Rent Buster Keaton: A Hard Act to Follow (1987)
4.4 of 5 from 47 ratings
2h 30min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
In the space of ten years Buster Keaton made his way to becoming one of the Silent era's most remarkable comedians only to fall from grace when his now-acknowledged classic, 'The General', bombed at the box office and he found himself reduced to writing gags for the Marx Brothers and forcibly partnered up with lesser performers by the studios to whom he was contracted. This Emmy award-winning documentary from acclaimed writers and producers David Gill and Kevin Brownlow, who are the acknowledged worldwide experts on the silent movie-making era presents Buster's remarkable story and includes rare and unpublished material that shows how he did some of his most famous stunts, interviews with his widow, Eleanor, and other people who knew him as well as a unique interview with Keaton himself.
Episode One
Covering Keaton's early years - from being a child performer in vaudeville to the creation of his masterpiece, 'The Navigator', in 1924.
Episode Two
Keaton's finest film, 'The General', also cost him his creative freedom. It would be thirty years before his genius was properly recognised.
Episode Three
The great Keaton revival began in 1949 with a tribute in Life Magazine to the silent comics. By the time Keaton died in 1966 he has been acclaimed as one of the giants of the cinema.- Actors:
- Charles Lamont, William R. Cox, Loyal T. Lucas, Eleanor Keaton, Harvey Parry, Raymond Rohauer, John Wilson, Keith Fennell, William Ernshaw, Grace Matteson, Ronald Gilstrap, Harold Terry, Dean Riesner, Anthony D. Nealis, Gil Perkins, Albert S. Rogell, Anthony Simmons, John Montgomery, Edward Bernds, Jack Cummings
- Directors:
- Kevin Brownlow, David Gill
- Producers:
- Kevin Brownlow, David Gill
- Narrated By:
- Lindsay Anderson
- Writers:
- Kevin Brownlow, David Gill
- Studio:
- Network
- Genres:
- Documentary, Special Interest
