Supelice Dreadfully Boring

Sammy-Jo Cervantes There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

Matylda Swan It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

Jerrie It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Antonius Block Buster Keaton is his usual adorable, amazing, and funny self in this story of the son of a riverboat captain who tries to learn the ropes from his father while being attracted to the daughter of a rival captain. Keaton's character hasn't seen his father since he was a baby, and his scrawny build and beret are a disappointment to his father, played by Ernest Torrence. The movie is a teeny bit slow at the start, though there is a funny scene of his father trying to select a new hat for him. Stick with it. It builds to funny moments in the local jail (love that backwards rock toss), and then some fantastic scenes at the end, when a cyclone strikes, with Keaton displaying great physical comedy as well as bravery. In one of his most famous stunts, the side of building comes crashing down on him, only to miss him because he's standing in the spot the doorway lands. There are several other dazzling moments in an extended sequence that is the genius and crescendo to the film. The first half of the film is not as strong, and it would have been nice if the love interest (Marion Byron) had been expanded a little more, but this is still a very enjoyable, heartwarming movie, with some truly unique moments.

zachmoats I could have as easily written about direction here, but I want to talk about his performance. It's the physicality of his performance that's the most memorable aspect.It's no secret that Buster Keaton excels in physical comedy and his part in Steamboat Bill Jr. is no exception to that rule. The film ends with one of his most memorable, larger than life stunts: the hurricane. For that sequence alone, Steamboat Bill Jr. is worth watching. At times, Keaton himself seems to defy gravity. He scales down the side of buildings and straps himself to beds to withstand the hurricane. However, it's the smaller stunts in Steamboat Bill Jr. that make me fall in love with Keaton's performance. For instance, when his father's boat is docked next to King's boat, William (Keaton) finds himself being pulled between the two boats. I was cracking up at this scene. Another great example of Keaton's physicality is the scene where he sneaks out to meet Kitty. He has to crawl across the boat without waking his dad and get over to her boat. For me, Steamboat Bill Jr. is not as dynamic as some of his other work like The General, but it has some of his best stunts and the wonderful physical comedy you can always expect from Keaton's work. It's worth your time in laughs and entertainment.

MissSimonetta Steamboat Bill Jr. (1928) is likely the most accessible of all Buster Keaton's features. Not that the others aren't accessible, but this one has everything: great gags, great stunts, great writing, and a great dynamic between Buster Keaton and Ernest Torrence, who plays his estranged tough-as-nails father.Buster is in his prime here. Once again, his performance showcases his unique combination of subtle pantomime and cartoon-like energy. That he predominantly uses his eyes and body to emote makes him among the most timeless of silent film actors, proof that these people did not need to overact to get their feelings across in pre-dialouge cinema. Marion Bryon is the love interest and though she's no Sybil Seely or Kathryn McGuire, she's cute as a button and full of flapper charm.Ernest Torrence is one of my favorite character actors and his performance as the old Steamboat Bill is my favorite performance from him. His cantankerous, macho nature contrasts beautifully with Buster's timid, milquetoast hero, and the development of their father-son dynamic is the most memorable part of the film, giving it a great sense of heart. (Whoever said Buster Keaton's films have no emotional stakes was 100 percent wrong.)Out of all the great climaxes Keaton's silent work, Steamboat Bill Jr's hurricane climax is the most iconic. The destruction of the little Mississippi town in this movie is more exciting and credible than the overblown CG disaster porn to be found in modern blockbusters. It still works its magic, even on preteens conditioned against movies older than Titanic (1997).If you're looking to get yourself or someone you know into the wonderful world of silent cinema, then Steamboat Bill Jr. is a great place to begin. It's a perfect little movie and one that does not feel its eighty-plus years of age.

kendraocon Buster Keaton once again made the audience laugh with the comedy of the father and son story. He used the music to help make the emotions feel more real. You could just feel every tense moment, without any words being said. With the music and acting you could understand how or what the characters were thinking. THe two families were so different from each other, you could see the tension between the two fathers. You could see the tension and differences from the tone of music and how the scenes were acted out. I think it was to show that times had changed, the parents didn't have much control of who their children would fall in love with.No matter what they said or did to keep them away from their love, they would just find another way to see each other some how. The way the camera is being moved during certain scenes shows how much of a big step they have come and that they had discovered how to control and edit the movie in a new way.Keaton moved the camera at one point almost during a panorama shot of the lake, which looked like it was a big move.The scenes of the big storm, the editing for that was very big and that were more technical moves to it.