100 Movies Every Catholic Should See #125: Sherlock Jr. (1924)
Directed by Buster Keaton. Starring Buster Keaton, Kathryn McGuire, Ward Crane, Joe Keaton, Erwin Connolly
Sometimes simple stories are sublime, but under the surface what appears to be simple is often under-girded by several complex layers of artistic craft and complex preparation. Buster Keaton’s Sherlock Jr. is a very simple story of love lost and regained, and its humorous tone and awesome stunts are delightful to behold. However, the discerning viewer will be thoroughly awe-inspired by the preparation, choreography, and precision on display to create such a hilariously entertaining early film.
Sherlock Jr. follows the story of a humble film projectionist who dreams of being a detective. He has a step-by-step guidebook that he reads whenever he has a moment, and is just waiting for a crime to come along for him to solve. His opportunity arrives when his rival in love steals his girlfriend’s father’s pocket watch to buy an extravagant gift, but the rival is able to frame the projectionist for the crime and following the steps in the book only uncovers the planted evidence. The projectionist is sent away in shame and returns to his day job, where he falls asleep at the projector and dreams of entering the film to solve a jewelry theft.
Up to this point, the film has been charming and funny enough, but it is in this dream sequence (one of the earliest instances of the film-within-a-film trope) that Keaton shows off his true mastery of comedic cinema. The projectionist steps through the movie screen into the film, and a sequence of cuts to increasingly outlandish locations baffles and delights the viewer. In the modern era, this would be a simple green screen affair, doable by any fool with a YouTube channel; in 1924, however, to get such seemingly perfect cuts between scenes and such precisely timed comedic stunts took many takes, intense choreography, and even reportedly the use of surveying equipment to ensure that the camera and Keaton were positioned exactly right to maintain the illusion. Other stunts in the dream sequence dazzle the audience, such as a leap off a building into a moving car, a hilarious motorcycle chase sequence, and a stunning vaudeville trick where Keaton jumps straight through the body of a man holding a suitcase. The skill of both Keaton the director and Keaton the stunt actor are on full display in this film, to the sheer delight of the viewer.
The film is short and sweet, and so will be this review. After the projectionist wakes up, his lady love (who has done some sleuthing of her own) meets him and tells him the real thief is found, all is forgiven. The awkward projectionist takes his cues on affection from the film simultaneously playing in the theater, charming his lady and earning the both of them a happily ever after. It’s a sweet, simple ending to a sweet, simple, hysterically funny film. I was left delighted and awe-struck by the effort and precision in the humor and stunts, propelling such a simple little story to great artistic heights. The human mind has been gifted with such extraordinary ingenuity and creativity, and it is always glorious to see it on display in such a wonderful film as this.
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Nice note to wrap the series up on! Short and Sweet! This is a category I have always been a little skeptical of but by chance had a chance to take a look at The Gold Rush recently and was impressed, particularly with the pacing, which did not feel like the slog I expected. Thanks for opening my mind to take a look at something I had previously written off as for film professors only! Also appreciate the inclusion of a link and info on the films availability!