGM (where he had been a silent star); in fact, the working title had been On the Gear up.
What appears on screen, however, never takes advantage of the situation's possibilities, the only Keaton highlights beingness his muddling of the line "the queen swooned" and his warbling of the picture'due south title song. Withal, Gratuitous and Easy does provide an interesting picture of the MGM lot during the same menstruation of time covered in the later classic Singin' in the Rain (1952). 1 scene that leaves an eerie aftertaste has Keaton running into managing director Cecil B. DeMille simply every bit DeMille mentions actress Gloria Swanson. Xx years subsequently all three would appear in Sunset Boulevard (1950) with Keaton 1 of a group of silent-film actors referred to past William Holden equally "waxworks."
Costless and Easy opened to generally negative reviews with Robert E. Sherwood in Moving picture Daily remarking that, "Buster Keaton, trying to imitate a standard musical comedy clown, is no longer Buster Keaton and no longer funny." However, audiences, perhaps fatigued by Keaton's co-stars or the novelty of hearing him speak, fabricated Free and Easy a hit, in fact, a bigger hit than near of his at present famous silent films. With such a verdict from the public, MGM had little choice merely to order more than of the same and the Keaton of The Full general (1927) and Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928) was locked upward in the studio vaults with the residual of the at present-useless silent movie house.
Producer/Managing director: Edward Sedgwick
Screenplay: Al Boasberg, Paul Dickey, Richard Schayer
Cinematography: Leonard Smith
Film Editing: William LeVanway
Art Direction: Cedric Gibbons
Music: Fred Due east. Ahlert, Roy Turk
Cast: Buster Keaton (Elmer), Anita Page (Elvira), Trixie Friganza (Ma), Robert Montgomery (Larry), Fred Niblo (Director Niblo), Edgar Dearing (Officer).
BW-93m. Closed captioning.
by Brian Cady
Gratuitous and Piece of cake
The transition to audio was rocky for all the comic geniuses of the silent era. Harold Lloyd'due south first talkie, Welcome Danger (1929) is more often than not considered the worst movie of his career. By the time Harry Langdon made his first sound feature, A Soldier'south Plaything (1930), he was already relegated to playing second banana to Ben Lyon. Charles Chaplin, fearing the effect of audio on his famous tramp character, waited thirteen years after The Jazz Vocalist (1927) to brand his first all-talking movie. Buster Keaton likewise had a rough start with sound in his first starring part in a talkie, Free and Piece of cake (1930). Keaton had appeared in the all-talkie musical caricature The Hollywood Revue of 1929 (1929) just did not speak; he but performed his parody of the dance of Salome. It would exist five months before Keaton would be allowed to address his public. In the meantime, Hollywood went through a stage of inserting musical numbers into everything, even melodramas like Cecil B. DeMille's Dynamite (1929). Keaton's new moving-picture show would exist given the same treatment. MGM's firm magazine The Benefactor wrote during the motion picture's product, "The new Keaton in pictures will permit full play to the dialogue, singing and dancing talents which make him a stage winner." Keaton'south character was also changed at this point. Why it was washed is withal a indicate of contention, although there is a proffer that Keaton'southward Kansas-accented baritone voice led MGM to think audiences would take Keaton as rural and unsophisticated. Up until this signal, most of Keaton's comedy focused on the clever way his character overcame bug that seemed to dwarf him. With the beginning of his sound career until he dropped out of starring roles at MGM three years later, Keaton would play simply another hapless boob stumbling into i embarrassing scrape after another. MGM must accept felt this was a winning formula equally they poured nigh a half-1000000 dollars into Free and Easy, gave Keaton Anita Folio, the star of the Academy Award-winning The Broadway Melody (1929) as love interest, equally well as upwardly-and-coming star Robert Montgomery as rival, and a large number of other MGM celebrities in cameos. The plot also had great potential for Keaton's comic persona since he was playing a grapheme running loose on the sets of MGM (where he had been a silent star); in fact, the working title had been On the Gear up. What appears on screen, however, never takes advantage of the situation'southward possibilities, the simply Keaton highlights existence his muddling of the line "the queen swooned" and his warbling of the movie'southward championship song. However, Complimentary and Easy does provide an interesting movie of the MGM lot during the same period of time covered in the later classic Singin' in the Rain (1952). One scene that leaves an eerie palatableness has Keaton running into managing director Cecil B. DeMille but as DeMille mentions actress Gloria Swanson. Twenty years afterward all iii would appear in Dusk