Movie Review – Sherlock Jr.

Silently charming and discreetly entertaining

This is not the first movie when it comes to mind, when one wants to get into silent films. However, this could really be a film to get introduced to silent era, because of its length and a fairly interesting plot. ‘Sherlock Jr.’ which runs for fifty minutes totally, ends with making us want more. Even though not as widely known like ‘The General’, this movie too has enough thrills and shows what a master Buster Keaton was, during the silent era.

• 

More than the story, if it is a Buster Keaton’s film, the thing to look out for is its stunts. Some stunts are unimaginable and some unbelievable. Even though it is all made on a funny note, it does not leave you without a shock. Personally, the train stunt where the two coaches join, shocked me. There may be some clever tricks but nothing was evident. Especially the bike stunts were terrific. It is a shame that he hasn’t got as much credit as Charlie Chaplin. Taking nothing away from Charlie Chaplin but Buster Keaton too is a man who made humor in a prolific manner.

The movie starts with a quote, which says a man could not concentrate on two things simultaneously. If he does he could do neither things perfectly and here I am working and watching and reviewing the movie. God help me. The movie starts with a projectionist (Buster Keaton) who is in love with a beautiful loveable girl (Kathryn McGuire) but a “local sheik” (Ward Crane) acts as a hindrance to them. As Keaton is a man who tries to be detective, he nominates to solve the crime of stolen watch. The Sheik keeps the watch in Keaton’s pocket and makes him get caught. Making the $4 candy box as a proof. Keaton does not really look like Keaton in the changed get up but gets all our sympathy.

The second half is a fantasy where he appears as Sherlock Jr. He gets into onscreen and in his dream, all the characters get changed to real life characters. The thirteen number ball, the falling machete and all the stunts in the second half makes it a thrilling movie. The stunts, needless to say, are excellent. Even though not a full length stunt film, it acts as a nice precursor to ‘The General’ with the introduction of train stunts. Couple of jokes towards the end where he is given speeding ticket for running faster than the traffic police and the four-wheel brake stopping the wheels but not the body were genuinely funny. Good old humor is always funny ain’t it.

In the end, it is all a fairy tale ending, which of course it will be. Those were times when things were not complicated and brought to a sweet end. May be Charlie Chaplin makes us more emotional and gives us a much stronger ending. But, Buster Keaton is a real charming individual when it comes to silent era films. Hope the spirit lives on…