Pasión y boda de Pamplinas

If there is any humor in this movie, it is carefully concealed. Buster Keaton gives an energetic performance in what is otherwise a dubious attempt at self-effacing humor. Now, under certain circumstances self- effacing humor can be effective but not in this movie. The story is contrived, and Mr. Keaton's character is so shallow that one must wonder why anyone would pay him any attention at all. Irving Cummings and William Crane carry this movie. They give strong dramatic performances. Mr. Keaton's attempt at humor through deadpan is out of place in this movie. It simply is not funny. It does not generate laughs. Nor is his character particularly lovable. His character, Bertie, is spoiled and shallow. His love interest with the female lead is strained and entirely implausible. The plot is predictable. The movie does have some effective moments, such as when the Crane and Cummings characters confront each other and the frantic scenes of trading on the floor of the stock market, but otherwise the movie's value lies mostly in the its status as a quaint antique of movie making from a bygone era.

"Saphead" is an awful romantic melodrama. Basically Keaton is just doing straight acting (the movie's based on a stage play). There is little comedy here.

But the 2 shorts included on the DVD -- "The High Sign" and "One Week" --are outstanding. They rate 8 and 9 scores, respectively. "One Week" anticipates many of Keaton's later gags and stunts, showing the kind of imagination and skill that made his films the funniest of the silent era (sorry, Charlie).

Keaton plays a character that is somewhat bewildered by life-he meets the wrong train, he asks permission to quit winning at gambling, he is even inept in getting arrested. All is done with his deadpan expression and his intense eyes. This combination of innocence adrift in a life of circumstances provides Keaton with ample humorous moments. At times, I found the comedy to be somewhat muted; yet the pacing was well done and the stock market scenes are thoroughly delightful. `The Saphead' is not on a par with `The General', ‘Sherlock, Jr.', or `Seven Chances', but the film has its share of riches for the viewer.

While it is certainly not up to the standard of the later films that Keaton would direct and/or write himself, "The Saphead" is still a nice little film, and the last part is excellent, a sign of things to come. It would be worth watching for the last 20 minutes alone, and the first part is not bad either, just old-fashioned and sometimes a bit slow.

Keaton plays Bertie, the timid son of a rich businessman. Most of the film involves the business and romantic difficulties of Bertie, his sister, and his brother-in-law. It's slow at times, with some melodrama and a fair amount of mild humor but not a lot of really funny material. It's a decent story of the kind common to silent films, is usually pleasant to watch, and is important as the prelude and setup to the climax. In the last part of the film, Bertie joins the stock exchange, and all the story lines come together in a creative and very entertaining sequence that finally gives Keaton a chance to display his great variety of comic skills.

If you enjoy Keaton's other films, this one is not up to their level, but it is still worth watching.

The Saphead" does not showcase Keaton the filmmaker, but rather Keaton the actor. The script is from a play, the directors are individuals Keaton never worked with before or hence, and the studio was Metro, predecessor of MGM. Keaton plays Bertie the Lamb, mild-mannered and spoiled son of Nick Van Alstyne, "the Wolf of Wall Street". In spite of the fact that Keaton had no creative input to the film and isn't actually its centerpiece, there is much to like about this film and much that is so Keatonesque. Keaton plays an old-fashioned romantic and someone that is thrust into the role of the fall guy by the actual bad guy - a theme he repeats in his own features. He also has down pat the part of being the well-dressed dapper man of the 1920's, which he repeats with more comic effect in "The Battling Butler", where he did have creative control.