Boulevard (1950) with Keaton one of a group of silent-film actors referred to by William Holden equally "waxworks." Gratuitous and Piece of cake opened to generally negative reviews with Robert Due east. Sherwood in Motion picture Daily remarking that, "Buster Keaton, trying to imitate a standard musical comedy clown, is no longer Buster Keaton and no longer funny." However, audiences, perhaps fatigued past Keaton's co-stars or the novelty of hearing him speak, fabricated Costless and Easy a hit, in fact, a bigger hit than virtually of his now famous silent films. With such a verdict from the public, MGM had little choice but to club more of the same and the Keaton of The General (1927) and Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928) was locked up in the studio vaults with the rest of the now-useless silent picture palace. Producer/Manager: Edward Sedgwick Screenplay: Al Boasberg, Paul Dickey, Richard Schayer Cinematography: Leonard Smith Film Editing: William LeVanway Art Direction: Cedric Gibbons Music: Fred E. Ahlert, Roy Turk Cast: Buster Keaton (Elmer), Anita Page (Elvira), Trixie Friganza (Ma), Robert Montgomery (Larry), Fred Niblo (Director Niblo), Edgar Dearing (Officer). BW-93m. Airtight captioning. by Brian Cady
The Buster Keaton Collection
On December 7th, Warner Domicile Video will celebrate the comedic brilliance of Buster Keaton with a two-disc DVD collection that spotlights the thespian's MGM menstruum. TCM Archives: The Buster Keaton Drove features two of Keaton'south funniest silents, The Cameraman, re-mastered with a new score by former Frank Zappa band fellow member Arthur Barrow, and Spite Union (featuring its original 1929 Vitaphone musical score) along with Free and Piece of cake, Keaton'due south showtime talkie. The DVD set too features film historian Kevin Brownlow'south poignant new documentary Buster Keaton: So Funny Information technology Hurt. To pre-order The Buster Keaton Drove, go to TCM Shopping.
Considered by many cinema's greatest silent clown, Buster Keaton was a consummate practitioner of physical comedy whose career began in vaudeville at the age of three. Wearing trademark slapshoes and big baggy pants identical to his father's, almost gags involved pratfalls with his father boot him across the phase or tossing him into the air. Within a few years of his debut, Keaton was scoring rave reviews which applauded the physical comedy that would come to be and so much a part of his film fame. "The dexterity or expertness with which Joe Keaton handles 'Buster' is almost beyond belief of studied 'business organisation.' The boy accomplishes everything attempted naturally, taking a dive into the properties that most any comedy acrobat of more mature years could spotter with profit."
(Variety, March 12, 1910).
Keaton found tremendous eloquence in his deadpan style with alert and expressive eyes, lithe acrobat's trunk and an unforgettable air of grace described by critic James Agee as "a fine, however and dreamlike beauty." The films in this collection mark a peak in his popularity and glow with Keaton'due south unique and timeless mode which combines very funny one-act with the ability to movement an audience to tears.
"We are delighted to be collaborating once once more with our partners at Turner Classic Movies to present another drove of silent rarities from the unparalleled Warner Bros. Pictures vaults," said George Feltenstein, WHV's Senior Vice President Archetype Catalog. "As with last yr's highly praised Lon Chaney Collection, this new Buster Keaton collection contains films which hold a very special place in picture palace history, and nosotros are proud to join with TCM to bring these crown jewels from the Warner library to DVD collectors everywhere."
Details of The Buster Keaton Collection Films
The Cameraman - After condign infatuated with a pretty part worker, Keaton sets out to become a newsreel cameraman in social club to be closer to his dream girl. Keaton'southward get-go film for MGM, made in 1928, is considered ane of his funniest masterworks and offers up a feast of visual gags. The newly remastered DVD includes a new score past Arthur Barrow.
Spite Marriage - In this 1929 silent laugh-filled archetype, Keaton stars as Elmer, a man madly in love with stage star Trilbey Drew. When Trilbey'south fellow gets engaged to another adult female, she marries Elmer in a desperate effort to get even. This was Keaton's last silent comedy, and is presented hither with its original Vitaphone music score.
Free and Easy - In Keaton'south first talkie, he stars as an agent to beauty contest winner Elvira Plunkett. When Elvira decides to endeavour her luck in Hollywood, Elmer goes forth to assistance and the two before long find themselves falling in honey. Anarchy ensues when the couple must argue with Elvira's disapproving mother and a handsome picture star, who as well has his sights fix on the lovely Elvira. This 1930 classic is highlighted past guest appearances from a host of other MGM stars of the era including Robert Montgomery and Lionel Barrymore.
