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Spite Marriage [VHS]

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In "Spite Marriage", Buster plays Elmer, a dry cleaner's employee who has a crush on a stage actress named Trilby Drew. He erroneously is given a part in Trilby's play, and uses it to his advantage to get a chance to kiss her. She later marries Elmer out of spite in order to get her true love jealous. In the second half of the movie the plot turns to involve them with rum-running gangsters on a boat at sea (which was filmed on Buster's very own yacht).

"Spite Marriage" is the only film Buster made that was a combination of "talkie" and "silent" (I call it a hybrid). None of his other films have the same atmosphere. When it was made in late 1928, the sound system used was similar to what was used in "The Jazz Singer": a synchronized phonograph record that included music, sound effects and bits of dialogue. This film's "record" includes: (a) a jazz band score that was similar to what was being heard on radio at the time; (b) sound effects like cuckoo clock noises, imitation duck quacks to draw attention to a gag, "ouch" noises; (c) intermittent crowd noises such as applause and laughter in the play's audience and paranoid gibberish when a panicked crowd discovers that the boat is on fire; and (d) imitation wind noises when the boat is caught in a storm. However, there is no dialogue...title cards are still being used. By the time Buster made his first all-talkie, "Free and Easy", a year later, the synchronized phonograph record had been replaced by a soundtrack embedded within the left side of the film strip, enabling full dialogue for the entire length without the risk of running out of sync with the picture.

The quality of this VHS print is excellent (very clear), unlike the condition of his previous silent "The Cameraman" (worn out). Buster snuck in some dangerous acrobatic stunts that enraged the suits of his employer, MGM, after they viewed this picture, and thus, his future pictures were not so daring. Previously in his all-silent pictures, when he was his own boss, he practiced some of the most life-threatening stunts on film, and today that's one of the reasons why his all-silents are considered such classics.

While Spite Marriage isn't quite up to the standards of Buster Keaton's independently produced films, it's still very, very funny indeed.Buster is a pants presser so besotted with a famous stage actress (Dorothy Sebastian), that he shows up everywhere she does just to near her (these days we'd call him a stalker!). When her leading man jilts her, she immediately marries Buster out of spite. Eventually, through numerous comic mishaps, Dorothy of course realizes she does love Buster.While the plot meanders, there are several hilarious scenes that "make" the picture: Buster ruining a Civil War melodrama is one, and his attempts to ouwit some modern day pirates is another. But perhaps best of all is the marvelous pantomime of Buster attempting to put a drunken Dorothy to bed. Using just two actors, a bed, a chair, and endless Keaton inspiration, Buster created a classic comedy routine.

"Spite Marriage" (1929) was Buster Keaton's last silent film and his second production for MGM. Sadly, the studio had little understanding of Keaton's comedic and cinematic gifts, which became evident in the mediocre talkies that followed. Nevertheless, this fast-paced romantic comedy has Buster in splendid form with some remarkable visual gags and dazzling acrobatics. The climactic fight on board a gangster's yacht is one of Keaton's best setpieces. "Spite Marriage" was released with a music score and synchronized sound effects - an ideal approach that Charlie Chaplin would utilize in "City Lights" (1931). Regrettably, the loss of Keaton's creative independence prevented him from taking full advantage of this inventive use of sound. Though a lesser-known effort, "Spite Marriage" remains a memorable finale to Buster Keaton's art of silent-film comedy.

The 1929 movie, THE SPITE MARRIAGE, opens with Buster Keaton attending what appears to be a lousy play. He sits in the first row, and gazes upon his beloved, the woman playing the lead in the unfortunate production. So enamored is he with the actress, that he's been to the theatre every night that it has been open, just so see this woman who he's never actually met before (today, he'd be branded a stalker, forced to give up his front row seat and not be allowed any closer than the cheap seats in the back). Fortunately, while the play is boring, Keaton's character is now so familiar with the script that he provides us with an inadvertent Mystery Science Theater 3000 style commentary, managing to spoil it for everyone sitting around him.

Eventually, he manages to get himself married to the object of his desire. But, as you might have guessed from the title of this film, Buster's marriage is a sham; the bride only wed Buster in order to teach her real boyfriend a lesson. This leads us on to an unlikely but entertaining adventure, ultimately involving pirates capturing Keaton and his beloved at sea. Now, how many romantic comedies have you seen lately that featured fearsome pirates? Not enough, I'll wager.

