Buster Keaton was a genius. A hundred years ago he was the founding father of visual comedy in the then new film industry. He was extremely popular through his gags and stunts, which he all did himself, often leading to major injuries, even more to even better scenes. While acting he kept his face straight and emotionless, the deadpan posture that for instance Bill Murray adopted in his career 50 years later. That expression , the deadpan face, made people call Buster the Great Stoneface. Look at his movie The General, perhaps his masterpiece. What he does with that train is wonderful. Story, pantomime, gags, tears and joy come together in a mass production! Look at this stream of genius of what Buster could do in early cinema.
In the outstanding documentary about Buster’s career “A Hard Act To Follow” one can see the genius of Buster, the talent he had in making gags and making things funny instead of doing funny things. In a time when only Charlie Chaplin saw the power of cinema also Buster knew how to entertain the masses. They knew how to entertain the public in big cinemas. According to him pantomime will always survive as it is too natural to do. He was right. Look at the later success of Mr Bean 70 years later. No words needed. The pantomime will be forever.
Melancholy, to laugh and cry at the same time. An emotion you may see back in nature in the fall. Looking at the documentary you see the joy, the laughter but also the tear in the life of Buster. From the time he grew up as a child, being hit by the make-up towel, watching Houdini unravel from the many chains each night, to the alcoholism and the refound hapiness with his wife Eleanor, a true saint for him. She rehabilitated her husband´s life and career. It is pure love. When you see the scenes with them together you understand the hapiness he finally found. The Great Stoneface finally transformed into a smile. The End.
