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The Play House (1921)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
6 October 1921 (USA)
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Plot:
The opening scene, a dream sequence prior to the vaudeville routines which follow, is what makes this film famous...
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Plot Keywords:
Vaudeville
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Dream
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Dream Sequence
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Sight Gag
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Orangutan
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User Comments:
A visual delight... perhaps Keaton's Best Short.
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Cast
(Complete credited cast) | Buster Keaton | ... | Audience / Orchestra / Mr. Brown - First Minstrel / Second Minstrel / Interctors / Stagehand |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
22 min | Spain:18 min | USA:20 min (2005 DVD release)
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Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
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Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
In this short Buster Keaton took credit for every part and job, including editor, director, writer, cameraman etc. This was a reference to 'Thomas Ince''s (the "inventor" of the Western) reputation for doing this.
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Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: Sometimes the background is visible through the elbow of Male Audience Member Buster, revealing the double-exposure technique used to film two Busters sitting side by side.
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Quotes:
Interactor:
Mr. Brown, I understand you had a cyclone in your town.
Mr. Brown /First Minstrel: Yes, sir, the wind blew so hard it blew a silver dollar into four quarters.
Second Minstrel: That nothing. The wind blew so hard it blew a wart off a man's nose and broke a window two blocks away.
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Mr. Brown /First Minstrel: Yes, sir, the wind blew so hard it blew a silver dollar into four quarters.
Second Minstrel: That nothing. The wind blew so hard it blew a wart off a man's nose and broke a window two blocks away.
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Movie Connections:
References L'homme orchestre (1900)
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (14 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Play House (1921)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
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| Hand double sighting! | Chrissie |
| Question | myersangl7 |
Recommendations
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Drawing from his experience in vaudeville during his youth, The Playhouse is one of Keaton's most autobiographical shorts. Keaton displays his inventive genius for visual effects in a dream sequence by playing the role of all performers in a minstrel show and its audience as well. Each Buster, from drum player to a Grandma Buster, has its own distinctive personality and character. This is truly one of the great sequences of Keaton's career.
Buster is awakened from his dream of grandiose, caught sleeping on the job. In the second part of the short, he plays a stagehand who gets into trouble both on and off the stage. From this point forward the short relies less on technical marvel, but remains equally entertaining. Keaton's facial impressions when dressed up as a monkey are priceless.
As with most Keaton shorts, there are many unique details which enhance the overall film, but are not essential to the plot. Some of the funniest shots in the film don't even involve Buster, specifically two hilarious Civil War veterans in the theater's audience, each with only one arm.
Buster's co-star in The Playhouse is Virginia Fox. She does a charming job in a dual role playing twins. It has been written that in his youth Buster had a fondness for twin performers and was known to pursue both sisters.