Go West

Have always had great admiration for Buster Keaton, one of the funniest, boldest and most important comedy geniuses of his time and to exist. His best work was hilarious, and not only is there very few people in comedy at the time and since as jaw-droppingly daring but he was one of not many, and possibly the best at it, to make deadpan work. There really were few people like him before, during and since, despite loving comedy of all decades and most kinds of styles Keaton was a true original.

'Go West' is not one of Keaton's best and is very rarely considered as such, there is much funnier, more inventive, more daring work of his from before as well as since. It is still though an amusing and charming watch, and does not deserve to be near-forgotten. While 'Go West' may not be Keaton on top form, it is one of his more under-appreciated efforts and shouldn't be dismissed because it's somewhat of a change of pace and not what one usually expects from Keaton.

It is best forgetting the story, as there is not much of one and it could have gotten going quicker with the first portion being a touch too on the slow side.

On the physical side of things, there could have been more of it and by Keaton, whose physical comedy was at his best very ahead of the time and bold, standards, some of it is a touch subdued.

However, 'Go West' is well shot and designed with the clever last shot standing out. The gags are always amusing though never quite reaching hilarious level, and the more physical elements are deftly timed and nimble, if not what one calls daring. It is silly at times but never played too broadly and the silliness doesn't go overboard.

There is not just comedy. It was actually nice to see a gentler tone and the film has a lot of heart and charm, some touching moments here without mawkishness. Keaton wasn't nicknamed "The Great Stone Face" for nothing, deadpan is not an easy way of acting to nail but Keaton was a master of this because he made it amusing and nuanced.

Concluding, not my definition of classic Keaton but under-appreciated and a lovely watch. 7.5/10

Buster Keaton is often characterized as an unemotional filmmaker whose face lakes expression and whose films lack heart. I call bull on this. In recent years, Keaton's nickname "The Great Stone Face" has been challenged by critics and fans who appreciate his subtle and far from heartless performances. And the idea that his films have no emotional depth has been questioned as well. If any film could answer that question, then Go West (1925) would be it.

GW is the story of a lonely young man who gets a job as a farm hand and befriends a cow after she saves him from a rampaging bull. Their relationship is sweet but never cloying, and Keaton makes sure to mock plot elements meant to evoke cheap pathos (ex. Keaton goes to pet a dog and he is literally such an outcast that even the mutt walks away from him).

It's not a masterpiece, but it is a very sweet movie and one that is worth the hour plus running time.

"Go West" is an enjoyable change-of-pace from Keaton. It has a creative story that enables Buster to demonstrate some different acting skills, while still having plenty of his trademark slapstick, chases, and stunts, especially in the last half of the film. It's not one of his best-remembered films today, largely because it is rather old-fashioned and sometimes slow, but it has a great many merits for those who enjoy silent comedies.

Buster's character is down on his luck, and decides to head west. He winds up on a ranch, working as a cowhand. As he tries rather ineffectively to learn the trade, he becomes attached to a particular cow, 'Brown Eyes'. While trying to protect Brown Eyes from harm, he is caught in the middle of the desperate attempts of the rancher and the rancher's daughter to save their business. Keaton is very good in evoking sympathy for his character while still being amusing, and the story is touching at times while remaining pleasantly silly at others. There are times when it does move pretty slowly, but it is always pleasant to watch.

The film would be well worth seeing for the last portion alone. Everything comes together in a madcap stampede sequence that is extremely funny and that contains a lot of inventive gags. It's classic Keaton, and a great way to top off a rather different story.

If you are a fan of Buster or of silent comedy in general, make sure to give this one a try. It's not the kind of film that could be expected to attract a wide audience today, but it's a pleasant and enjoyable film, and you might like it as much as those of us on this page have enjoyed it.

I have to say I really like this movie because my recently deceased Grandfather had this movie on VHS tape and when I watched it I was able to get a huge amount of laughs out of it because of what Buster Keaton did when he dressed up in the DEVIL costume to get those cows to chase him to the Livestock yard. That was one good movie that should be available for everyone to watch. I just love how it shows that chase down the streets of that one city when those cows are all stampeding after the man in the costume because of how cows chase red things. I just wish that TV stations like AMC and Turner Classic Movies would show this film over and over again because this is a whole lot better than the films that are released today.

Go West is a movie that you seldom hear about and even Keaton did not consider it among his best. However, every time I see it, I cannot help but think that it is one of his funniest and most touching films. In his independent work, Keaton had an amazing ability to portray very unfortunate characters and yet not seem to be pandering to the audience for its pity. In this film, Keaton plays a character referred to as Friendless. The opening scenes of the film show him bouncing around from one unfortunate (and hilarious) situation to another. Yet rather than feel pity for him, the audience can root for this character and good-naturedly laugh at how Friendless reacts to and deals with his misfortunes. It's difficult not to admire the way he overcomes all challenges. When he finds a friend in a cow named Brown Eyes, his loyalty to her and the rancher that employed him precipitates an amazing sequence of events, culminating in an unbelievable cattle stampede through the streets of LA. Although, the scene may drag on a bit, I'll never forget the image of Buster Keaton running down a city street in a red devil's outfit being pursued by a giant herd of cattle. It is one of the most hilariously absurd scenes ever committed to film. There are great gags from beginning to end and, as usual for Keaton, the final sequence is very satisfying. In addition, the Kino release has an outstanding soundtrack which enhances the film considerably. I would highly recommend Go West to anyone as an introduction to Keaton, silent films, or comedies in general.