Steamboat Bill Jr. (1928)

Buster Keaton & Charles Reisner’s “Steamboat Bill Jr.”


Buster Keaton” “Steamboat Bill Jr.” tells the story of a college graduate named William Canfeild Jr. who reunited with his long lost father, a Mississippi Riverboat Captain. The theme of the film seems to be parental rejection. In the film, Bill Jr. is a let-down to his father, who sees him as a wimp, unable to stand up for himself and do the hard work needed to be an adult. He also disapproves of his invested interest in the daughter of his riverboat rival – who he sees a rich snob who is taking over his riverboat industry. Both father try to control their children, as Bill Sr.’s rival, JJ King tells his daughter, Kitty, “I’ll pick the young man for you – and it won’t be the son of a river tramp.” Bill Sr. similarly tells Bill Jr., “I’ll pick the young lady for you – and it won’t be a girl with a father like that.” Both parents are disappointed in their children’s choices and try to control them. Bill Sr. even takes Bill Jr. to a clothing store and tries to pick out his clothes for him. However later in the film, Bill Jr. gets arrested for getting into a fight with JJ King. It then becomes up to Bill Jr. to try to help his father get out of jail. After a hurricanes comes in, he also must try and save his father, JJ King, and Kitty from dangerous destruction. Through Bill Jr.’s heroic efforts, he succeeds and earns the respect of his father as well as Kitty’s father. 


The scenes involving the hurricane storm are something to behold. Watching Keaton navigate the terrain of the town as buildings are toppling over around him provided the exciting climax the film set up. 


Best Shot:

The best shot of the film is not the best shot for any thematic reason – it is the technical precision. It is even one of the most famous shots in cinema. It is the scene in which the wall of a house falls on Bill Jr. However, the window on the side of the house creates the space for Bill Jr. to survive its fall. The technical mastery and precision was impeccable – had Keaton been standing anywhere except where he was – had the wall tilted when it fell – had anything been a tiny hiccup, Keaton could have been badly injured or worse. This impressive feat in this dangerous and comedic scene provided us with one of the greatest moments in film history.



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