Our Hospitality (1923)

Directors:

John G. Blystone
Buster Keaton

Writers:

Jean C. Havez (story) &
Clyde Bruckman (story) ...

Release Date:

19 November 1923 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family

Plot:

A man returns to his Appalachian homestead. On the trip, he falls for a young woman. The only problem is her family has vowed to kill every member of his family.

Plot Keywords:

Feud | Train | Kentucky | Waterfall | Rescue

Cast

Joe Roberts	...	Joseph Canfield
Ralph Bushman	...	Canfield's Son
Craig Ward	...	Canfield's Son
Monte Collins	...	The Parson
Joe Keaton	...	The Engineer
Kitty Bradbury	...	Aunt Mary
Natalie Talmadge	...	The Girl - Canfield's Daughter
Buster Keaton Jr.	...	Willie McKay - 1 Year Old
Buster Keaton	...	Willie McKay - 21 Years Old

Runtime:

73 min (1995 alternate version) | Spain:65 min | Belgium:87 min (copy with French titles at Brussels Musée du Cinéma)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Certification:

Portugal:M/6 | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Finland:K-3 | Spain:T

Filming Locations:

Truckee River, California, USA

Company:

Joseph M. Schenck Productions

Trivia:

During the shooting of the climatic waterfall scene, Buster Keaton inhaled so much water that he had to have first aid.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the donkey refuses to move from the rail tracks, the engineer and others curve the tracks around him. The long shot that shows the train moving past the donkey, however, shows the tracks back in a straight line.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Southern Yankee (1948)

A parody of the Hatfield-McCoy feud

There has never been a more comic use of a `train' (if the label is appropriate) than in this film. This is ingenuity at its finest, the most sustained comic sequence I've ever seen. Travelling from New York ca. 1830 to the Appalachians to claim an `estate', Keaton on this journey provides the highlight of the film-and what a highlight it is! From the bouncing actions of passengers to the lifting and moving of track, this series of images is non-stop pleasure. A dog, a hobo, a man throwing rocks at the engineer, a mule-all are inspired catalysts to laughter.

Once Keaton (a McKay) reaches his destination, the movie changes pace. And despite many good moments, especially those when Keaton has taken up `permanent residence' at the Canfields, the humor never reaches the level of the first portion of the film. Nonetheless, Keaton's genius is evident throughout the film, and it is this ability to innovate that constantly amazes.