After a while of pushing this simple, quirky premise with too many characters and set pieces fixed on frills, it's hard to care about this unconventional underdog story. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of serviceapply. Therefore Keaton vows he will go the city and get a job, or commit suicide. Letterboxd Limited. Solve the puzzle in as few words as you can 24, Made by fans in Aotearoa New Zealand. Zak is using Letterboxd to share film reviews and lists with friends. Letterboxd is an independent service created by a small team, and we rely mostly on . If she would regenerate health, she also gains shield regeneration. Letterboxd is an independent service created by a small team, and we rely mostly on the support of our members to maintain our site and apps. Film data from TMDb. Even getting into the ring for sparring practice involves quite a bit of neck-wrenching agility as he humorously gets tangled up in the ropes. Battling Butler has some wonderful moments in and amongst some questionable gender politics and dated, flippant takes on domestic violence (speaking of dated, i assume that country drivers were known for their fast, reckless driving in 1926). Battling Butler 1926 . Snitz Edwards is a great comic foil to Keaton, and pretty funny in his own right. How rich and pampered? This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of serviceapply. looks and naivet. Film data from TMDb. The traditional notions of masculinity that Keaton's character does not initially possess are played for laughs, and that works pretty well. The real battling butler is Alfred's valet - played superbly by Snitz Edwards - who'll happily throw his master under a bus if it means his hapless employer might actually have a chance of future happiness. DENVER The Miami Heat made history by becoming only the second No. One of my favourites so far. It's all lively enough for all the clutter and lacking supporting characters to feel tightened together into this fun, surprisingly coherent adventure. Mobilesite. Sally O'Neil brings the requisite sweetness to her part, as well as a pretty good arm when shes throwing things at Snitz and Buster early on. Ideas are bulletproof. Battling Butler 1926 27 Aug 2019 AntoniusBlock7's review published on Letterboxd: Buster Keaton is as charming as always in the role of a fop who tries to assume the identity of a boxer in order to impress a young woman (Sally O'Neil) he's just met, as well as her father and brother who won't allow her to marry a . Once in the wilderness, Alfred ignores outdoor activities in favor of trying . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of serviceapply. Still, it's all just whimsical nonsense that is indeed better suited to a musical or Keatonian slapstick than the proper charmer this aspires to be. The gags are brilliant and the flailing around the boxing ring nearly made me inhale my lunch I was laughing so hard. It centres on a rather standard Keaton story, of the seemingly weak Buster character falling in love with a girl and then having to prove himself. The physical stuff, when they do happen, are good though and are worth watching, but you might want to fast-forward to those scenes. Made by fans in Aotearoa New Zealand. In this instance we have the contrast of the pampered wealthy Keaton character up against tall, strong rural folk and a violent boxer. The romance is lovely too.Two other things set it apart, I think. BLOODLETTER Songs of strength and survival. He sells the somewhat goofy story with his "what the hell did I get myself into?" Great stuff! This adaptation goes the more compelling, perhaps more futile route of realizing this fluffy fantasy by drawing out the development of the plot and its central character. There are several scenes with great composition in the film, the best of which is when the girl is framed perfectly in the small back window of Busters limo as it drives away. Film data from TMDb. He just had this incredible knack for portraying a comical sense of being slightly put-out which sounds like it could never be that funny, but with him it is. @letterboxd. Film data from TMDb. How the charade gets zanier through the film, admittedly, is more clever than I anticipated. The story is a bit too busy to be so silly, with inconsistent focus in fleshing this out past anything more than a series of pretty hysterical slapstick gags, framed with surprisingly credible production values, character arcs and underdog energy to make Buster Keaton's "Battling Butler" (Say that five times fast) a very soft-hitting, very charming and strong-willed sports comedy. Keaton stars as Alfred Butler, wealthy and effete son of an aristocratic . Incidentally, it can be said that Buster Keaton could take a punch, and suggested that it was a good thing he lacked the technology to make this film adaptation a musical. That said, I was weirdly charmed by the opening section - and not just the near-miss hunting accident - the scene where Keaton's Butler dines with The Mountain Girl as the table slowly sinks into the mud is so lovely and their are individual images that really stand out, particularly the climax of Battling Butler's first fight where the auditorium slowly empties, and the shot of the mountain girl framed by the back window of the car. Nov MadMark198X is using Letterboxd to share film reviews and lists with friends. Film data from TMDb. But when it leads to an actual meeting and confrontation with the real "Battling" Butler, things turn serious. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of serviceapply. The gags don't come with as much fire or pop in Battling Butler, but there's some great humour in his deadpan reactions and subtle moments. Film data from TMDb. Buster Keaton is as charming as always in the role of a fop who tries to assume the identity of a boxer in order to impress a young woman (Sally ONeil) hes just met, as well as her father and brother who wont allow her to marry a weakling. Incidentally, it can be said that Buster Keaton could take a punch, and suggested that it was a good thing he lacked the technology to make this film adaptation a musical. But this time around, it's like he tried to make a sitcom which is a real let down. While it is an enjoyable time, Battling Butler does feel like lesser Keaton work, with a less endearing story and few of Keaton's best gags. Sunday mornings with Buster Keaton have become quite enjoyable. Battling Butler has a lot of the Buster Keaton comedic style that everyone loves. They did it with grit and will power, but it wasn't enough to become the only No. