The Cameraman (1928)

Buster Keaton's first work under his contract with MGM Studios had all the makings of maverlous beginning to a successful career for this classic comedic filmmaker, but sadly it would be the beginning of the end for one of the funniest men in the silent era of cinema. Signing with the biggest, most powerful, and successful movie studios and producing his first film under them with many of his normal men would seem to be all the makings of a home run of a picture. It would prove to be a half-truth as the film was a success, but it was a matter of time when the studio would flex its muscles and Buster would no longer be the one in control of his work.

MGM would provide Keaton with the film idea, something he never enjoyed, but left him with a few men he worked with before in some of his previous pictures. Buster did use some of his own power to persuade the studio to let him make script changes in a few spots and move production from New York City to Los Angeles because he hated working is the crowed city. MGM showed that they trusted in the filmmaking genius of Keaton, but still kept him on a leash to not let his productions get away from him.

The story is of Buster (played by Buster Keaton) as a photographer that falls for the fancy of Sally (Marceline Day) who works in the MGM newsreel department leading him to strive to become a movie camera operator for the department. The movie follows the struggles of Buster with his failed use of his camera, trouble with his boss in newsreels, and struggles of winning over the heart of Sally with competing cameraman Harold (Harold Goodwin) constantly undermining him. Buster seems to always be down on his luck when he discovers he has no film in his camera after attempting to film a dramatic Tong War in Chinatown, and when Buster saves Sally's life only to have Harold takes the credit. But all would be right in the end when his Tong War film is discovered including a shot of Buster saving Sally, thus winning him a job and the girl in the end.

The film is full of funny moments. From awkward situations with Buster trying to change into an old time bathing suit in a tight space with a rather large man, to losing his large swimsuit in the public poo,l Buster delivers the scenes with great comedic skill. The movie lacks the classic Keaton stunts that he was known for in his older works, but he still shows off his physicality in a funny scene where he is on the phone with Sally then races out of the house, down 5th Ave. in New York, and up many stairs (filmed using a crane through a multi-layered set) all before Sally hangs up the phone. But we see Buster as his true self the most in a scene he improvised where he creates an imaginary baseball game all by himself in an empty Yankee Stadium.

The film was a success and was received well by audiences and critics alike. The blend of story and gags would prove to create just the right mix for a box office success along with the publicized giant film company that MGM was. Though the film was a positive for Buster and MGM, in time the studio would take more and more control away from him, forcing Keaton to produce what they wanted when they wanted it. Buster would go on to say later in his life that signing with MGM was "the worst mistake of my career."

The film provides a great look at parts of America in the late 20s, mainly New York including a young Yankee Stadium (which was only 5 years old at the time). The film is a classic comedy, one that MGM would hold in high regard in its library, said to be shown to all its directors and producers at one point as a perfect comedy. The film was made while Buster was still in his peak time of his career, and should be considered a classic in his library of films. Today it is part of the collection in the Library of Congress as one of America's significant films, one of many from this classic filmmaker.