The plot outline is, of course, unnecessary. The story only exists to create some memorable set pieces for Buster Keaton to work his magic in. And there are some very clever gags here. Particularly of note: Keaton getting himself on stage and ruining an already bad play, Keaton getting himself off stage and remaining in one piece despite the best efforts of the cast and crew, Buster attempting to put his drunken wife to bed.

Some of the stunt work is incredible (particularly in the last third of the film), which is what I have come to expect from the Keaton films. Keaton leaps around sailing ships, rooms, and people in a combination of ballet and slapstick, in a manner that is both hilarious and often breathtaking.

I should point out that I'm not overly familiar with the Keaton filmography (although I am sorely tempted by the "Art of Buster Keaton" DVD box-set). I've noticed other reviewers stating that this feature pales in comparison to Keaton's better-regarded films. This may be true, but I cannot do a fair comparison. It certainly is weaker than the handful of his silent, short films that I recently saw. However, on its own merits, this film is funny. It may not be the best thing on Buster Keaton's resume, but it certainly isn't the worst. It entertained me, and made me laugh. I'm not going to ask for more.

SPITE MARRIAGE is Buster's last silent feature and his second for MGM. It is not as good as Buster's greatest silent features, but about as good as "College" or "Seven Chances". Spite Marriage is not really a "silent" picture. It has sound effects. It is essentially a sound picture except there is no dialogue. The first half rates with Buster's classic efforts when he had creative control. The second half which takes place on a boat bogs down a little. Parts of it reminded me of The Navigator and the ending reminded me of Battling Butler. It is my understanding that the second half of Spite Marriage is when Larry Weingarten and the insipid MGM crew started to surpress Buster.

Elmer Gantry (Buster Keaton) presses pants for a living, but he is in love with a rich and famous actress named Trilby Drew (Dorothy Debastian). Every night he dons the clothes he is supposed to be pressing and goes to the theater to see his love. There, he witnesses the same melodrama each night until he has it memorized. He finally gets a chance with Trilby when a man in the show has to get out of town, but he manages to ruin the show. No mattter; Trilby is in love with her fickle co-star Lionel (Edward Earle) anyway.

It seems hopeless until Lionel becomes engaged to a blonde society girl. Trilby is ready to do anything to regain his attention, so she grabs the first guy she sees (Buster) and marries him. He is elated, but soon finds his wife to be temperamental and difficult. Her manager orders them to be divorced at once.

Somehow a big boat scene follows. It really isn't important how or why.

Basically, what we have here is a story that has been done many times before. However, it remains fresh because it is a Keaton film. This is famous for being his last silent movie, truly a hybrid with sound effects and a synchronized score. It serves as a bit of a farewell to an era. After this, Keaton lost control of his films, began drinking heavily, and went into a downward spiral that basically ruined his career as a leading man. Fortunately, we still have this film to mark his talent and place in film history.

I've seen all of Buster Keaton's silent films (several times) and this is by far the worst. It has lost almost all of the charm of his independent work. The Keaton character is still endearing, but unfortunately the plot is tired and uninteresting and the humorous moments are few and far between. I'm shocked that anyone would rate the "bed" scene in this film with his finer moments in Our Hospitality, Sherlock Jr., The General, or Steamboat Bill Jr. Clearly Buster did not have the controlling hand in this film because it has almost no heart. It struck me as sad to see the normally prideful Buster sacrificing his dignity for a shallow, obnoxious woman who certainly did not deserve his attention. Her character was not developed enough that the audience can understand why Buster's character was so captivated by her or why we should care about their relationship. This film comes across as a more extravagant big studio effort with more money put into it than thought or attention to detail. I even found the Vitaphone soundtrack to be an annoying accompaniment compared to the delightful musical scores which accompany the Kino releases of Keaton's independent work. It's interesting to imagine what it would have been like if Keaton had been given complete creative control and the sound equipment he had requested.

Made one year later after Keaton's masterpiece "The Cameraman". "Spite Marriage" shows Keaton to be in top comedic form! Keaton plays Elmer a poor little tailor who's in love with stage actress Trilby Drew (Dorothy Sebastian)and she's in love with the leading man in a play she's in, Lionel Benmore (Edward Earle). Once Drew finds out that Benmore is about to marry another woman, she gets ouraged, and out of SPITE decides to marry Elmer. There's one hilarious scene after another. Some parts of the film may remind some of other Keaton classics such as "Steamboat Bill,Jr." and "The Navigator". This is a film all filmbuffs, Keaton fans, silent movie fans, and wannabe filmmakers should see. One of Keaton's best films!