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of serviceapply. It's just nowhere near as dynamic and funny and Keaton's better movies which use the plot as an excuse for his brilliant visual comedy. He doesn't even stub out his own cigarettes; instead, his faithful valet takes them out of his mouth and puts fresh ones in. "Have you any more fathers or brothers?" If it's conclusion is tied into the climactic fight like the only way to solve that problem is to create a victim out of a perpetrator, then it's not clear enough to tie that together in a satisfying way. Erik Olsson's review published on Letterboxd: A fine Keaton film with an endearing plot but doesn't really feel like it takes full advantage of it. Battling Butler is generally considered lower-tier Buster Keaton, and I can see why that is. Snitz Edwards is FANTASTIC. 29, Made by fans in Aotearoa New Zealand. I haven't been able to do it every week, but when I can it's been lovely to have a cup of coffee with this master of silent comedy. Posters are sourced from TMDb and Posteritati, and appear for you and other members based on settings. Letterboxd is an independent service created by a small team, and we rely mostly on the support of our members to maintain our site and apps. Mar I'm required to use the word "delightful" in each of my Buster Keaton reviews, and yep this one falls into that camp too. Letterboxd is an independent service created by a small team, and we rely mostly on the support of our members to maintain our site and apps. This revelation is a shock! May All are free except for Spite Marriage. Robert Hayes's review published on Letterboxd: . Watched Posters are sourced from TMDb and Posteritati, and appear for you and other members based on settings. - If Moze would be healed, she gains shields instead. covkate is using Letterboxd to share film reviews and lists with friends. Join here. Cameron Wayne is using Letterboxd to share film reviews and lists with friends. 2018. Based on a musical, this story is meant to be more extravagant than silent cinema could accommodate, with hilariously over-the-top scheming and hijinks around a romantic romp. Now, with Alfred wishing for the girl's hand, he must keep up the charade. 2017. May Posters are sourced from TMDb and Posteritati, and appear for you and other members based on settings. Watch on. Please consider upgrading to a Pro accountfor less than a couple bucks a month, youll get cool additional features like all-time and annual stats pages (example), the ability to select (and filter by) your favorite streaming services, and no ads! Once in the wilderness, Alfred ignores outdoor activities in favor of trying to woo a charming mountain girl, who wants nothing to do with her spoiled suitor. The man isn't exactly his perfect doppelganger, but I guess these "mountain people" are so dumb that they don't notice the difference. Film data from TMDb. Letterboxd Limited. 25, Remove Ads Also, again, he is quite hot in this one. Zombie Song 2. Battling Butler (1926) on IMDb: Movies, TV, Celebs, and more. The early scenes of Buster camping in the lap of luxury, complete with bearskin rug, are funny and a nice little satire of the wealthy. Letterboxd is an independent service created by a small team, and we rely mostly on the support of our members to maintain our site and apps. Letterboxd Limited. Please consider upgrading to a Pro accountfor less than a couple bucks a month, youll get cool additional features like all-time and annual stats pages (example), the ability to select (and filter by) your favorite streaming services, and no ads! Addeddate It centres on a rather standard Keaton story, of the seemingly weak Buster character falling in love with a girl and then having to prove himself. The boxing scenes are hilarious, the wooing scenes amusing, the subterfuge welcome. 2021. Battling Butler has some wonderful moments in and amongst some questionable gender politics and dated, flippant takes on domestic violence (speaking of dated, i assume that country drivers were known for their fast, reckless driving in 1926). and recording any word you like. Aug But he'll never not be worth watching. I usually wince while watching a Keaton film but nothing like this. The result is a pretty stirring and realistic fight scene. If a Battle Butler is also referred to as a bodyguard, you can expect full blown samurai-level abilities; this type of Battle Butler tends to overlap with The Dragon if their master is the . Letterboxd Limited. There is a little bit of darkness to the other Butler (Francis McDonald) as he insults his wife and we see hes blackened her eye (off-screen), all of which amplify the emotional response we feel later in Busters fury. Watched May 09, 2023. Director Christian Gudegast Writers Christian Gudegast Paul T. Scheuring Stars Gerard Butler Pablo Schreiber O'Shea Jackson Jr. See production, box office & company info Please consider upgrading to a Pro accountfor less than a couple bucks a month, youll get cool additional features like all-time and annual stats pages (example), the ability to select (and filter by) your favorite streaming services, and no ads! For all of the bumbling irony in how this imposter Battling Butler handles the matter, the development of his love story and personal resilience so earn the fanfare. Due to Gnommish's similarity to hieroglyphics, it . The enjoyment of his films are not from telling a compelling or interesting story, but from the pure physicality of the medium. Please consider upgrading to a Pro accountfor less than a couple bucks a month, youll get cool additional features like all-time and annual stats pages (example), the ability to select (and filter by) your favorite streaming services, and no ads! The others, well, they deserve a lot of credit for being as charming as a Buster Keaton lead, but they're all just devices for him and the jokes. Buster Keaton decides that he wants to marry Sally O'Neil. The more troubling aspect of it's take on masculinity is in relation to domestic abuse. Regenerate health, she also gains shield regeneration brothers? realistic fight scene in few! 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