The porkpie hat, the slap shoes, the deadpan expression – Buster Keaton is an icon of silent era comedies, but was also a masterful technician in exploring the possibilities of film, and remains one of cinema’s most enduring stars. His early two-reelers, with Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle and then alone, include such gems as The Butcher Boy, One Week and Cops. His feature-length masterpiece, The General, although poorly received on its initial release, now regularly features on lists of the greatest films of all time.
The dark days of the 1930s saw Buster contend with creative deprivation, alcoholism, two financially crippling divorces with the added anguish of him being denied access to his two much loved sons, and the death of his beloved friend and mentor Roscoe Arbuckle. And yet he took work where he could find it, always with professionalism and total dedication. Marriage to his third wife Eleanor in 1940 saw his life start to turn around, leading to his professional renaissance and finally the rediscovery of his work by a new generation of filmgoers.
Forever Buster is a guide to the films of Buster Keaton. It takes us through nearly fifty years of his films, giving details of each – cast, crew, production, release dates, timings – including a synopsis and a glimpse at the background of every film, as well as concise insights into how his on-screen appearances played out alongside the ups and downs of his personal and professional life.
