I’m always afraid to say I don’t really enjoy certain classic films – perhaps it’s a reaction to all that screen studies I did, or having read too much David Shipman growing up. “But it’s hilarious, Keaton is better than Chaplin, it’s perfect cinema”. I did find a lot to admire and enjoy about this film – Buster sitting on a wheel having lunch which then starts moving, Buster tossing a piece of wood to push another piece of wood off a train track, the final gag with Buster doing rapid saluting. I didn’t find that many laughs in it – things like Buster accidentally firing a canon which causes a dam to burst, flooding a river and presumably killing a lot of Union soldiers really isn’t that funny. This works better more as a light adventure film, with some spectacular stunts and thrilling action. The final battle scenes are beautifully composed, and you won’t see a better train crash than the one at the end of this.
I guess I also had troubles cheering on a Confederate hero – hooray, he’s helped strike a blow for slavery. And sometimes Buster’s behaviour is too silly to be funny eg tossing long pieces of wood on to a train instead of just placing them (ok yes then you get the gag of the wood bouncing off but it’s just silly). Also his girlfriend is a bit of a bitch for dumping him just because he can’t get into the army – wouldn’t she think that they might have rejected him because of his profession? Even if she didn’t, she’s still not very nice. (To be fair though, she does suffer later on in the film, being kidnapped and dunked in water, and she proves a useful ally for Buster during the chase).
I recognise there are some beautiful things here, and Keaton was an incredible talent (some of his balletics on the train has to be seen to be believed); I just didn’t find it that funny or thrilling. Sorry, David Shipman.
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