This is one of 10 films that are included in the two DVD set "The Buster Keaton Collection". It's a sad set of films Keaton did later in his career with Columbia Pictures and the films bore more resemblance to Three Stooges films than Keaton's classic silents. Of the 10, eight were directed by Jules White--a man who had absolutely no understanding or appreciation of Keaton's subtle humor. As a lady said in the documentary included with the set ("Buster Keaton: From Silents to Shorts"), White's idea of funny was dropping anvils on people's heads! His totally unsubtle and dopey humor made all the films he directed with Keaton a chore to watch at times--especially with the silly Stooge sound effects and timing. Fortunately, however Del Lord (another Stooges director) was at the helm in this film and the results were significantly better. Additionally, Elsie Ames (a very untalented and obnoxious lead in many of these Keaton films) was also not in the short--making it my choice for the best film of the 10!
The film actually had quite a few laughs, as Buster tangles with gangsters who again and again try to kill them. Many of the ways they failed were very clever and showed some imagination. Also, late in the film once Keaton realized the score, he does a funny bit where he deliberately attacks many cops on the way to the final showdown and this also works very well. No serious lulls but no huge belly laughs, it's the best of the 10, so if you don't like this one, don't bother with the rest--they are very, very loud and show little, if any, finesse.
