In Convict 13, Buster Keaton takes up golf. He is sentenced to death for his crimes.
After the last two Buster Keaton films both being miniature masterpieces, this was bound to be a bit disappointing really, and so it (unfortunately) transpired. There’s very little in the way of his usual visual inventiveness here, a lot of the jokes seem to fall flat, and most of the scenes seem to drag on way too long. (It also probably doesn’t help that this was one of the poorest restorations so far).
And though it’s not anywhere near as much of an entirely misconceived abomination as Good Night, Nurse! (shudder), at least that never considered something as horrifying as golf to be a suitable topic for comedy.
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Notes
1. I watched this on blu-ray. The stills were taken from this version on youtube.
2. So yeah I didn’t like this one much. Sorry about that.
3. Also talking of Good Night, Nurse!, this also repeats its “it was all a dream!” ending.
4. Possibly in some sort of attempt at denying all responsibility for what has gone before.
5. Anyway at least it had a dog in it.
6. For ten seconds
7. Or possibly less.
8. The last section of Convict 13, where they have a big fight in the prison, is definitely the best section, though, and probably worth watching if you skip the first ten minutes or so.
9. And I certainly wasn’t expecting Buster Keaton to turn into one of those prison guards from Zelda who swing those big balls and chains around.
10. If only one of the convicts had had a boomerang with them maybe everything would have turned out okay.
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Film Information
Title: Convict 13
Directors: Buster Keaton; Edward F. Cline
Year: 1920
Runtime: 22 minutes
Watch: youtube