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Jail Bait (1937) - Buster Keaton

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Offline metaldams



      Definitely in the top three or four of Keaton's Educational films mainly because Keaton has a really good story to work with here.  I'm not really going to go into it because it would scream spoiler alert - there's twist and turns in the middle of this thing and I know most of you guys haven't seen this, so watch above and see for yourself.  That said, you can tell some thought was put into this short and it's very worthy of Keaton.  The bottom line is this, Keaton puts himself through Hell and he only does it so he can get money to buy a ring for a girl.  The funny part is the girl has about 15 seconds of screen time and she does nothing in that time to indicate she has any interest in Keaton!  Still, Keaton walks around in the beginning, hands folded together, arms crossed, shoulders up in that distinctive Keaton lovey dovey body language you get used to seeing out of Keaton and even begin to enjoy when one sees enough of him in talkies.

      As far as physical comedy, he does a nice little bit with his hat, a bowl of water, and a coat rack in the beginning and takes a nice startled fall of a bed, but other than that, this short is more story driven.  There is a Keaton falling out of a barrel and rolling out like in GO WEST - though nowhere near as elaborate, and a nice uniform switch from convict to guard which pays homage to CONVICT 13.

      A really enjoyable short, hope you guys feel the same.
- Doug Sarnecky


Offline Big Chief Apumtagribonitz

     Once you get used to the fact that police procedure here fractures every rule of jurisprudence, this is O K, I guess.  Buster is kind of middle-aged looking by now, but certainly still athletic.  I'm surprised Stanley Blystone is unbilled, since his is a speaking part with a good gag at the end.
     On an unrelated  ( and sad ) topic, we're starting to talk to ourselves on this site.  Very little action since somewhere around the Dead Shemps.  Damn shame.


Offline metaldams

     Once you get used to the fact that police procedure here fractures every rule of jurisprudence, this is O K, I guess.  Buster is kind of middle-aged looking by now, but certainly still athletic.  I'm surprised Stanley Blystone is unbilled, since his is a speaking part with a good gag at the end.
     On an unrelated  ( and sad ) topic, we're starting to talk to ourselves on this site.  Very little action since somewhere around the Dead Shemps.  Damn shame.

The billing on a lot of these Educational films are curious, and yeah, I agree Stanley Blystone should have been billed.  Actually, not only is Al Thompson in this one, in and of itself not unusual, but he probably has his biggest speaking role since PARDON MY SCOTCH.  Al Thompson, The Forrest Gump of classic comedy. 

About Buster and middle age, Buster was filming Educational films at my age, I just turned 40 in December.  I type this with an acupuncture blanket on my back, so yes, I respect Buster's physicality in his 40's very much.

Agreeed with the state of the board, I appreciate you and Sam commenting regularly.  I think these days, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Pentagram....whatever is popular with the young kids these days, has taken over message boards, but yeah, it would be cool to see more responses, no doubt.  It is what it is.
- Doug Sarnecky


Offline Umbrella Sam

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I really enjoyed this one. While, yes, it doesn’t entirely make sense from a legal point of view, I think that’s part of its charm. The story is different, but still within character for Keaton. Part of it seems as though it’s an anti-COPS, considering this time Keaton can’t even get a cop to chase him, and even then the cops are reluctant.

Though it does reuse a few elements from previous films, it’s not to the point where it feels like it’s just a lazy retread. Some moments I really like are Keaton’s uncaring response to escape alternatives, his interactions with Stanley Blystone, and the whole mix-up with the prison escape. I also really like how Keaton tries to wipe his fingerprints off the surfaces his friend put them on, as though he thinks that will actually work.

One thing that’s interesting to note about this is that the credited writer, Paul Gerard Smith, actually had worked with Keaton before on BATTLING BUTLER and THE GENERAL, so perhaps that might be a contributing factor to how interesting and funny the short is.

There is one thing I didn’t like about the story, though: the death twist. It felt way too dark, especially for a character who, though far from being a good friend, did seem to be genuine in following through with his word. Regarding the ring subplot, much like the romance in GRAND SLAM OPERA, I find it funny for how rushed it was.

Overall, the choices for the supporting cast were pretty good. Seeing Bud Jamison and Stanley Blystone is always fun and Harold Goodwin also makes another return appearance with Keaton.

This is definitely one of the best of the Keaton Educational shorts.

9 out of 10
“I’ll take a milkshake...with sour milk!” -Shemp (Punchy Cowpunchers, 1950)

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Offline Paul Pain

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I was astounded how good this was.  Good plot, good Buster, and good cast combined to make this one pretty Damfino from start to finish.  I think everyone could see the plane crash coming from a mile away, which was dark as compared to normal Buster or even Stooge storylines.  Overall, I think this one would have made a fine movie with proper treatment, but Buster's movie days are long past.

Everything was covered by the wonder reviews that preceded mine, and I shall give this a solid...

10/10 [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke]
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Offline Dr. Mabuse

A stellar Keaton effort with an original premise that was later used in Fritz Lang's excellent noir thriller "Beyond a Reasonable Doubt" (1956). Buster and director Charles Lamont get plenty of comic mileage with limited resources. In terms of print quality (the version on "Keaton Plus" comes from a surprisingly good British source), "Jail Bait" has survived in much better shape than other Educational two-reelers.

9/10