DVD Special Features Include:
- Legendary filmmaker Kevin Brownlow's all-new documentary So Funny It Hurt: Buster Keaton and MGM (produced specially for this DVD release). This unforgettable documentary chronicles the comedian'south MGM period, and features fascinating, rare footage including archival interviews with the master himself
- Photo montages from the ii silent films
- Cameraman commentary by Glenn Mitchell, author of A-Z of Silent Film Comedy: An Illustrated Companion
- Spite Union commentary by John Bengston, author of "Silent Echoes: Discovering Early on Hollywood Through the Films of Buster Keaton and Jeffrey Vance, author of Buster Keaton Remembered"
The Buster Keaton Collection
On Dec 7th, Warner Dwelling house Video will celebrate the comedic brilliance of Buster Keaton with a two-disc DVD collection that spotlights the actor'southward MGM catamenia. TCM Archives: The Buster Keaton Collection features two of Keaton'south funniest silents, The Cameraman, re-mastered with a new score by erstwhile Frank Zappa band member Arthur Barrow, and Spite Matrimony (featuring its original 1929 Vitaphone musical score) forth with Free and Like shooting fish in a barrel, Keaton'southward starting time talkie. The DVD set also features film historian Kevin Brownlow's poignant new documentary Buster Keaton: So Funny It Hurt. To pre-order The Buster Keaton Drove, go to TCM Shopping. Considered by many cinema's greatest silent clown, Buster Keaton was a consummate practitioner of physical comedy whose career began in vaudeville at the age of three. Wearing trademark slapshoes and big baggy pants identical to his male parent'south, most gags involved pratfalls with his father kicking him across the stage or tossing him into the air. Within a few years of his debut, Keaton was scoring rave reviews which applauded the physical comedy that would come to be and then much a office of his film fame. "The dexterity or expertness with which Joe Keaton handles 'Buster' is almost across conventionalities of studied 'concern.' The boy accomplishes everything attempted naturally, taking a dive into the backdrop that well-nigh any one-act acrobat of more mature years could watch with turn a profit." (Variety, March 12, 1910). Keaton constitute tremendous eloquence in his deadpan style with warning and expressive optics, lithe acrobat'southward body and an unforgettable air of grace described past critic James Agee as "a fine, withal and dreamlike beauty." The films in this drove mark a top in his popularity and glow with Keaton'southward unique and timeless manner which combines very funny one-act with the power to move an audience to tears. "We are delighted to be collaborating once once more with our partners at Turner Classic Movies to present some other collection of silent rarities from the unparalleled Warner Bros. Pictures vaults," said George Feltenstein, WHV'south Senior Vice President Classic Catalog. "As with last year's highly praised Lon Chaney Collection, this new Buster Keaton collection contains films which agree a very special identify in cinema history, and we are proud to bring together with TCM to bring these crown jewels from the Warner library to DVD collectors everywhere." Details of The Buster Keaton Drove Films The Cameraman - After becoming infatuated with a pretty function worker, Keaton sets out to become a newsreel cameraman in lodge to exist closer to his dream daughter. Keaton's get-go flick for MGM, fabricated in 1928, is considered one of his funniest masterworks and offers upwardly a feast of visual gags. The newly remastered DVD includes a new score by Arthur Barrow. Spite Marriage - In this 1929 silent laugh-filled classic, Keaton stars as Elmer, a man madly in dearest with stage star Trilbey Drew. When Trilbey'south swain gets engaged to another woman, she marries Elmer in a desperate attempt to get even. This was Keaton's final silent comedy, and is presented here with its original Vitaphone music score. Free and Easy - In Keaton'south first talkie, he stars equally an agent to beauty contest winner Elvira Plunkett. When Elvira decides to endeavour her luck in Hollywood, Elmer goes along to assist and the two soon find themselves falling in dearest. Chaos ensues when the couple must argue with Elvira's disapproving female parent and a handsome pic star, who also has his sights gear up on the lovely Elvira. This 1930 archetype is highlighted by guest appearances from a host of other MGM stars of the era including Robert Montgomery and Lionel Barrymore. DVD Special Features Include: - Legendary filmmaker Kevin Brownlow's all-new documentary And then Funny It Hurt: Buster Keaton and MGM (produced specially for this DVD release). This unforgettable documentary chronicles the comedian's MGM catamenia, and features fascinating, rare footage including archival interviews with the principal himself - Photo montages from the two silent films - Cameraman commentary by Glenn Mitchell, author of A-Z of Silent Film Comedy: An Illustrated Companion - Spite Marriage commentary by John Bengston, author of "Silent Echoes: Discovering Early on Hollywood Through the Films of Buster Keaton and Jeffrey Vance, author of Buster Keaton Remembered"
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Complimentary and Easy was also shot in a Castilian-language version, Estrellados. For a version released in French republic in 1931, the English language dialogue was replaced with intertitles in French and English.
Source: https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/13763/free-and-easy
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