The Taming of the Snood (1940)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Jules White

Writers:

Ewart Adamson (writer)
Clyde Bruckman (writer)

Release Date:

28 June 1940 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Short

Plot:

A jewel thief uses Buster as an unsuspecting dupe.

Plot Keywords:

Thief | Actor Shares First Name With Character

Cast

Buster Keaton	...	Buster Keaton
Dorothy Appleby	...	Miss Wilson
Elsie Ames	...	Odette, the Maid
Richard Fiske	...	Detective
Bruce Bennett	...	Detective
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stanley Brown	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Vernon Dent	...	Man on Street (uncredited)

Directed by
Jules White

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ewart Adamson		writer
Clyde Bruckman		writer

Produced by
Jules White	....	producer

Cinematography by
Henry Freulich

Music Department
William Grant Still	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1940) (USA) (theatrical)

Runtime:

20 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Somebody should have rapped Elsie Ames in the mouth!

This is one of 10 films that are included in the two DVD set "The Buster Keaton Collection". It's a sad set of films Keaton did later in his career with Columbia Pictures and the films bore more resemblance to Three Stooges films than Keaton's classic silents. Of the 10, eight were directed by Jules White--a man who had absolutely no understanding or appreciation of Keaton's subtle humor. As a lady said in the documentary included with the set ("Buster Keaton: From Silents to Shorts"), White's idea of funny was dropping anvils on people's heads! His totally unsubtle and dopey humor made all the films he directed with Keaton a chore to watch at times--especially with the silly Stooge sound effects and timing. In addition, this film also co-starred Keaton with Elsie Ames--a completely obnoxious and untalented lady in every film she did with Keaton. Her overly exaggerated facial expressions, mannerisms and yelling made Patsy Kelly look subtle in her shorts for Hal Roach!! So already from the start, Keaton had two major disadvantages in the film, so you certainly cannot expect magic.

In this film, a thief places a stolen ring inside Buster's hat. After that, he goes to the home where Elsie Ames is the maid and the film degenerates into a slapstick nightmare thanks to the loud and obnoxious and totally untalented Ames. She should have been ashamed for her performance--one that the Stooges themselves would have complained about because of its low humor!! This might just be the worst short of the series of ten. Don't say I didn't warn you!