Topic: The Chemist (1936) - Buster Keaton and Al Christie

[metaldams]

      Produced and directed by Al Christie.  Al Christie is a name only known to the most knowledgable silent comedy fans these days, but in the silent era he was up there with Mack Sennett and Hal Roach in success and fame level. Christie Comedies, based on what I've read and what little I've seen, tend to be more situational comedies and less surreal clowns. Bobby Vernon is the type of comedian who worked with Christie, and I have personally seen CHARLEY'S AUNT (1925), a feature starring Sydney Chaplin, Charlie's half brother.  I'm not exactly well versed in the Christie style like I am Sennett, so it's hard for me to compare how this short falls into the Christie style like I could compare with Keaton's Sennett collaboration, but Keaton is, for the first and only time, working with another notable name here.  I also like this short better than the Sennett one.

      The more I watch these things, the more I'm enjoying Keaton's dry, dead pan, down to Earth vocal delivery.  He's very matter of fact in his responses, I love the way he responds to the crooks when they mention they better get in before it rains for (spoiler alert) fear of explosion, for example.  I'm warming up to talking Keaton when doesn't make his character overly dumb or love sick - you know, too Elmer like.  This week, no problems in that area.

      No gags that will blow you away, but there doesn't need to be, the whole powder creations lend to some creativity and fun.  The love potion and chocolates predict THREE MISSING LINKS a bit and the scene with the girl in the car falling for Keaton as the boyfriend comes out is a highlight, a great Keaton "experiment."  The breakfast gag is pleasant, and the noiseless explosive powder gets some good mileage.  "Now we can have war in peace" is a great line, funny what the scientists consider useful - war.  Before that, Keaton's inventions were considered useless to them.  The way Keaton holds up the crooks by (spoiler alert), throwing the explosive powder on them and threatening to spray them with water to ignite the explosion is the clever Keaton we can expect from the silent days.

      Another perfectly fine two reel comedy.  I'll YouTube Al Christie this weekend, his short with Keaton is a nice effort, I'd love to see more when he's in his prime on a budget.

[Big Chief Apumtagribonitz]

Meh.

[Umbrella Sam]

Well, that was...something. I suppose it was a little better than Keaton’s collaboration with Mack Sennett, but really not by much.

All I really know about Al Christie is that he directed the early Mutt and Jeff comedies, but I’ve never seen them and I don’t know if any of them even exist. Judging by this, he didn’t really seem to be a great match for Keaton. There were a few good signs, like Keaton pretending to have a gun or his solution with the water at the end. I also recall liking a brief bit where Keaton prepares to run away after hearing the other professor scream. Beyond that, though, I found the rest of it rather forgettable.

The stuff with the powders seems like it should be intriguing, but really Keaton only does stuff with about three of them and besides the water gag at the end, I just didn’t find any of them funny. There also are some pretty dumb moments, like when Keaton has to break open the safe and keeps stopping to annoy one of the gang members.

I suppose this kind of film could work well with a different comedian, but it just comes across as an awkward attempt to combine the Keaton style with an odd situation for a comedy.

5 out of 10

[metaldams]

Look, after just watching THEM THAR HILLS, I can understand the relative lack of enthusiasm, but I still find this to be a perfectly acceptable two reeler, I've seen much worse.

[Big Chief Apumtagribonitz]

Metal, I think we agree here, your "I've seen much worse" being about the same as my "Meh".

[Paul Pain]

Most of what needs to be said has been said.  That said, Paul Pain said he liked it.  I said it.

Yes, some of the gags are a bit tedious or slow, but isn't that Buster's delivery?  He slows down gags that people thought couldn't be slowed down.  Plus, unlike many of the shorts with the Elmer character, he's actually pretty darned crafty in this one.  Basically, he's good old-fashioned Buster whom we all love, but in a talkie instead.  I feel like a lot of Buster's style is incorporated throughout this one, more so than the other Educational's that I have watched, but I strongly relate to Buster's style of acting and delivery.

I agree that the ultimate concern, having "war in peace" is a wonderful bit of black humor.  The candy bit is done pretty well, in my opinion, especially with the scientific curiosity with which Buster watches the girl (the one he has the crush on) eating the candy while simultaneously terrified of what's going to happen with the saggy-faced cleaning lady.

Once again, my only real complaint is the supporting cast.  Some of them were pretty weak overall and could have been better used as crash dummies.  Call me cruel.  I'm getting lucky with my choices here and am fearful of what will happen when I find a stink bomb.

9/10

[Dr. Mabuse]

One of the best Keaton Educationals, with some inventive gags and excellent print quality to match. "The Chemist" has the feel of a Columbia two-reeler not directed by Jules White or Del Lord. A pity that Buster didn't collaborate with Al Christie more often at Educational.

8/10