Book Review: BUSTER KEATON--A FILMMAKER'S LIFE

 

I've long been a fan of Buster Keaton--I believe THE GENERAL is one of the greatest films ever made. When it comes to information about Keaton and his films, I've long been frustrated that the many books written about him and his career are lacking in one way or another. This even includes Keaton's autobiography. 

Most of the books about Keaton focus mainly on his silent movie work, which of course included his best achievements. But these volumes almost ignore or gloss over Keaton's work in the sound era, and give a very basic "MGM treated him bad and he started drinking" explanation about his problems in the 1930s. 

A number of Keaton books try to analyze his silent films and what "Keatonesque" means. There are some worthy attempts at this, but a lot of this type of writing tends to be pretentious, when Keaton himself was anything but. It also much more fun to watch Keaton's silent films than to read someone's interpretation of them. 

James Curtis, who has written the definitive biographies of several cinematic legends such as James Whale and William Cameron Menzies, does it again with a mammoth, detailed, and much needed examination of the entire life of Buster Keaton. 

BUSTER KEATON--A FILMMAKER'S LIFE runs over 800 pages, and gives in one volume all a reader needs to know about this multifaceted man. Curtis makes clear that Keaton truly was a filmmaker--when he was given the opportunity, Buster wrote, produced, directed, and starred in numerous short films and features that are still amazing to watch today. 

Keaton's fantastic silent era is well-covered, but Curtis takes pains to deal with Buster's entire life. The author makes very clear, with impressive research, that even before Keaton first stepped in front of a movie camera, he was already a seasoned entertainer, having appeared on stage as part of his family's comedy act for over a decade, with thousands of performances. 

Curtis also makes clear that Keaton was always working, even during the years of his supposed "downfall". Keaton appeared in movies, on stage, worked as a gag man, and was one of the first important big-screen talents to realize and appreciate the power of television. Much of Keaton's sound-era work may not have been up to his standards, and he wasn't making tons of money, but he certainly wasn't a destitute wreck. 

The author doesn't shy away from dealing with Keaton's personal problems. MGM certainly did Keaton no favors in the early 1930s, but his drinking and family issues didn't help. Even the most obscure productions that Buster was involved in are discussed here, most of them probably for the first time in any book. 

Curtis has a very straightforward writing style that avoids complicated verbiage and keeps the focus on the subject, as it should be. The book includes a complete film chronology and a list of Keaton's significant television appearances. 

This is by far the best book I have ever read about Buster Keaton, and the most detailed look at his life I have ever read. I predict that it will be added to the bookshelves of many a film buff in the future.